FACTORS INFLUENCING CHINESE STUDENTS' CHOICE TO STUDY IN SPANISH HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

As China is the largest source of overseas Higher Education (HE) students globally, it seems relevant to understand Chinese students' process of decision when choosing where to study. In this qualitative piece of research, we use the Push-Pull theory, as well as the purchase intention theory in order to shed light on students' decision making process to study in Spanish HE institutions in particular. Results show that students are pushed (i.e. due to difficulty in accessing HE in China or the search for good language skills), rather than pulled to study in Spain. Most mentioned Pull factors related to Spain are low costs (tuition fees and cost of living), easy visa issue and safety compared to other countries. With regard to the institution, the fact that the qualification is recognised by the Education Ministry of China is central, followed by worldwide university ranking scores and an easy application process. We can conclude that institutions in Spain can do more to attract Chinese students.