Factors that influences the students’ intention to study abroad / Aina Izzaty Mohammad Suhairi

The purpose of this paper is to explore the variables that influence intention to study abroad. Most countries recognize that maintaining quality of higher education is crucial as to ensure the long term competitiveness. As the competition among countries increasingly for attracting international students, it is important to have better understanding of factors that influence the decision to study abroad. The findings show that the study abroad intent are interrelated and shaped by using a model that has underpinnings in the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The study use TPB to identify behavioural attitude, social belief and behavioural control to the study abroad context. The researcher tested the model through 273 students of UiTM Melaka City Campus and find support for the hypothesis. The findings reveal that behavioural attitude and perceive behavioural control became the drives of students intention. The researcher contributes to the extent research in TPB by applying it to the context of study abroad programs by identifying and finding support for the relationship of factors and intentions.