Pull or Pull -er
Differentiating Stronger and Weaker Pull Factors for International Students Choosing Turkey as a Study Destination
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22434653 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Hatice Ergin-Kocaturk (0000-0001-7639-9853, Bogaziçi University), Esra Tekel (0000-0003-4600-9900, Afyon Kocatepe University), Metin Kocatürk (0000-0002-2065-0022, Türkisch-Deutsche Universität), Ahmet Su (0000-0003-0491-1744, Trinity College), Engin Karadag (0000-0002-9723-3833, Akdeniz University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-23 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Open Cultural Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2451-3474 • E-ISSN: 2451-3474 |
| Publisher | Walter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1515/culture-2025-0097 |
| OpenAlex | W7168252075 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
International student mobility has become an increasingly important dimension of higher education internationalization, particularly for emerging destination countries such as Turkey. This study investigates the key factors influencing international university students’ decisions to choose Turkey as a study destination and examines how these motivations vary according to students’ regions of origin. Data were collected using the 3-Key Rationalization Survey for Incoming International Students , a 23-item instrument designed to assess behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and perceived behavioral control based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The sample of the study consisted of 3,554 international students enrolled at 30 universities across Turkey. The findings reveal that the primary reasons for preferring Turkey include the opportunity to study abroad, perceived cultural proximity, and favorable comparisons between Turkey’s higher education system and that of students’ home countries. Notably, the results indicate notable regional differences in decision-making patterns. Students from conflict-affected regions, Turkic states, and Eastern Europe tended to base their choices more strongly on normative beliefs and perceived social expectations. In contrast, students from African and Asian countries were more influenced by personal attitudes and perceived educational benefits. These findings highlight the significant role of cultural, social, and contextual factors in shaping international students’ mobility decisions, providing valuable insights for higher education policy and international recruitment strategies in Turkey.
Cultural diversity · Higher education · International comparisons · International education · Normative · Normative social influence · Study abroad · Theory of planned behavior · Global Education and Multiculturalism · Higher Education Governance and Development · International Student and Expatriate Challenges
Cross-border flows of students for higher education
“Push‐pull” factors influencing international student destination choice
Student mobility reviewed
Internationalization Remodeled
Internationalization in Higher Education, a Critical Review
The Internationalization of Higher Education
The theory of planned behavior
Perceived Behavioral Control, Self‐Efficacy, Locus of Control, and the Theory of Planned Behavior 1
Higher education in a world market
Conflicting Perspectives on the Internationalization of Higher Education
Theories of International Migration
Internationalisation policies
Colonial legacies in internationalisation of higher education
Economic Theory and International Migration
Why place matters
Dimensionalizing Cultures
The changing patterns of international student mobility
| Highly cited | No |
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