Student persistence among foreign students at a faith-based higher education institution in the Western Cape

Abstract

The notion of student persistence is one that remains a topic for lifelong learning. Many scholars pursue an understanding of this phenomenon yet it remains an unsaturated subject for further studies. Furthermore, many countries embrace international students in their universities and colleges for various reasons. South Africa is no different. The intake of international students at this particular institution of interest is mainly faith-based; many of these students are associated with the same faith or have some religious background. Combining the two phenomena (persistence and international studentship) seems an area that could open doors to new knowledge. So I ask the question: “Do foreign students persist more consistently than local students/nationals? And if so, why?” This then formed the basis for my key question in this study: “What are the relationships between social integration and student persistence?”