Introduction:
Educational and career aspirations are essential for student success in higher education, shaping academic choices and paving the way for meaningful and impactful careers. Studies have argued that career aspirations are significant motivators for academic excellence. Each year, high school learners transition into higher education as first-time entering students, driven by the assumption that a diverse range of influences shapes their career aspirations. It is, therefore, crucial to explore the first-time entering students' educational and career aspirations as experts in their own lives to provide nuanced, meaningful insights into the issues that affect their lives pertaining to their envisaged career paths. Understanding the first-time entering students' aspirations in the context of distance education is crucial for designing student-focused policies, career counselling services, and academic support initiatives to enhance career choices that improve retention and employability.

Aim:
To examine the underlying factors motivating first-time entering distance learning undergraduate students' educational and career aspirations.

Methods:
This study adopted a descriptive survey design to investigate factors motivating first-time entering distance learning students' educational and career aspirations. The target population comprised 86,346 students who enrolled as first-time entering students at the institution under study in 2025. A census approach was used, allowing all first-time entering undergraduate students to participate, while students from other study levels were excluded. Data were collected through a structured online survey created using Qualtrics, which included both open- and closed-ended questions and was distributed via student emails. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively using SPSS version 29. Responses to open-ended questions were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. All ethical considerations were adhered to.

Results:
Household education levels were mostly limited to matric/ final year of high school qualifications (n=1102) and bachelor's degree (n=451). The findings across the three areas of university choice, matric subject choice, and career aspirations consistently reveal self-influence as the foremost source of motivation among first-time entering students. Family (mothers, siblings, fathers) and school-based support structures (teachers) remain secondary to influencing career aspiration. The primary reason for choosing the current university to study was due to its academic programs (39,7%), affordability (21,9%), and its reputation (20,4%). Career aspirations were shaped by matric results (75,5%), employability prospects (66,3%), and financial constraints (60,3%), rather than current employment or role models. Education, Business, Law, and STEM-related fields were noted as critical contributors to economic development. Schooling and family play critical roles in shaping first-time entering students’ career aspirations.

Conclusion:
The findings highlight that first-time entering students’ career aspirations are shaped by a complex interplay of factors. The decision to pursue higher education is not only an expression of personal ambition but also a response to broader structural realities, reflecting the critical role of universities in providing flexible, affordable, and career-relevant programs that align with both individual aspirations and national developmental needs.

Keywords: Career aspirations, first time entering students, distance learning, career path, higher education.