U.S. or Canada? how Chinese International Undergraduate Students Make College Choices

Despite extensive research on Chinese international students in North America, there is a lack of studies that compare students’ choices between the United States (U.S.) and Canada. In this study, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 55 Chinese international undergraduate students in two case institutions in the U.S. and Canada. Drawing on the Push-Pull model and the Purchase Intention model, our study explains how the intense Chinese education system under Gaokao (National College Entrance Examinations) pushes students to pursue higher education abroad. The findings also reveal factors that attract Chinese students to foreign countries and institutions, such as the superior position of the U.S. (高大上 gaodashang), the welcoming culture in Canada (包容 baorong), and the institutional reputation (名气 mingqi). Theoretical contributions and recommendations for scholarship and practice are provided in the article.