Interest in study abroad among underrepresented students: Insights from the case of Japan

This feature article aims to unpack the varying levels of interest in studying abroad among male students in science fields, a group often overlooked in the existing literature. Building on earlier empirical work that analyzed survey data from Japanese students across all majors and genders, this study draws on a subset of that dataset to examine whether male students in science programs display distinct patterns of interest. Ordered logit models reveal a similar pattern with minor differences. As in the previous work, factors such as academic global experiences, career prospects, and anticipated benefits significantly increase the interest of men in STEM degrees. At the same time, barriers to studying abroad have no significant bearing on this group’s level of interest, suggesting a positive outlook toward international learning when appropriate recruitment strategies are employed.