Mind the Gap: The Role of Expectations and Experience in Attracting and Retaining International Students in Korea

Abstract

This study is intended to help Korean universities more successfully attract and retain international students by exploring the gap between cognitive, affective, and external expectations and experiences. Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with Korean studies students across a range of ethnicities and nationalities in 2021. The paper finds that the gap can be reduced in two ways. First, universities can manage the unrealistic expectations about life in Korea created through media portrayals through education and pre-enrollment exposure. Second, universities must increase their commitment to act in loco parentis for international students, who lack the tacit cultural knowledge and social networks to navigate difficulties alone.