HO CHI MINH UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

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COLLEGE STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD

STUDYING ABROAD

Student: Dang Thi Bich Loan

Student’s ID: 22BM40248

Intstructor: Trinh Thi Giang Thanh

Course: Project 2

Ho Chi Minh City, April, 2024

ATTITUDES TOWARD STUDYING ABROAD

Students’Attitudes Toward Studying Abroad

Dang Thi Bich Loan

Instructor: Mrs. Trinh Thi Giang Thanh

Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education

Ho Chi Minh City, April, 2024

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Table of Contents

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Acknowledgement

I would like to pay special thankfulness, warmth and appreciation to the people below

who made my research successful and assisted me at every point to cherish my goal:

My Instructor, Mrs. Giang Thanh, for her instructions and guidance. You definitely

provided me with the knowledge that I needed to choose the right direction and successfully

complete my dissertation.

I am also deeply grateful for the care and support of my friends. That is a great source of

spiritual encouragement for me to pursue and complete this thesis.

Especially my Mom and Dad, for their wise counsel and sympathetic ear; my family

members, who not only assisted me but also extended their support morally.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who contributed and helped me

during the writing of this essay. Your support is a great source of motivation for me to complete this

work.

This essay was done over a period of nearly 5 weeks. My knowledge is still limited and

confusing, so shortcomings are inevitable. I look forward to receiving valuable comments from

Teachers to improve my knowledge in this field. At the same time, I have the opportunity to

supplement and raise our awareness.

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Abstract

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Introduction

In recent years, the development of the global economy and education has received more and

more attention. Many countries have many scholarship policies for students, so studying abroad is closer

to everyone. Studying abroad has many great benefits, but there are also many problems that people who

study abroad have to face. The experience of studying abroad, with its new setting, new culture, new

classmates and professors, new activities, and new travel experiences. This unique experience exposes

students to opportunities to improve interpersonal and communication skills, increased sensitivity

towards other cultures and understanding of one's own, and has shown to increase adaptability,

assertiveness, self – confidence and independence (Ingraham & Peterson, 2004).

According to Chancellor Woodson in a survey of former international students conducted by the

Institute for International Student Education (IES) with more than 3,400 respondents. According to a

survey by IES, studying abroad is a catalyst to help students become more mature, increase self –

confidence and believe that studying abroad helps students increase their employability. In today's

global economy, many employers are looking for experienced graduates to step out of their comfort

zone in a foreign country. The overseas experience prepares students for success in their careers. For

college students, this experience abroad can be an invaluable asset to their resumes, talking points for

interviews and setting them apart from students who have no overseas experience. But besides the

benefits of studying abroad, there are also many difficulties that students face when studying abroad.

According to a study by Amit Kumar and his team from Oxford, Stanford and Harvard (2020) discussed

the disadvantages and difficulties of studying abroad are too much expensive of studying abroad,

language barriers, different cultures, homesickness, and racism.

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Studying abroad has become increasingly popular among students worldwide, offering

opportunities for personal growth, cultural immersion, and academic enrichment. Among various

disciplines, business students constitute a significant demographic opting for international education

experiences. This essay delves into the attitudes of students towards studying abroad, examining their

motivations, perceptions, challenges, and the impact of such experiences on their academic and

professional development.

Research questions:

1. What are student’s attitudes toward studying abroad?

2. What are the main motivations and challenges of international students studying abroad?

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Literature Review

1. Attitude

According to a book Attitudes and Attitude Change by Gerd Bohner, Michaela Wanke (2002) it

says attitudes is cognitive representations of our evaluation of ourselves, other people, things, actions,

events, ideas – and attitude change have been a central concern in social psychology since the discipline

began. People can – and do – have attitudes on an infinite range of things but what are attitudes, how do

we form them and how can they be modified?

