Effective educational systems provide refugees with freedom and support to develop personal skills and knowledge. Additionally, educational systems that support aspirations or goals can have positive impacts on the way students view their educational experience and the satisfaction they feel from it. As internationalization of education increases and refugees continue to flood into regions all over the world, understanding the dynamic factors that shape educational perceptions is vital. This study utilized a phenomenological approach to analyze North Korean refugee educational perspectives first collectively (through surveys) then individually (through interviews). The goal of the current study was to analyze the personal shift in educational perspectives of North Korean refugees as they encountered two vastly different educational systems. The current study utilized Bandura's triarchic reciprocal determination model as a theoretical framework. Using North Korean refugees as a case study, attendees will examine the factors that positively affect refugee student educational attitudes and satisfaction. Furthermore, attendees will consider how pre- and post-settlement experiences shape behavior within academic environments.