IAFOR Journal of Education

Volume 7 – Issue 2 – Winter 2019

Decision Making Model of Vietnamese Students Studying Higher Education in England
Minh Hoang
Saigon Institute of Technology, Vietnam
Massoud Moslehpour
Asia University, Taiwan
Victoria Seitz
California State University, San Bernardino, USA

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Abstract
Universities in England are now paying more attention to the Vietnamese student market for
purposes of campus diversity and recruitment. The primary purpose of this paper is to have abetter understanding of Vietnamese students’ motives and drives to study abroad. Morespecifically, this study targets students studying in a public research university in England. To
examine Vietnamese students’ decision-making processes for choosing a university, theresearch is conducted in two stages: focus groups and then structured interviews. Findings
reveal that the primary reason why Vietnamese students want to study abroad is because ofparents’ demands and English higher education qualifications. Secondly, it is because theywant to achieve better qualifications to improve job prospects. Students do not fully trust
agencies; however, they receive the most significant amount of information from agencies andsubsequently verify their information with friends, alumni, and other independent authorities.
Regarding choosing a university, the first and most influential factor is tuition fees and living
costs, followed by course modules. In general, students are satisfied with course modules andservices at the university. Although the findings are limited to the sample respondents that wereVietnamese students at this particular university, they are useful for university management
and international recruitment offices to improve services provided to students during therecruitment process. This study provides a better understanding of factors influencing
Vietnamese international students’ decision-making process.
Keywords: decision making process, international students, study abroad, Vietnamese, England132

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British universities are falling behind international universities in the world. The number ofuniversities and colleges in England with a financial deficit has jumped by almost 70% in just
one year (Rhodes, 2019). In real terms, the teaching budget for 2019/2020 is 74% below the
2011/2012 budget (Bolton, 2019). This is raising fears that the British universities’ statusamong the global elite is decreasing (Busby, 2018). With the prospect of a bleak financial
outlook and the continued drop in ranking, universities and polytechnics in England are seeking
other sources of revenue such as international students. International students are defined as
students who sought higher education outside their home country and hold temporary student
visas (Andrade, 2006). International students in UK universities are charged higher tuition fees
than the local students; as a result, international students contribute a considerable amount ofmoney towards the funds (Binsardi & Ekwulugo, 2003) as well as contribute their talent andbring diversity to campuses (Rhodes, 2019). In 2017, international students contributed morethan £25 billion to the economy (Universities UK, 2017). Many other countries have also
undertaken various marketing and recruiting activities directed at international students. In
2016, there were over 4.8 million international students, up from 2 million in 2000 (Migration
Data Portal, 2017). More than half of these were enrolled in educational programs in six
countries: the US, the UK, Australia, France, Germany and the Russian Federation. The UK
accounted for around 10% of these international students (Study International News, 2018).
Vietnam is emerging as a country and worth paying attention to. The number of Vietnamesestudents who choose to study abroad has been increasing gradually year by year. In 2018,
approximately 130,000 Vietnamese students studied abroad and spent about USD 4 billion(Vnexpress, 2018). However, only 12,000 Vietnamese students were studying in the UK in2018 (Ha Phuong, 2018), accounting for only a small percentage of these Vietnamese overseas
students. The statistics suggest that the United Kingdom is not as attractive as other countries
for Vietnamese students. To attract and to market to Vietnamese students, it is necessary for
English universities to understand their perceptions and behaviors in order to attract them. The
purpose of this study is to investigate factors influencing university enrolment decision-making
processes of Vietnamese students. More specifically, this study will look at Vietnamesestudents at a public university in England. Privacy and discretion of participants are central to
ethical research practice in social research (Wiles, Crow, Heath, & Charles, 2008). This study
is a low risk study. However, every effort is made to ensure that the data cannot be traced backto the participants or “the university”. To preserve anonymity and confidentiality we use
pseudonyms for participants and also for the location of the research.
Literature Review
The decision to study abroad is complex and involves deep deliberation in all stages in thedecision-making process. The literature identifies five stages: problem recognition,
information search, alternative evaluation, purchase decision, and post-purchase behavior(Solomon, 2017). Most students have limited experience, if any, of overseas higher educational
opportunities, so they are involved in extensive information searching (Rafi, 2018). Studying
abroad also involves high costs such as tuition fees, living costs abroad, and reduction ofsavings (Cebolla-Boado, Hu, & Soysal, 2018), as well as cultural and physiological costs(Madden & McMillan, 2018). Hence, students extensively evaluate benefits they might gain
during and after studying abroad and subsequently worry about progress and performance inthe course (Petzold & Moog, 2018).