An attitude is a summary evaluation of an object of thought. An attitude object can be anything a

person discriminates or holds in mind. Attitudes include beliefs (cognition), emotional responses (affect)

and behavioral tendencies (intentions, motivations). To appraise the students’ attitudes, researchers and

practitioners have presented several definitions of “attitude”. According to Thurstone’s (1970) research,

attitude is a measure of students’ positive and negative feelings toward the subject of statistics in terms

of relevance and value, difficulty and self-efficacy, and general impression toward the subject. Attitudes

are enduring systems of positive or negative envaluations, emo – tional feelings, and pro or con action

tendencies with respect to social objects (Krech, Crutchfield & Ballachey, 1962). According to Allport,

(1954), Hilgard, (1980), Rosenberg & Hovland, (1960), Ajzen, (1993) that there are three categories of

responses or reactions toward the object of the attitude and they are Cognitive, Affective or Emotional

and Behavioural responses.

Cognitive component of attitude refers to the thought, perception or ideas of the person toward

the object of the attitude. Affective component is about emotional reaction or feeling of the person

toward the object of the attitude such as like or dislike. Meanwhile Behavioral or conative component of

attitudes is related to behavioral reaction toward the object of the attitude. After one knows the subject,

object, institution, or event is emotional and behavioural reaction toward them and then what they are

going to do or not to do.These may include plans, intentions and commitments to a planned behavior.

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2. Motivations driving international students to study abroad.

In recent years, studying abroad has become more and more popular may be one of the most

beneficial experiences for a college student. By studying abroad, students have the opportunity to study

in a foreign nation and take in the allure and culture of a new land. There are many research papers on

the benefits of studying abroad. Here are the results of research papers on the outstanding benefits of

studying abroad.

The Council on International Education Exchange (2006, p.3) noted, “There is a good deal of

folk wisdom about what motivates students to go abroad, there is very little hard data…student

decisionmaking is clearly a rich area for research”. Researchers have studied to examine the decisions

and motivations of students from many different countries. Researchers have also examined motivations

within specific populations. Nyaupane et al. (2011) explored student populations at US universities and

identified four key motivators that influenced study abroad intent: international travel, escape,

academic, and social. “Of the four motivational dimensions, the strongest was international travel,

followed by academic, social, and escape”. Other researchs reported the most common reason students

chose to participate in study abroad programs was to improve their career prospects through language

learning and cultural experiences (Crossman, & Clark, 2010; Franklin, 2010; Potts, 2015; Wiers-

Jenssen, 2008). Salyers et al. (2015) interviewed Canadian students who had returned from a study

abroad experience and identified four themes in their motivations: social, professional, educational,

and cultural. And those are the studies I found about what motivates students to study abroad.

Motivational Factors for Participating:

▪ Social (e.g. encouragement from faculty,peers and family, challenge self, explorevalues).
▪ Professional (e.g. resume/careerdevelopment).
▪ Educational (e.g. course credit, hands-on experience).
▪ Cultural (e.g. language acquisition,different cultures & perspectives).

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3. Challenges do international students face.

Based on the above studies, it shows that studying abroad brings a lot of benefits to

students as a springboard to help students develop comprehensively from perseverance, patience

and confidence and soft skills. However, deep inside are the dark corners about students abroad

may face certain challenges and apprehensions when considering studying abroad. According to

Imed Bouchrika, Phd Chief Data Scientist & Head of content. There are 5 major challenges that

study abroad faces: homesickness, language and cultural barriers, financial difficulties, and

dietary and health problems. One important concern is the financial aspect, including tuition

fees, living expenses, and travel costs. Financial constraints can deter some students from

pursuing international opportunities, highlighting the importance of scholarship programs and

financial aid initiatives to promote inclusivity and accessibility.

1.1.1. Homesickness: Overall, 99% of foreign students confirmed their decision to study abroad

turned out to be a positive experience. There were, however, some difficulties adjusting to

the new environment. 43% reported feeling homesick at least once a week. In addition,

49% believe that not having family and friends made an impact on their academic

performance and 40% say homesickness affected their sleep. The survey also found out that

the strongest feelings of homesickness is particularly prominent late at night from 10p.m. to

12a.m.

1.1.2. Language and cultural barriers: In a survey of international students in the U.K., 50 %

experienced difficulty in meeting the required standard of English to follow their courses.

