Why did Engineering Students Choose to Study in China?

China is currently the third-largest destination country for international students in the world. Among the international students in China, the number of those in engineering schools is increasing most rapidly. Based on the "Push-Pull" theory (Altbach, 1998) and a three-stage decision-making theory (Ma, 2017), this research explored the factors influencing international students' choices of engineering schools in China. Twenty-two international students in engineering schools at a leading Chinese university were interviewed. Qualitative analyses of the interview data suggested that the participants were attracted to China by the availability of scholarships, ranking of the host university, and opportunities for personal growth and professional development. Meanwhile, it was found that positive relationships between the students' home countries and China, inadequate educational and research resources in home countries, and higher tuition fees and educational costs involved in studying in Western countries also influenced their decision-making process. Based on the findings, suggestions and recommendations were proposed for further enhancement of learning experiences of international students in engineering disciplines in China.