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Perceptions and behaviors of students are different from country to country. Hence, it is notpossible to apply one strategy to all markets (Ma & Garcia-Murillo, 2018). Although overseas
students from Asian countries share similarities such as sharing the Confucian heritage andmoving to another country with a different culture for study, it would be problematic if thesestudents are seen as homogeneous (Norazlyn, Sweeney, & Soutar, 2016). For instance,
Malaysian students are found to be more cost-sensitive than Chinese students and prefer tostudy in the UK, while the latter favored Australia (Norazlyn et al., 2016). For Singaporean
students, the Singaporean dollar stayed strong against the Australian dollar and British poundover the last few years. As a result, more and more of the island country’s citizens gained themeans to study abroad in the latter two countries (Study International News, 2017).
Problem Recognition and Information Search
When students near the end of high school, they wonder what they want to do with their lives:
continue their studies at a university, go to work, or travel. If other students talk about their
university plans, this may trigger studying further (Chen & Zimitat, 2006). Parents, especiallythose from a wealthy and highly-educated background, also play a crucial role in inspiring andsupporting students to study overseas (Hulstrand, 2017). Many studies also find that studying
abroad is believed to increase job prospects, provide a better opportunity to improve theirEnglish language skills, and enhance their understanding of different cultures and traditions(Moogan, Baron, & Harris, 1999). Liwinski (2019) finds that Polish students studying abroadearn, on average, 22 percent more in their first job than those who never studied in a foreigncountry. Despite the pressure from the government, higher education institutions in Vietnam
are unable to provide statistics of employment rates to ensure their graduates’ employability(Tong, 2019).
Students primarily receive their information through commercial channels. For instance,
recruitment agents can make students’ choices easier and the application procedures simpler
because they have a vast network to obtain information. However, students also worry that
recruitment agents may give false or biased information (Rafi, 2018). University rankings areunbiased reviews from experts to provide students with reliable and comparable information
about higher education institutions worldwide, helping them make well-informed choices(Hou, Morse, & Shao, 2012). Electronic sources of information such as forums, blogs, andsocial networks also play an essential role in the decision-making process of prospective Asianstudents (Zhu, 2019). Unlike British and European students, Asian students are rarely able toattend open days at universities before deciding which university to choose because ofgeographic distance, so they rely heavily on the Internet to receive direct information fromuniversities (Marsden, Ibanez-Tirado, McMurray, Yusopov, & Halliel, 2019; Wilkins &Huisman, 2015).
Alternative Evaluation, Purchase Decision, and Post-Purchase Behavior
Medina and Duffy (1998) suggest that evaluative criteria to choose a university involve five
primary dimensions: learning environment, reputation, graduate career prospects, destination
image, and cultural integration. Students choose English universities because of theirreputation; other reasons are the effective and efficient procedures of admissions andimmigration, and the opportunity of finding a job while studying in England as well as back intheir home countries (Sá & Sabzalieva, 2018). The influence of parents is especially true if
they are paying for their children’s education, and parents have an immense influence regarding
this decision (Hulstrand, 2017). Other factors influencing students’ choice of an English
university include visa requirements by the UK Border Agency (UKBA), English proficiency,134