Meanwhile, 43% said their overall education and grades were affected by language barriers

and 30% of students had to switch from their main courses to English language courses.

Cultural barriers also made a negative impact on students’ abilities to develop academics
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and language. The same survey reported that 17% of students said cultural differences did

not affect their education compared to 40% who said they are very much affected by the

difference.

1.1.3. Financial difficulties: The cost of studying abroad can be steep. Unless they belong to the

wealthy class, international students often face financial difficulties during the course of

their education. Understandably, tuition fees are much more expensive for them compared

to local courses. Even in the face of free universities that one may find abroad, costs can

still come in the form of accommodation, food and transportation. In addition to school

requirements, adapting to a host country such as managing daily activities and participating

in local cultural events may require additional expenses. Supplemental income may be

difficult as foreign students with strict study – only visas are usually not allowed to work

outside the campus. These may be the reasons why adequate financial resources were listed

as one of the top adjustment issues faced by study abroad students.

1.1.4. Dietary and health problems: Anthropologist Erika Stewin delved on the concept of food

insecurity among foreign students in two Canadian universities and found out that: “Many

students described experiencing food insecurity, which can be defined as a temporary or

ongoing inability to access healthy and preferable foods that allow one to live a functional

life… Students related feelings of depression, homesickness and identity loss, hunger,

difficulties with weight loss or weight gain, and stories of being forced to compromise

religious beliefs in order to eat”. Physical and mental health – wise, international students

were reported to smoke or use drugs more frequently and were more likely to be classified

as problem gamblers than domestic students. Despite having the same levels of general

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psychological distress, study stress, or financial stress as locals, international students were

less likely to report seeking help for a mental health problem, a relationship problem, or an

alcohol/substance use problem.

4. Advantages can studying abroad bring to your profile.

Studying abroad offers students the opportunity to acquire and develop a diverse range of

employability skills and competences, can significantly enhance your profile, making you a more

attractive candidate to potential employers. In Australia, Potts (2015) found that graduates perceived

their employability skills, such as interpersonal and communication skills, teamwork, and problem –

solving and analytical skills, were greatly developed through studying abroad. Students also enhanced

theoretical, specialized knowledge of other countries, working attributes and styles (Bracht et al., 2006).

Such as, Crossman and Clarke (2010) indicated that international experience positively fostered

employability, and students developed soft skills and acquired foreign languages.

Table 1: Pros and Cons of Study Abroad.

Pros of Study Abroad Cons of Study Abroad

You will learn to think more broadly. Studying abroad can be expensive.
You will make lifelong connections. There will be language barriers.
You will gain a competitive edge. You may experience culture shock.
You will build your language skills. You might get homesick.
You will step out of your comfort zone. Re – integration can be hard.
You will be better for it.

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Methodology

1. Research design

The study was designed to collect and analyze digital data and focused on description, in order to

investigate students’ attitudes towards studying abroad. This study is not experimental, using Likert

questionnaires as a research measurement tool. The questionnaire is then sent to the respondent through

Facebook, Messenger and Gmail, and the data collected is analyzed.

2. Participants

In total, 55 individuals responded to this survey, including 29 students who are studying abroad –

have studied abroad, and 26 students studying in the country.

Table 1. Participants
Total VN International
Gender 55 26 29
Female 38 21 22
Male 17 5 7

3. Instrument
According to Al-Mamun, Rahman, Rahman, and Hossaim (2012), the questionnaire survey

method had several benefits: “(i) this method is suitable for empirical research; (ii) the data collected

through this method is easily quantifiable; (iii) this method gives informants enough time to provide

well thought out answers; (iv) this offers greater anonymity to the informants; and (v) this requires low

cost and saves time”. A Likert Survey was generated via Google Form to assess the attitude compenents

(Affective, Behavioral and Cognitive components) of the mentioned participants. Those aspects were

divided into three parts with both positive and negative statements. The statements were put in a 5-point

Likert scale from Level 1: Strongly Disagree to Level 5: Strongly Agree.

