How Does Acculturation Affect International Students’ Choice to Study Abroad? Explanation and Comparison Based on a Relationship with Destination Country Image and Cross-Cultural Awareness

Studying in a new country can be a great opportunity, an exciting adventure, but it also brings its own challenges, especially about acculture. This study examines factors affecting the choice of international students to study abroad, especially the roles of acculturation and cross-cultural awareness. This study was conducted on 434 international students studying in Vietnam, coming from different continents worldwide through online questionnaires. SmartPLS 4.0 software was selected for research to evaluate the measurement model and structural model. Through the structural model evaluation results, this study shows the impact of destination country image on acculturation and the choice to study abroad. It also identifies the mediating role of acculturation in the relationship between the destination country image and the choice to study abroad. However, the moderating role of cross-cultural awareness is rejected in the relationship between acculturation and the choice to study abroad. Academic and managerial implications are also suggested.