IAFOR Journal of Education

Volume 7 – Issue 2 – Winter 2019and evidence of funding (Tannock, 2018). In terms of English proficiency, many empiricalstudies indicate that English proficiency is an important indicator of academic success forinternational students (Martirosyan, Hwang, & Wanjohi, 2015). English proficiency plays acrucial role for international students in completing their studies in English language as wellas adapting with different educational systems, teaching styles, and relationships with teachersand friends (Martirosyan et al., 2015). For example, those with weak English language skills
have poor academic performance because they do not understand well a course’s requirements
and lessons (Martirosyan et al., 2015). They are also more likely to be isolated from local
students and faculty members (Jehangir & Khan, 2015).
Students’ educational experiences with a university’s academic programs and augmented
services provided over the courses influence student satisfaction with the institution(Elsharnouby, 2016). Augmented services consist of administrative services, staff, physicalcharacteristics of academic facilities, and social environment and advising support (Parahoo,
Harvey, & Tamim, 2013). Among these augmented services, maintenance activities (i.e.,
housing, food, and clothing) and campus life (i.e., availability of social and recreational
activities, library services, quality of classroom instruction) significantly influenceinternational students’ satisfaction (Elsharnouby, 2016). According to Solomon (2017),
universities that score high in student satisfaction often have a competitive advantage throughan enhanced reputation that aids in the recruitment of additional students. Satisfied students
are more likely to communicate openly, make constructive and insightful suggestions to auniversity, maintain the relationships with their institutions after graduation, and be potential
donors in the role of alumni (Parahoo et al., 2013). In contrast, dissatisfied students tend toleave the institutions quietly or share their negative experiences with their circle of friends(Eisingerich, Auh & Merlo, 2013).
Research Method
This study includes two stages: focus groups (qualitative) followed by structured interview
surveys (quantitative). We followed the steps suggested by Mack, Woodsong, Macqueen,
Guest, & Namely (2005) for focus group qualitative study. In this study non-probability
sampling was used with Vietnamese students studying at a public research university in
England. Focus group interviews were conducted to have a better understanding of theparticipants’ decision-making processes. The focus group consisted of three males and four
females. All participants were obtaining master degrees. The focus group sessions wereconducted in English instead of Vietnamese and tape-recorded to avoid biases and inaccuracy.
The discussions during focus group sessions were subsequently transcribed verbatim,
summarized and grouped into five categories corresponding with the five stages of thedecision-making process. These transcripts were analyzed to discover factors and explore
themes, patterns, and relationships between factors to form the questionnaire for the structured
interviews. For ethical reasons, participants’ names and information are kept anonymous. The
names mentioned in this study are fictional.
The questionnaire consisted of two main parts. The first part included demographic questions:gender, age, hometown, courses, and financial sources. The second part included identified
variables from the focus groups arranged in the five stages of the decision-making process:problem recognition, information search, evaluation, purchase and post-purchase. Statements
were measured using multiple-choice, a five-point Likert scale, and ranking. Thirty-three135

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Volume 7 – Issue 2 – Winter 2019

Vietnamese students agreed and completed the questionnaire in the structured interviews. SPSS
was used to analyze the data.
Findings
Qualitative Findings from the Focus Groups
Reasons to study abroad (Problem-Recognition Behavior). Participants note that theVietnamese education system cannot satisfy their demand in knowledge provision and that theteaching style is passive and boring. Studying abroad is believed to help them gain international
educational experience, working with lecturers, tutors, and international students from all over
the world. Hence, to them, the Vietnamese labor market seems to favor those with foreign
qualifications over those with local ones. Respondents’ reasons to study abroad aresummarized below:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

•
•
•

“I don't like the Vietnamese teaching style because it lacks communication between
students and lecturers”.
“I think the assessment in Vietnamese universities is unfair because sometimes when I
took an exam, I knew about the questions in advance; teachers recycled questions fromthe previous years, so I can gain a very high mark without studying hard”.
“I would like to learn some practical things instead of theoretical knowledge as in the
Vietnamese education system”.
“Studying abroad is one of the requirements of my university. To teach myundergraduate students, I, have to get a master degree from a foreign university within
three years”.
“In Vietnam, we don't have two kinds of classes like here (in England): lectures andseminars. We just have lectures in which lecturers keep speaking, and students keep
listening”.
“Vietnam is a developing country and there are an increasing number of foreigncompanies opening branches in Vietnam. So, if I study abroad, I can have better English
and better qualifications to broaden my job opportunities in the future”.
“The Vietnamese government wants to improve educational quality, so they give a lotof scholarships for students to study abroad”.
“I think a lot of companies are willing to recruit students who studied abroad. So thesestudents will have more job opportunities with higher salaries than those students
studying domestically”.
“My father really wants me to study abroad to gain the new experience from otherforeigners such as living or working styles. He always asked me, "Why don't you study
abroad like your friends?" He is willing to support me financially, so I think there is no
reason for not going. But I chose where to go”.
“If around you, a lot of friends study abroad, you also want to study abroad. You also
want something similar to what your friends do. It gradually becomes a demand in yourmind””“If I can pay more than 700 million VND to study abroad, I think I do not need to worry
much about the living costs here. But I still want to have a part-time job because I wantto socialize with British people to learn more about British culture and life”.
“The Vietnamese education system is not as good as that in England. Not allinternational companies accept a Vietnamese degree, but with an English degree, we
can apply for any company in the world”.

