Determinant Factors in Selecting University: Evidence from Secondary School Students in Sarawak

Abstract

With the increasing competitiveness of the higher education industry in Malaysia, each higher education institution is competing to recruit more students or increasing the students’ enrolment to sustain in the industry. However, the determinant factors that influence students’ behavioural intention in selecting a university have to be identified to come out with a more effective marketing strategy. Therefore, this study aims to identify the determinant factors that have a significant influence on the students’ university selection decisions. A total of 133 valid responses were collected from secondary school students in Sarawak and analysed using partial least squared structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that infrastructure, placement opportunities and parental advice were significantly influenced the students’ behavioural intention in selecting a university, while cost and peer influences have no significant relationship towards the students’ selection decision. This study offers new evidence on the factors that influenced students’ behavioural intention in selecting a university by focusing on the secondary school students in Sarawak. Besides that, this study also discusses the implications, limitations and suggestions for future study.