Students’ Decision Factors in Choosing Private Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The decision to enroll in a higher education institution is extremely important because during these university years one's future career is being built. Therefore, when making a decision regarding the future university, individuals evaluate several alternatives offered by the institutions. In Malaysia, the higher education is under the Ministry of Education (MOE) who is in charge of ensuring that a high quality of education is provided to all Malaysian citizens. Currently, a market-sensitive educational system is evolving in Malaysia due to the fact that the country is experiencing an increase in competition from both local and international universities. One of the key-triggering factors is the enrolment rate that each higher education institution (HEI) achieves at every academic calendar year. The purpose of this research is to examine the significant decision factors that influence students to enroll in a private higher education institution. The study was conducted in a private higher education institution in Perak and a total of 200 sample size was collected. Through regression analysis, findings show that financial aid, promotion and social influences all play a vital role in influencing students' decision when it comes to choosing higher education institution.