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Information search about universities (Information Search Behavior). Focus group
participants collect information from five main sources: friends, agencies, website/Internet,
conferences, and university ranking tables. However, all participants consider informationfrom friends the most reliable source. Some participants think that agencies can help save timeand prepare profiles properly. Nevertheless, the participants do not fully trust the information
provided by agencies because they perceive the information to be distorted to benefit agencies
rather than students. Therefore, the participants double-check the information with alumni fromthe universities where they intend to go in order to compensate for this distortion. Respondents’answers to their source of information are summarized below:
•

•
•
•

•
•
•

•
•
•
•

“At that time, some colleagues of mine already studied at this university and told methat this university is very good. I trusted them. Then I went to the official website of
the university to search my course, read requirements, and apply for it. I did notcompare this university with others. To me, university ranking is not important because
I don’t view the university’s history important, but I care about its social life.”“I searched for information about education in England on the Internet, for example, insome forums”.
“I searched Google to find some agents who could assist me to prepare documents tostudy in England”.
“Moreover, I asked friends on Facebook who used to study in England regarding social
life, teaching methods, campuses… On Facebook, I searched the phrase "VietnameseStudent Union in Sheffield", "Vietnamese Student Union in Birmingham", or"Vietnamese Student Union in Manchester"…”.
“I also attended several educational conferences to get information and communicate
with alumni. Sometimes, I also submitted my CVs there, but I see that my profiles later
are handled by an agency”.
“After I finished my undergraduate degree, I didn't have much time to prepare myapplication profile and find information about universities in England”.
“I tried one agency and it persuades me to study at the London Met, but when I camehome and searched on the Internet, I received a lot of bad comments about thisuniversity. So, I thought this agency was not good. I did not choose the London Met
and also changed to another agency. And it was lucky for me when I did not choose it
because this university collapsed some months ago”.
“So, I chose an agency recommended by my cousin. This agency made everythingeasier for me because they knew almost everything in England. They were very
professional and had good relationships with universities in England”.
“I think the most important source is from my friends because they are my friends andbecause they are studying there. They know exactly what happens in England, so they
can tell me exactly about the social life or teaching styles are”.
“When I was in Vietnam, I had very little information about what exactly happens here
(in England). To me, ranking tables are one reliable source of information about how
good a university is”.
“It is quite convenient to have an agency’s assistance. They provided me withinformation about the English requirements of universities in England, living costs ineach city, especially a list of which universities were available for January intake
because I started studying in January”.

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Why do Vietnamese students choose England? (Alternative-Evaluation Behavior).
Compared to other countries such as the USA and Australia, England is a chosen destination
because of its reputation in education, shorter time for studying, lower living costs and tuition
fees, and lower English requirements. Other participants also note that they want to improvetheir English in England – the homeland of the English language and can travel to Europe
easily during the summer holiday. Respondents’ criteria to choose a university are:
•
•
•

•
•
•
•

“I like the structure of modules and the program or courses at this university comparedto others. The English requirement is also low, just IELTS 6.0”.
“I want to study in an English-speaking country because I can improve my English
much faster. It is good when this university accepts IELTS 6.0 but such low
requirements may affect the quality of learning and teaching”.
“I compare Australia to England. Both of them have a good reputation in education.
However, I choose England because of several advantages. First of all, studying
duration in England is less than in Australia. As you know, in Australia, one Mastercourse lasts for one and a half year, so if I learn in England, I can save my money, savetime. Second, the exchange rate from AUD to VND or from USD to VND increases;
whereas due to Brexit, the exchange rate from GDP to VND decreases, so the total costs
for studying in England seems cheaper than other countries”.
“The agency gave me a list of universities based on my scores, budget, and interest, but
I chose this university because my close friend is here. He had been studying in Englandfor 3 months before I came here. I think he could support me when I study here”.
“My father only wants me to study abroad at an affordable university with a good
reputation. Choosing which country or university is my own decision”.
“The first thing I am concerned with when I choose a university is whether it has anavailable course in January or not. I had to finish my work before I went to study, so I
missed the September intake but I did not want to wait till the next September”.
“I chose this university because my friends said that this university was more practicalthan some of the other universities. English requirements here are low also. It is goodat the beginning for enrolment, but then it may affect the quality of the programs”.

Satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the current choice (Post-Purchase Behavior). In general,
all participants are satisfied with this university. First, they enjoy the small class sizes with 25
or 30 students where they can interact more with fellow students and instructors; in Vietnam,classes have at least 60 or 70 students. Second, teaching methods at this university are more
active and practical than in Vietnam with two kinds of classes: lectures and seminars, while
Vietnam provides only lecture classes. Third, lecturers and staff are helpful, friendly,
enthusiastic, sympathetic toward international students’ English skills, and especially reply toinquiries promptly. Fourth, library, online databases (i.e. Library Gateway, Google Scholar,
ebooks, …), computers, or books at this university are considered to be better than in
Vietnamese universities. However, some participants note that they are dissatisfied with course
programs because the courses are not as practical as they thought and because there are alimited number of optional modules for January intakes compared to September intakes. In
addition, some participants complain that there are too many Chinese and Vietnamese students
rather than the diversity of students they were seeking. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction of theparticipants with this university can be summarized as:•“Small classes with 20-25 students”.

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•

•

•

•

•
•
•
•
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Volume 7 – Issue 2 – Winter 2019

“One thing that I'm not really satisfied with is the program. I studied Bachelor inInternational Hospitality and Tourism Management and expected that I could get more
real information, more knowledge, and more case studies at the Master course at thisuniversity; but when I came here, I just study, write, and read with all subjects which
are not really new. I study what I already studied in the bachelor degree program.
Nothing new”.
“I know that the environment with too many Vietnamese students hinders my ability
from speaking English. So when I study here, I want to choose a course which has only
one Vietnamese student – that’s me - in the class. I think I am happier than thosestudents whose courses have more than 10 Vietnamese students. I want to learn more
about foreign culture. It doesn't mean that Vietnamese students here are not good; it’s
just because I want to learn different things”.
“I think our module looks quite practical, but honestly, it is not that practical. Like myfriends, they study in Leicester; they have very good practical modules and long-term
projects for finance-and-banking students. At this university, projects are mainly formarketing students”.
“Our aim is to get practical knowledge to work after we finish the course, not to get ahigher degree like a PhD but we don't have enough practical knowledge. It (theknowledge taught at this university) is just based on the books and articles. They are
not practical things”.
“There are quite a lot of Asian people, especially Chinese in my class. They always
speak in Chinese. It's very difficult for us to communicate with them”.
“I think the best place at this university is assets center (library). I have spent quite a
lot of time here. I think the technicians and librarians support me quite well. The systemsometimes has some small technical problems, but I think it is alright”.
“There are too many Vietnamese students in my class. I feel that I am studying in a
Vietnamese university, not an English university.”“I'm January-intake student in Finance and Banking. I see that a September intake has
about five or six optional modules to choose, and those modules are very exciting, while
my course has only two optional modules”.
“I will consider a prospective student’s ability first before I recommend this university
to their friends and relatives. If he or she wants to gain practical knowledge and had an
average ability and budget, I am willing to recommend this university. However, if heor she has a higher ability to study, larger budget, or want to gain better academic
knowledge, I would recommend other universities with a higher rank in university
ranking tables”.

Quantitative Findings from the Structured Interviews
The sample size was 33 people with over 90% between the ages of 22 and 28, and two thirds(63.64%) females. Almost all (97%) were studying for their master’s with the remaining
studying other qualifications such as bachelor’s degree, PhD, or English certificates at thisuniversity. Approximately 85% of interviewees earned their last degree in Hanoi with theremaining from other provinces in Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, or Can Tho,suggesting that the students in Hanoi seem to favor England more than students in otherprovinces. Nearly 80% were sponsored by their parents, indicating that financial support fromfamilies is very important. Finally, two-thirds of the respondents are studying in January intake.

