Going off the beaten track: exploring Chinese international students’ motivations for selecting regional Australian higher education

Following the Australian state of Tasmania’s adoption of its international education policy, Tasmania’s Place in the Asian Century White Paper (Tasmanian Government, 2013), an increasing number of Chinese international students have enrolled at the state’s sole university, the University of Tasmania (UTAS), which is a regional Australian university. This is a variation in trend from the choice of majority of Chinese international students who attend universities in Australian metropolitan contests. This study aims to understand the motivations of Chinese international students who have made this different decision. Based on positivist and interpretivist stances and underpinned by grounded theory, this study analysed data from 456 (valid) questionnaires and 23 semi-structured interviews with UTAS Chinese international students. This research indicated that the primary motivators for the UTAS choice were: more competitive tuition fees, a larger number of scholarships, quicker and easier offers, cooperative courses, specialist courses, ease of graduation, acceptance of credit transfer, immigration prospects, and recommendations. These identified motivations were inclusive and could be interpreted in four more explicit dimensions: strategic competition with other Australian universities, attractions for students with diverse backgrounds, regional advantage, and specific promotion.