Effects of Pathways into University on the Academic Success of International Undergraduate Students

There has been a lack of research systematically identifying the kinds of international students who struggle to succeed academically in the New Zealand tertiary context. This research was conducted to determine whether students who enter through different pathways have equal likelihood of academic success after admission. Statistical information from a three-year period was collected at one university and analysed to identify student groups at risk of being academically unsuccessful. The results suggest that international students with previous tertiary educational experience were significantly more successful after admission. It was also found that students who had not completed secondary school were significantly more successful after completing an in-house foundation studies programme, compared to off-site programmes. Conversely, students who arrived in the country earlier and completed secondary school there were significantly more likely to struggle compared to those who completed secondary school overseas.