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Problem recognition. The data, as shown in Table 1, indicate that parents trigger the demand
for studying abroad in students with 24.2% Strongly Agree and 60.6% Agree, while friends do
not really influence at this stage (48.5% Disagree and 12.1% Strongly Disagree). English
higher education qualifications are considered to be more valuable than Vietnamese
qualifications (94% Agree and Strongly Agree).
Table 1: Reasons for the decision to study abroad
Statement No.
1. The Vietnamese education systemcannot satisfy my demand in knowledge
provision.
2. My company requires me to have aforeign higher education degree.
3. English higher education qualifications
are more valuable than Vietnamese
qualifications.
4. A lot of my friends study abroad, so I
want to study abroad, too.
5. My parents always encourage me to
study further, especially studying abroad.
6. I come of age to live independently
from my parents and experience a new
culture.

n

SA
5

A
12

UN
9

D
7

SD
0

%

15.2

36.2

27.3

21.2

0

n
%
n

2
6.1
17

10
30.3
14

11
30.3
1

11
33.3
0

0
0
1

%

51.5

42.5

3.0

0

3.0

n
%
n
%
n

4
12.1
8
24.2
11

5
15.2
20
60.6
20

4
12.1
4
12.1
2

16
48.5
1
3.0
0

4
12.1
0
0
0

%

30.3

66.6

6.1

0

0

Information search. Friends, Website/Internet, and Agencies appear to be the three mostimportant sources with 81.8%, 75.8%, and 72.7% respectively. However, as demonstrated inTable 2, the difference between sources of information is minimal.
Table 2: Source of information for the decision to study abroad
Friends
Yes
No
Total

n
27
6
33

Agencies
%
81.8
18.2
100

n
24
9
33

%
72.7
27.3
100

Website/Internet
n
%
25
75.8
8
24.2
33
100

Conferences
n
17
16
33

%
51.5
48.5
100

University
Ranking
n
%
22
66.7
11
33.3
33
100

Table 3 shows that Tuition Fees/ Living Costs, Course Modules/ Programs, and Facilities are
considered to be the most important criteria for the students seeking to study (84.8%, 87.9%
and 87.9% respectively).

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Table 3: Criteria for the decision to choose university abroad
Tuitionfees &
livingcosts

Scholarship/ Teaching
financialmethods
aids

Coursemodules/
programs

Lecturers& staff

University
reputation

Facilities

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

Yes
28
No
5
Total 33

84.8
15.2
100

22
11
33

66.7
33.3
100

25
8
33

75.8
24.2
100

29
4
33

87.9
12.1
100

21
12
33

63.6
36.4
100

21
12
33

63.6
36.4
100

29
4
33

87.9
12.1
100

Alternative evaluation. The most influential factor for choosing a university in UK is theshorter duration of the master’s degree programs compared to other countries (81.8% Strongly
Agree and Agree), but tuition fees and living costs are not (48.5% Disagree and Strongly
Disagree). This result agrees with the findings in the focus groups that finds England is chosenbecause of the duration of courses in England is less than that in other countries. Most of theparticipants agree that they choose England because of job prospects, English improvements,
cultural experience, English requirements and travelling as shown in Table 4.
Table 4: Reasons for the decision to choose an English university
Statement No.
9. I want to improve my job prospects
10. English qualifications are recognized over
the world
11. The duration for higher education programs
in England is less than in other countries.
12. Tuition fees and living costs in England areless than in other countries
13. I want to improve English in the homelandof this language
14. I want to experience Western culture
15. English higher education requires only
IELTS whereas other countries such as the
USA require more certificates such as TOEFL,
GMAT, or GREE
16. I want to travel in Europe while studying in
England

n
%
n
%
n
%
n
%
n
%
n
%
n

SA
20
60.6
12
36.4
13
39.4
1
3.0
16
48.5
9
27.3
3

A
13
39.4
19
57.6
14
42.4
8
24.2
12
36.4
17
51.5
13

UN
0
0
2
6.1
4
12.1
8
24.2
5
15.2
6
18.2
10

D
0
0
0
0
2
6.1
13
39.4
0
0
1
3.0
6

SD
0
0
0
0
0
3.0
3
9.1
0
0
0
0
1

%

9.1

39.4

30.3

18.2

3.0

n
%

7
21.2

18
54.5

7
21.2

1
3.0

0
0

The most important factor to choose this university is low tuition fees and living costs (87.9%),
followed by interesting course modules (75.8%). The influence of friends is the least importantfactor (18.2%).

