Investigation into the Motivational and Experiential Factors Influencing International Postgraduate Students’ Studies at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Abstract

International education is increasingly seen by governments as a major contributor to national and international wealth and economic development. International postgraduate students undertaking studies in a country other than their own is on the increase and has become a dominant phenomenon. However, most previous research about students’ motivations for having an international experience and experiences of student engagement has focused on factors identified from the staff perspective rather than that of the students. Using a descriptive survey, 24 international postgraduate students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana completed the questionnaires for the study.International postgraduate students reported numerous motivational factors ranging from national to institutional level. On institutional level, it include Ghana’s reputation as a safe country, society that is tolerant and not discriminatory, political and social stability, the reputation of the education system in Ghana, availability of financial support (scholarships, aid) to study in Ghana, ease of getting a Ghanaian study permit, off/on-campus work opportunities in Ghana, opportunities for full-time work in Ghana, and cost of studying in Ghana is moderate in comparison to other countries. On institutional level, international postgraduate students are motivated to study at the University of Cape Coast due to its quality postgraduate education, prestige of the institution’s degree, relatively moderate cost of studying, amount of financial support/scholarship offered to international postgraduate students, availability of a particular programme at the University of Cape Coast, factors associated with the location of the institution (climate, city size, proximity to my country, etc.), having faster admissions process, and position of the University of Cape Coast in national and global educational institutions ranking league tables. However, students complained about insufficient stipend which affected their cost-of-living expenses as most of these students were on scholarship. The recommendation is that stipend for international postgraduate students in the University of Cape Coast should be enhanced to meet students’ cost of living.

Keywords: motivational, experiential, studying, international, postgraduate students

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/16-9-13

Publication date:August 31^st 2025