FACTORS INFLUENCING STUDENTS' INTENTION TO PURSUE GRADUATE STUDIES AT CAN THO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

This study analyzes the factors influencing students’ intention to pursue postgraduate education at Can Tho University of Technology. Research data were collected from a survey of 240 current students. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach was employed for analysis. The results indicate that the model is statistically significant with R² = 0.737, confirming that the examined factors exert considerable influence on students’ postgraduate study intentions. The significant factors include social environment, cost and time, labor market requirements, and program quality. Among these, cost and time emerged as the most influential determinant, while labor market demands are increasingly recognized as a key driving force. In addition, program quality and social environment exert moderate impacts, whereas personal motivation, although relevant, is not the primary determinant. These findings provide a scientific basis for policy and managerial implications, including setting reasonable tuition fees, offering flexible study schedules, and improving program quality and teaching effectiveness to attract more students to postgraduate education.