Factors influencing South African undergraduate students choice of a university: Mangosuthu University as a case study.

The main purpose of this research was to investigate the factors influencing South African undergraduate students’ choice of a university, using Mangosuthu University as a case study. A survey questionnaire was distributed among 190 First year Mangosuthu University students through convenience sampling. The data was analysed with the aid of basic descriptive statistics like frequency count, percentages, and mean analysis. The results of the study showed that all seven factors or constructs, as identified from the literature review, are important in influencing students’ university choice. However, the constructs differ in the degree to which they influence students’ university choice. The most important constructs influencing students’ university choice are the reputation of the institution, the cost of education, influence of family, friends, and peers, and institutional infrastructure and facilities. The least important factors are location, programmes offered, and institutional information. These findings indicate that universities must focus their energies on building good reputations, excellent institutional infrastructure, awarding more scholarships, and seeking to influence other relevant third parties in order to attract undergraduate students.