In order to promote Canadian students’ mobility to China, it is essential to

understand their motivations to study in Chinese universities because it influences

their learning experiences. Through the application of the push-pull model as a

conceptual framework (Altbach, 1998; Mazzarol & Soutar, 2002), this study

explores the factors that motivate Canadian exchange students to study in China.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 non-Chinese spoken

Canadian exchange students from 9 universities. The findings reveal that both

push and pull factors affect students’ decisions to study in China. The key push

factors are learning the Chinese language and culture and personal growth; the

primary pull factors are China’s potential for economic development, future

opportunities, and the availability of exchange programs. This study provides

stakeholders with insights into designing exchange programs targeted to

students’ needs and developing marketing strategies to attract Canadian

international students