Academic Self-Efficacy at the Onset of Tertiary Education

Abstract

The transition to higher education is a pivotal period in students’ academic lives, during which academic self-efficacy beliefs have been identified as a crucial factor in the adaptation process. The present study investigates patterns of study entry self-efficacy among first-year university students, with a special emphasis on differences between students in Hungarian-language programs at a regional Hungarian foundation-maintained university and students in English-language programs in Hungary. The data were collected through the SESW (Studieneinstiegsselbstwirksamkeit) questionnaire in an online self-administered survey. Quantitative analysis was performed to compare two SESW dimensions: Cognitive Challenges (kH) and Motivation and Cognitive Confidence (MuK). The results show that no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups for kH, whereas students in English-language programs reported statistically significantly higher MuK self-efficacy. These findings describe group differences in the present sample and should be interpreted in light of the simultaneous differences in language of instruction and institutional context.