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Table 5: Factors influencing students to choose this English university
January
intakeInterestingcoursemodules

Practical
teaching
methods

Tuitionfees &
livingcosts

Requirement Scholarship My
in IELTS& financial friends
aids
studying
here

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

Yes
19
No
14
Total 33

57.6
42.4
100

25
8
33

75.8
24.2
100

19
14
33

57.6
42.4
100

29
4
33

87.9
12.1
100

16
17
33

48.5
51.5
100

14
19
33

42.4
57.6
100

6
27
33

18.2
81.8
100

Purchase decision. This part examines who influenced students’ decision to choose this public
university. The data shown in Table 6 indicate that parents, friends and alumni are mostinfluential with 48.50%, 54.50% and 33.30%, respectively.
Table 6: Individuals influencing a student to make this decision

Yes
No
Total

My parentsMy
friends

My other family
members such as
brothers, sisters,
or cousins

My teachers

My boss

Alumni

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

16
17
33

48.5
51.5
100

18 54.5
15 45.5
33 100

8
25
33

24.2
75.8
100

9
24
33

27.3
72.7
100

4
29
33

12.1
87.9
100

11
22
33

33.3
66.7
100

Post-Purchase Behavior. The findings shown in Table 7 indicate that Vietnamese participants
do not like too many Chinese students in the class (78.8% Strongly Agree and agree). They
also report that they want to have more Western students (45.5% Strongly Agree and 42.4%
Agree). In general, this university has received very good feedback from participants, including
suitable course (84.9% for Strongly Agree and Agree), helpful and friendly staff and lecturers(84.9% for Strongly Agree and Agree), good facilities (78.8% Strongly Agree and Agree),peaceful campus and nice local people (72.7% Strongly Agree and Agree).
Table 7. Students’ satisfaction with their choice of this university
Statement No.
19. The course program is very
suitable for my ability
20. Staff and lecturers are very helpful
and friendly
21. Facilities such as the library,computers, or books are very good
22. This city is peaceful and local
people are very nice and friendly.
23. The course is not as practical as I
expected

n
%
n
%
n
%
n
%
n
%

SA
5
15.2
6
18.2
10
30.3
7
21.2
2
6.1

A
23
69.7
22
66.7
16
48.5
17
51.5
8
24.2

UN
3
9.1
4
12.1
6
18.2
5
15.2
10
30.3

D
1
3.0
1
3.0
1
3.0
2
6.1
11
33.3

SD
1
3.0
0
0
0
0
2
6.1
2
6.1

n

8

11

11

3

0

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24. There is a limited number of
optional modules for January-intake
students (If you are a January-intake
student)
25. There are too many Chinese andVietnamese classmates
26. I wish my class would have more
Western students

Volume 7 – Issue 2 – Winter 2019

%

24.2

33.3

33.3

9.1

0

n
%
n
%

16
48.5
15
45.5

10
30.3
14
42.4

3
9.1
4
12.1

3
9.1
0
0

1
3.0
0
0

Discussion
Problem Recognition
Results from the focus groups and structured interviews reveal two important interdependentdetails. First, the Vietnamese educational system, employers’ requirements, and preferences
toward English qualifications over local qualifications trigger Vietnamese students to study
abroad. Secondly, Vietnamese students believe that English qualifications can improve theirjob prospects. English language skills provide opportunities for exchange of cultures as wellas travel while studying. These findings point to the fact that Vietnamese students preferoverseas education qualifications to local qualifications.
Nearly 80% of the participants studying at this university are sponsored by their parents.
Results from the quantitative data indicate that parents strongly influence students to study
abroad, but friends do not. Findings fully support the research of Hulstrand (2017) and Wadhwa(2016) regarding the role of parents, but challenge the research of Chen & Zimitat (2006) interms of the role of friends. Hence, it is important to inform and communicate with Vietnamesestudents’ parents as well.
Information Search
Results show that Vietnamese students seek information from many sources such as friends,
agencies, website/Internet, conferences, and university ranking tables. The participants receive
the largest amount of needed information from agencies, but check again with their friends andalumni from the universities where they want to study. Prospective students trust that the
information coming from personal sources (friends, family) or public sources (student
associations, university rankings) are independent and unbiased. This supports the findings ofRafi (2018) and Wadhwa (2016). They argue that friends and relatives are the primary sourcesof information used by prospective students followed by institutional coaching centers, theInternet, agents and education fairs. Hence, the university should have a close relationship withagencies and should build a strong alumni network for their significance to gain the trust ofprospective students and support information from agencies.
Alternative Evaluation
Focus group results (stage 1) indicate several factors influencing the choice of England overother countries. These factors include worldwide-recognized qualifications, shorter course
duration, lower tuition fees and living costs, the homeland of the English language, ease of
application procedures, and ease of travelling around Europe. In addition, some participants
mentioned Brexit, which caused the low exchange rate from GDP to VND, benefiting
Vietnamese students to study and spend in England. Except for low tuition fees and living costs,
results agree with the finding from the structured interviews. Hence, universities should

