Mapping student loyalty research in higher education: A SPAR-4-SLR review with TCM–ADO integration (2015–2025)

Student loyalty is increasingly recognized as a strategic marketing asset for higher education institutions in competitive and marketised environments. This systematic literature review synthesizes research on student loyalty in higher education published between 2015 and 2025. Using the SPAR-4-SLR reporting protocol, 80 Scopus-indexed journal articles were identified and analyzed through two complementary frameworks: the Theory–Context–Method (TCM) framework, which maps conceptual foundations and methodological patterns, and the Antecedents–Decisions–Outcomes (ADO) framework, which organizes the nomological structure of loyalty formation. The review demonstrates a gradual shift from service-quality-centered explanations to more multidimensional accounts that incorporate psychological, relational, experiential, and sustainability-related drivers. Although dominant theoretical foundations remain rooted in service quality, expectation-based evaluations, and trust-building mechanisms, an increasing body of research draws on social identity, relationship marketing, and experience-oriented perspectives to explain loyalty beyond transactional satisfaction. Empirical studies predominantly use cross-sectional survey designs and are concentrated in Asian and other developing-country contexts, suggesting contextual limitations for generalization. Evidence is comparatively limited for international student and alumni populations, as well as for research designs capable of capturing loyalty dynamics over time. The synthesis provides practical implications for managers aiming to align academic services, student experience, and relationship programmes with retention and advocacy objectives. By integrating TCM mapping with ADO synthesis, this review consolidates fragmented findings into an interpretable evidence map of how student loyalty is conceptualized, studied, and operationalized, and delineates priorities for cumulative knowledge development. Future research should enhance conceptual standardization, including clearer distinctions between attitudinal and behavioral loyalty, broaden the focus to underrepresented populations and contexts, and adopt longitudinal and cross-context designs to clarify how loyalty relates to value creation, retention outcomes, and competitive positioning in global higher education markets.