Intending to expand the studies about the academic mobility and its various expressions, this
article aims to understand the different motivating factors in the definition process for foreign
students for a period of study in another country. Understanding the factors that can influence
this choice in the context of spontaneous mobility, regarding the country of destination, going
through the analysis of personal and academic aspects, as well as the possible relevance of
the destination image, rescuing the elements that make up the image of this place.
Considering this demand, the study was conducted on an exploratory basis, and its empirical
data collected through semi-structured interviews were analyzed from the orientation of the
categories of motivation. The results revealed that there is not a standard component that sets
the choice of destination, but an interaction between the different aspects, including the
elements that make up the country's image.
