Abstract

Academic entitlement has emerged as a pervasive and increasingly problematic issue in higher education worldwide. This review synthesizes existing international and Chinese research to clarify the definition, characteristics, and multidimensional consequences of academic entitlement for students, teachers, institutions, and the broader academic environment. Although academic entitlement has been extensively examined in Western contexts, empirical research on this construct among Chinese college students remains scarce—despite China’s large undergraduate population and the growing incidence of uncivilized or entitlement-related academic behaviors. Drawing on cultural, educational, and empirical perspectives, this article argues that investigating academic entitlement among Chinese college students is both necessary and urgent. The review further identifies current research gaps and proposes three key directions for advancing academic entitlement studies in China: (a) developing localized measurement tools and diverse research methods, (b) expanding sampling coverage across different regions and types of institutions, and (c) exploring cultural consistencies and differences in academic entitlement within the Chinese sociocultural context. This work aims to deepen the understanding of academic entitlement and provide guidance for future research, educational policy, and university teaching practices in China.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.