Exploring Chinese international high school students' motivations for pursuing degrees in the UK: An empirical investigation based on push-pull model

This study fills a gap in the existing research on the motivations of young Chinese students studying abroad, particularly focusing on those choosing to pursue education in the UK. This study interviewed 15 Chinese international high school students and 6 Chinese parents to explore the motivations of Chinese students to pursue university degrees abroad. This study applied a narrative inquiry approach and the classic push-pull model as the theoretical framework. The study identifies three micro-level push factors: parental expectations, the ability to pay tuition fees, and students’ academic performance. It also identifies three micro-level pull factors from the host country: opportunities to improve English skills, previous travel experience, and friends’ recommendations. At the macro-level, two push factors from the home country are identified: application supplements and differences in school curricula. Two macro-level pull factors from the host country include immigration opportunities and the natural environment. These findings provide fresh insights into the differences in motivations between Chinese students pursuing undergraduate versus postgraduage degrees abroad, enriching the theoretical framework of international student mobility research and offering practical references for educational policymakers and study abroad service providers.