This study seeks to explore why and how foreign students choose China (Xi’an in this case) to pursue their higher education, to assess factors influencing the college choices of students from different backgrounds and to describe possible implications for both the Chinese government and universities. A modified synthesis model is used to explain the relationships among various factors that influence the country, city and institution of students who choose to study abroad. The research sample comprised of foreign students from 47 countries at four universities in Xi’an. The research shows that foreign language skills, better employment prospects and Chinese culture are the key factors attracting foreign students. In addition, foreign students are more concerned about the dimension of student characteristics when choosing a study destination. Foreign students’ college choices in China are different in six dimensions because of their country of origin, sex, age, major, degree and graduation plan. And there was a significant correlation with parents’ highest educational attainment, annual household income, subjective socioeconomic status and subjective academic performance.

本研究旨在探討外國留學生為何及如何選擇中國（以西安為例）追求高等教 育，從不同背景變項評估影響外國學生選擇中國高校的因素，並為今後中國政府 及高校提供相關建議。本研究選用改良合成模型，用於解釋各種影響學生選擇留 學國家、城市及機構的因素之間的關係。研究對象為西安四所高校的來自 47 個 國家的外國學生。研究表明，外語技能、更好的就業前景及中國傳統文化是吸引 外國學生的關鍵因素。此外，外國學生在選擇留學目的地時更關注學生特點層面 因素。外國學生對選擇中國高校的六種層面因生源國、性別、年齡、專業、學歷、 畢業有無留華打算而有差異。且與父母最高教育水準、家庭人均年收入、主觀社 會經濟地位及主觀學業水準存在相關關係。