| Summary: | Determining the return on investment of international education has always been complicated and the COVID-19 pandemic makes it even more so, justifying the need for prospective international students to reach out to their social environs. This study sought to identify the word-of-mouth communications (WOMC) that international students receive when they are forming their intention to enroll abroad, or lack thereof. Employing qualitative approach, this study involved interviewing ten international students studying in a mid-size university in the USA. A key study finding is that, during the intention forming stage, not all of the international students involved in this study actively sought WOMC inputs as some already possess past study abroad experiences that they turned to. For those who did reach out for external input, they were particularly susceptible to WOMC that they received from friends or relatives who have studied abroad. Therefore, it implies that tie strength with the WOM givers and their expertise power are the determining factors in explaining prospective international students’ WOM seeking behaviors. Pertaining to that, this study also concluded that online reviews were not among WOMC inputs typically sought after by the students in this stage.
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