Determinants of international students’ choice of universities in Ghana: A case of university of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Abstract

The current study examined the determinants of international students’ choices to public universities in Ghana. With migration system theory and push-pull theory as lenses, the findings of the study were based on surveys with 435 international students (University of Ghana=166; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology =269) randomly selected and the data was analysed using the IBM SPSS 21. The study found that, in both University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the cost of tuition was one of the major factors that influenced their choice. Also meeting people with diverse culture, the search for new experience, the reputation of the institution stood tall among all the social factors that influenced their choice. In terms of academic factors, the value of the degree influenced international students’ choice into University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The respondents were satisfied with the fact that teaching and learning was practical. International students had good communication and interaction with the local people and the lecturers respectively. The high cost of living, acts of discrimination and unavailable flexible banking were some of the challenges that international students’ face. The study therefore recommends that university authorities should conduct students need assessment to identify their basic needs as international students. To cure the problem of discrimination, the universities should organise games and programmes for both native and international students to build social networks