Regional contrasts in student satisfaction: the case of international students in the U.S.A. and Hungary

In recent years, international student mobility has become a key aspect of higher education. As more students consider studying abroad, universities are increasingly focused on understanding and improving international student satisfaction. This satisfaction is influenced by various factors, the host country included. This study uses in-depth qualitative interviews analyzed with MAXQDA 24 software and thematic code matrix-based heatmap analysis to explore international student satisfaction and dissatisfaction in two national contexts, at San Jose State University, U.S.A., and the University of Szeged, Hungary. The findings indicate that factors contributing to satisfaction are less specific to the country or institution, while dissatisfaction is more closely tied to local and institutional factors. The research contributes to existing literature by identifying key factors in student satisfaction and dissatisfaction, providing a foundation for future quantitative studies and offering insights for higher education policymakers.