Higher Education Institution Choice: A Systematic Review of Contemporary Trends and Decision Factors

Abstract

Higher education institution (HEI) choice is increasingly influenced by digitalisation, internationalisation, intensified institutional competition, widening participation, and financial uncertainty. This study systematically reviews how institution choice has been conceptualised and examined across domestic and international contexts. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 56 English-language, open-access studies indexed in Scopus were analysed through descriptive mapping and thematic synthesis, with the literature search last updated on 17 September 2026. The review examined publication and methodological patterns, geographical contexts, student populations, research directions, theoretical foundations and reported choice factors. The methodological profile comprised 23 qualitative, 22 quantitative, and eight mixed-methods studies among the 53 empirical publications. Within the selected corpus of 56 studies, the literature is geographically concentrated, while comparative studies are limited. The synthesis identified six thematic emphases in contemporary research: student diversity and inclusion, digitalisation, international mobility, institutional marketing and rankings, financial considerations, and psychological aspects of choice. Despite these developments, established frameworks remain highly visible in the literature, although citation frequency alone does not indicate the extent to which these models are operationalised or used analytically. A total of 585 raw extracted factor instances were standardised into 239 standardised factors and synthesised into 58 first-order themes and 12 second-order dimensions. The study proposes a provisional taxonomy of reported choice considerations within the reviewed corpus, with potential relevance for future research and institutional recruitment and communication.