本研究旨在瞭解東部地區一所大學4位主修人文及社會學科、來自馬來西亞及印尼的大一新鮮人，選擇臺灣接受高等教育的決定因素及其第一年的學習經驗。研究方法包含教室觀察、個別訪談、同儕團體焦點訪談及相關文獻資料分析。研究發現，4位東南亞籍外國學生選擇前來臺灣求學，正如Mazzarol與Soutar所提出的，攸關「推—拉」因素。此外，本研究進一步提出，「推—拉」理論更可以用來詮釋外國學生來臺第一年的學習生活。中文聽、說、讀、寫及對於臺灣社會文化認知的侷限，是為外國學生在臺學習第一年「推」的因素，然而他（她）們面對這些挑戰沒有終止學習，更因獎學金的需求不斷地自我督促認真學習。網際網路及工具書、校內國際學生的組織及活動、同儕互動，以及隨和、開朗、助人等個人特質，加上與母國親友的聯繫，形構成這幾位東南亞籍外國學生持續在臺求學「拉」的因素。學校若能回應外國學生學習需求，協助其生涯規劃，增進外國與本國師生彼此瞭解，鼓勵學生參加社團或成立學習社群，建立學習成長檔案，必有助於大學教育國際化「學」與「教」雙贏的局面。

The purpose of this study was to examine factors motivating and influencing Southeast Asian student choice of Taiwan. It also explored the first year university experiences of being a freshman in Taiwan. Four Southeast Asian university students majoring in humanities and social sciences in a university located at the east coast of Taiwan were interviewed. In addition, group interviews with these four students’ classmates and a year-long classroom observation were also of vital importance. The study confirms Mazzarol and Soutar’s “push and pull” model of international student choice of destination. During the first year of college, with helps from teachers and classrooms, resources on world wide web, and home country language and English, these four students were able to overcome the language problems particularly reading and writing the original complex form of Chinese characters and the challenge of Taiwan’s history and culture. They were always cheerful, easy going and caring with peers experiences and expressed self-regulation of learning. They got involved in international students’ association in campus. These were “pull” factors that push them through the first year study and moving on to the second year, and eventually completing university. Adjusting to a new culture is a challenging experience for international students. Implications of these findings for institutional policies and practices as they affect internationalization of higher education are discussed.