Vietnamese Postgraduate Students’ Choices for Higher Education: Exploring How Marketing and Communication, Social, and Economic Factors Influence Their Decision-Making

Abstract

Several factors have contributed to a downward trend in postgraduate education enrollment in Vietnamese higher education. Understanding postgraduate students' university choice criteria is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies in higher education settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate postgraduate students' perceptions of their university choices and to evaluate the correlations between their marketing and communication, social support, and economic factors and their university choices. A survey consisting of 401 questionnaires and 05 semi-structured interviews was conducted at some of the most prestigious multidisciplinary universities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The findings reveal that postgraduate students generally show a high degree of agreement in their university choice decisions. Additionally, differences in demographic characteristics, such as family income and father's education, were found to influence their preferences. Furthermore, the study suggests that marketing and communication, social support, and economic factors have varying and significant impacts, both positive and negative, on their decisions. The results of this study hold theoretical and practical implications for Vietnamese higher education. Recommendations for university administrators and other stakeholders are also discussed.