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Volume 7 – Issue 2 – Winter 2019carefully review tuition fees and living costs in England compared with those in the USA andAustralia to attract international students.
Reasons to choose this public research university over others in England are low tuition fees
and living costs, practical teaching methods, January intakes, lower English requirements, alarger number of scholarships and financial aid, and friends currently studying at thisuniversity. From the structured interview results, low tuition fees/living costs are the two mostimportant factors to choose this university. This suggests the university appeals more toVietnamese students who are cost-sensitive. Respondents recommend this university to those
prospective students who have average ability and limited budget. These findings are consistent
with Wadhwa (2016) who found that tuition and institution fees, availability of scholarships
and financial aid, and quality of faculty influenced students to choose a particular hostinstitution. Lee (2014) also found that cost issues most influenced international students’decision-making processes whereas recommendation from others was the least important. Thissuggests that the affordability of the university appeals to the Vietnamese students who are
cost-sensitive.
Post-Purchase Behaviour
The participants consider the quality of course modules much more critical than university
services, given that the degree quality would positively affect their job prospects. However,they find it hard to evaluate the degree quality because they are still studying at this university
and job prospects are in the future. Therefore, participants tend to examine their satisfaction ordissatisfaction based on the immediate environment or factors such as courses, lecturers,
facilities, and classmates. This finding supports the outcomes of the Medina and Duffy (1998)
study. In general, participants are satisfied with the university’s course modules, library, local
people and a peaceful city.
Lower English requirements are one of the reasons that participants choose this public research
university, but such low standards may restrict Vietnamese students from participating in classand socializing with local people, leading them to isolation or mental problems. This finding
is fully consistent with Martirosyan et al. (2015) and Jehangir and Khan (2015). In the longrun, this issue may erode perceived satisfaction among students. Vietnamese students want toassociate with more Western rather than Asian students to improve their English and cultural
exchange; however, their courses are dominated by Chinese and Vietnamese students.
Conclusion
English university qualifications are perceived as more valuable than Vietnamese university
qualifications. Also, the Vietnamese Dong has stayed strong against the British pound over thelast few years, which makes British universities more affordable to Vietnamese students.
English universities should take advantage of this point to promote higher education programs
to Vietnamese students. English universities can not only attract students to England, but also
export the programs to Vietnam through dual-degree programs with Vietnamese universities.
Such a strategy would help some Vietnamese students solve some problems related to visa
requirements, English proficiency and evidence of funding as requested by UK Border Agency.
These dual-degree programs may also avoid brain drain and immigration issues in England
after students’ graduation.

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As parents are the major sponsors for Vietnamese students to study abroad, marketingstrategies should address both students and parents. The information provided by friends,
alumni, or independent authorities such as university ranking establishments is more credible
than commercial agencies. Therefore, English universities should build close relationships withalumni networks and build reputation and recognition from trusted independent authorities.
The two most important factors in choosing this university are low tuition fees and living costs.
This university seems to attract students who are cost-sensitive with average ability. To attract
more talented students, the university should provide more financial aid to students.
Regarding post-purchase behavior, the core benefit of English qualifications is job prospects.
However, students find it hard to determine that while they are still studying. Hence, students
tend to evaluate their satisfaction or dissatisfaction based on the surrounding environment.
Students’ observations include: course modules, financial, employment opportunities while inschool and after graduation. Furthermore, students rely on well-informed advisors to help themadjust to course modules, the knowledge conveyed, teaching methods, and classmate diversity.
In general, Vietnamese students are satisfied with course modules and services at thisuniversity. However, some students are worried about low requirements for English capacity
for international students that may negatively impact their learning quality in higher education.
They are also worried about social isolation from local students. Thus, pairing internationaland host students may assist international students to adapt to the new culture and learning
methods better. Moreover, Vietnamese students have a desire to associate with Western
students rather than Asian students (i.e., Chinese or other Vietnamese students) to improvetheir English and cultural exchange. Given this, universities may wish to implement adiversification strategy in student recruitment to provide a diverse student body of domestic
and international students.

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Corresponding author: Massoud Moslehpour
Contact email: writetodrm@gmail.com

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