Attractions to and Challenges involved in Studying Abroad: the Case of Kampala International University

Abstract

Uganda is a major foreign higher education student receiving country in Eastern Africa. However, hitherto, the factors attracting foreign students to the country and the challenges the students encounter in studying at the institutions had not attracted scholarly attention. Therefore, taking the case of Kampala International University, this study investigated these attractions and challenges. Using questionnaire, data were collected from a random sample of 120 international students and analysed using percentages. The findings were that the quality with which Ugandan higher education is associated; security in Uganda; diversity and flexibility of study programs and schedules in the country’s higher education system; friendliness of student immigration policies; and affordability of study programs attract foreign students to the country. Conversely, rising costs of living, language barriers and differences in pre-university academic achievement grading systems between Uganda and some foreign student sending countries were identified as the main challenges facing the international students.