Heading the road less travelled: exploring Chinese students’ motivations to study in Tanzania

The global pattern of international student mobility is increasingly diverse and complex. Existing studies predominantly focus on student flows from less-developed to more-developed countries, primarily in Western countries or emerging educational hubs like China. However, the reverse student mobility from these established regions to relatively more peripheral destinations, particularly Africa, remains underexplored. To fill this gap, we interview 14 Chinese students with study experience in Tanzania to understand the rationale behind this unconventional choice. Drawing upon a modified push–pull model, the findings reveal that students are simultaneously ‘pulled’ toward and ‘pushed’ to Tanzania by several intertwined structural and individual factors. Notably, the growing China-Tanzania relations, strengthened university alliances, availability of scholarships, and low entry requirements attract students seeking unique experiences and opportunities to accumulate Africa-related capital. Simultaneously, challenges such as a saturated domestic job market, high costs of Western education, and credential inflation push students to adopt a more pragmatic approach, reinforcing Tanzania as an optimal choice to balance their aspirations and capabilities. This study offers a marginalized yet integral perspective on the unique reverse student flow, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics shaping global student flows.