Twenty Asian graduate students in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) program at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) were interviewed for this study. The study was divided into two parts. The first part asked the importance of various factors that were deemed to have influenced students' choices to study abroad, to study in the United States, and to study at UCSB. The second part of the study asked students to rate the importance of factors that might encourage them to seek employment in the United States or return home after completing their studies. Students were asked to rate the importance of various items using a questionnaire of 27 items; each item measured the importance of an aspect of the students' decisions. Although a wide variety of factors were found to motivate students, some items consistently generated high mean scores and low deviations. Important factors included: (1) quality of ECE programs in the United States; (2) the added educational dimension of study abroad; and (3) better information provided at U.S. universities. Most students planned to work in this country, though not necessarily permanently. Possible implications for the United States and for the countries sending these students are discussed. Contains 12 references. (Author/KM)