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In the first part (Affective component), there are five statements. The statements focus on the

emotional of students when they study abroad, with items such as “I feel that studying abroad brings

many benefits to students” or “I feel proud when overcoming challenges”. The second parts (Behavioral

component) includes five statements. The statements are set to identify the behaviors of students when

they studying abroad, consisting of items like “I experience and discover new things while I was

studying abroad” or “I have many friends from all over the world during my study abroad”. The last part

(Cognitive component), also having five statements, with only one negative item. “I think study abroad

helps students have more opportunities for career development” or “I think studying abroad make it

difficult for you to pay for study and accommodation while living abroad”.

Findings and Discussion

1. The Affective Aspect of Students’ Attitude towards Studying Abroad.

Table 2. Affective Aspect of Students' Attitudes

Number
No. ITEM AVERAGE
students
I feel excited about new experiences, freedom and
1 53 3.173076923
independence.

2 I feel proud when overcoming challenges. 53 3.673076923

I feel confident when completing learning goals and

3 53 3.557692308
achieving personal achievements.
I feel that studying abroad brings many benefits to
4 53 4.115384615
students.

5 I find studying abroad helpful in developing students’ skill. 53 4.384615385

Total 3.780769231

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The Affective Aspect has the middle average among all three aspects 3.78 is the Affective aspect.

To begin with, two items (4th – 5th ) are both highly rated, showing that students have a realistic and

positive view of the value that studying abroad brings again. They see that studying abroad is not only

an opportunity to develop skills but also a door that opens up many benefits and opportunities in the

future. Besides, excited about new experiences, freedom and independence (item 1) had a significantly

lower score, it can be seen that students’ emotional factors can be affected by many other factors such as

insecurity, anxiety and pressure when adapting to a new environment.

2. The Behavioral Aspect of Students’ Attitude towards Studying Abroad.

Table 3. Behavioral Aspects of Students' Attitudes

Number
No. ITEM AVERAGE
students
I experience and discover new things while I was studying
1 53 3.307692308
abroad.

I have many friends from all over the world during my

2 53 3.423076923
study abroad.

I have learnt how to self – manage life and solve daily

3 53 3.653846154
problems in new environments during my study abroad.

4 I can improve communication skill while studying abroad. 53 4.115384615

5 I have become more independent while studying abroad. 53 4.423076923

Total 3.784615385

Overall, both Affective and Behavioral aspects dimensions have approximately the same

avegare, but the behavioral dimension is higher at 3.784. According to the fourth and fifth statement,

which has the highest average of all 5 items (4.11 and 4.42) are highly appreciated by students. This

reflects the personal growth and development that students realize through the study abroad process, not

only learning how to the communicate effectively but also learning how to be more independent and

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confident in life. Meanwhile, new experiences and discoveries (item 1), although with a lower score,

still shows that students are aware of the benefits in items of personal experiences when studying

abroad.

3. The Cognitive Aspect of Students’ Attitude towards Studying Abroad.

Table 4. Cognitive Aspect of Students’ Attitudes

Number
No. ITEM AVERAGE
students
I think studying abroad gives students more opportunities
1 53 3.211538462
to access a better educational environment.

I think studying abroad practice patience, perseverance and

2 53 3.307692308
the ability to withstand pressure.

I think studying abroad improve problem – solving skills

3 53 3.384615385
and decision – making abilities.
I think studying abroad make it difficult for you to pay for
4 53 3.788461538
study and accommodation while living abroad.
I think studying abroad helps students have more
5 53 4.211538462
opportunities for career development.
Total 3.580769231

In contrast to the above two aspects, the last aspect with the lowest average level (3.580) is the

cognitive aspect. Opportunities for career development (item 5) are highly rated, showing that students

see studying abroad as an important step to open many career doors. They believe that the experiences

and skills they learn from studying abroad will help them stand out in the eyes of employers. Likewise,

the opportunity to access a better educational environment (item 1), although recognized as a benefit, is

not valued as highly as other aspects.

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Conclusion

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