The study seeks to explore the factors that influence the decision-making process of eleventh-grade students in mainstream public schools in Western Kazakhstan when choosing international education. This is a timely topic of importance, as the number of eleventh-grade students leaving overseas is growing yearly. Moreover, having gained national independence, Kazakhstan has undertaken some significant educational reforms that have led to an increase in the number of higher education students going abroad to study.

The study utulizes Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System Theory as theoretical framework for the research.Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (EST) provides a robust framework for understanding how environmental layers shape human development, particularly students' decisions to study abroad. Developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner in the 1970s and refined into the bioecological model, EST views development as bidirectional interactions between individuals and five nested systems, with proximal influences exerting the strongest effects.​

The microsystem encompasses immediate settings like family, peers, school, and clubs, where direct relationships form the core of influence. For high schoolers, parental encouragement or peer discussions about international education drive study abroad intent most powerfully, as seen in studies from Japan and West Virginia. ​

The mesosystem links microsystems, such as parent-teacher interactions or school-peer dynamics, amplifying effects through interconnectedness. For instance, counselor-parent communications can reinforce or deter abroad aspirations. Further out, the exosystem involves indirect external factors like parents' workplaces, media, or local policies, subtly shaping opportunities without direct involvement. The macrosystem captures cultural "blueprints"—laws, economy, values, and politics—that overlay all systems. Geopolitical tensions or economic stability can reduce intent to study in certain countries.Finally, the chronosystem addresses time-based changes, including life transitions, historical events, or generational shifts, like economic crises lowering aspirations across cohorts.

 The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach, incorporating online surveys and individual interviews to gather comprehensive data. The findings will contribute to enhancing the educational opportunities and support systems available to students in Western Kazakhstan. In the quantitative part, data from a survey with 94 participants, including demographic information and questions related to factors influencing decision-making, is presented. The survey focused on aspects such as the influence of family, community, culture, and society on students' decisions. The qualitative analysis involved interviews with four participants selected voluntarily from those whose parents agreed to participate. These interviews explored participants' motivations, aspirations, socio-economic backgrounds, cultural influences, and language considerations in their pursuit of international education.

Overall, the findings underscore the complex interplay of personal, familial, socio-economic, cultural, and linguistic factors in shaping students' decisions to pursue international education.  Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that the above-mentioned factors influence collectively students' motivations, aspirations, and ability to overcome challenges in accessing educational opportunities abroad, and for college counselors, it is important to consider them when helping students to choose their future path.

This study utilized a mixed-methods approach, specifically an explanatory sequential design, to examine factors influencing eleventh-grade students’ intentions to study abroad in Aktobe, Western Kazakhstan, combining quantitative and qualitative methods for triangulation, enhanced validity, and holistic insights into the complexities of decision-making (Creswell, 2014; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The research questions guiding the work were: RQ1: What factors influence eleventh-grade students’ decision-making for international education? RQ2: How do socio-economic backgrounds affect their interest? RQ3: How do cultural and language considerations impact decisions? This pragmatic design first collected quantitative data via an online survey targeting approximately 100 eleventh-graders from a private international school and a public school-gymnasium—selected for contrasting cultures and exosystems per Ecological Systems Theory (EST)—using total population and purposeful non-probability sampling to capture students planning higher education in Kazakhstan or abroad (Rai & Thapa, 2015; Creswell, 2014). The survey addressed RQ1, employing Likert-scale items (coded 1-5 from strongly disagree to strongly agree) to quantify trends in motivations, aspirations, parental education, and socioeconomic status (SES), analyzed descriptively with SPSS or Jamovi for frequencies, percentages, means, and tables (Ary et al., 2014; O’Dwyer & Bernauer, 2014). Survey results informed qualitative participant selection via ID-linked anonymity, ensuring ethical handling of sensitive topics like finances and tutoring. For the qualitative phase explaining quantitative findings, semi-structured one-to-one interviews were conducted with four students (two per school) using convenience sampling, allowing adaptability to emerging perspectives on RQ2 and RQ3 (Creswell, 2018; Ary et al., 2014). Interviews, audio-recorded and transcribed, underwent structural coding by research questions and EST elements (e.g., “Motivation,” “Microsystem,” “Challenges”), followed by thematic pattern analysis (Saldana, 2013; Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Access to sites was secured through school gatekeepers via email, with initial meetings introducing the study’s purpose and voluntary participation. This integration leveraged quantitative breadth for tendencies and qualitative depth for nuanced views, addressing gaps in prior Kazakhstan-focused research concentrated in central/northern regions, while acknowledging qualitative sampling limits on generalizability (Greene et al., 1989; Toyon, 2021; Blaxter et al., 2010).

This study investigated factors shaping eleventh-grade students' decisions to pursue international education in Western Kazakhstan, employing a mixed-methods design with 84 survey participants and 4 in-depth interviews, analyzed through Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (EST). Microsystem elements emerged as primary influencers: family and parents provided pivotal emotional, financial, and logistical support, aligning with literature emphasizing parental approval and resources (Hurd, 2016; Porter & Porter, 2020; Chenoweth & Galliher, 2004). Teachers and career advisors, particularly in private schools, inspired via personal abroad narratives—like Diana's English teacher's stories—reinforcing mesosystem interactions (Đurišić & Bunijevac, 2017). Extracurriculars engaged 61% of respondents for portfolio enhancement, cultivating global skills and perspectives through debate clubs, Model UN, and exchanges (Luo & Jamieson-Drake, 2015; Kingery & Erdley, 2007). Peers exerted indirect influence as information sharers (9% direct impact), prioritizing personal goals over social pressure (Ke et al., 2022; Lingo et al., 2018). Gender proved insignificant, attributed to average-to-high socio-economic status mitigating traditional disparities (contra Houston, 2017; Hovdhaugen & Wiers-Jenssen, 2023; Rispel et al., 2019). Exosystem dynamics highlighted socio-economic background and scholarships as enablers—86% deemed financial aid essential—bridging gaps for first-generation students across public and private schools (Salisbury et al., 2011; King, 2010). Macrosystem factors included cultural openness and language proficiency (61% valued abroad study, yet only 22% prepared via IELTS/TOEFL/SAT), alongside climate and political stability deterring 61% amid safety concerns (Chenoweth & Galliher, 2004; Voekl, 1993). Chronosystem evolution reflected shifting motivations from diplomatic to multifaceted drivers like visas and online options (King et al., 2012; Bista, 2021). Overall, proximal supports (family, educators, activities) dominate, with distal finances and contexts enabling aspirations, informing targeted interventions for equitable access.

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