Background/purpose. This research focuses on the lived experiences of Indonesian Muslim students and staff at an academic institution with a predominantly Christian ethos in the northern Philippines. It examines the way they faced challenges related to religious practices, social integration, and culture shock within a Catholic institution. This…

This study identifies the intercultural and contextual stressors experienced by undergraduate international students in a business program at a private Canadian university. Using a sequential mixed-methods design, we drew on Redfield et al.'s (1936) concept of acculturation and Berry's (2001) theoretical model. First, we invited all international…

International students' adjustment has been studied for many years. However, "first-generation" international students have not been adequately explored. International students and first-generation students both have many obstacles they must navigate and adapt to quickly to succeed in school. This study aimed to better understand who…

This phenomenological study explores how familial, social, and cultural factors influence the academic choices, experiences, and career decision-making of Chinese and Indian STEM doctoral students in the U.S. Through semi-structured interviews with three Chinese and three Indian international students, thematic analysis identified five themes and…

As international student enrollments surge in U.S. higher education, understanding their experiences is crucial for fostering an inclusive and successful environment. This study used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to explore the challenges and coping strategies of international students during acculturation. Data were collected through…

Every year, the U.S. witnesses an increase in the number of international students pursuing higher education. Researchers, who have focused primarily on international undergraduates, have suggested that international students often encounter various acculturative stressors while adapting to new academic and living environments. Moreover, there is…

This study adopts a phenomenological qualitative approach to explore and examine the acculturation process of Saudi students living in the United States, particularly in relation to their access to campus counseling services. The findings of this study identify five themes: 1) pre-migration expectations and realities, 2) journey of cultural…

Given the social and emotional tolls of the COVID-19 pandemic on college and university students, many students have become academically disengaged during the pandemic. Although some colleges and universities have the capacity to promote social support for their students, research has yet to comprehensively demonstrate the relationship between…

To test hypotheses in cross-cultural studies, it is necessary to investigate whether results might be affected systematically by language or cultural effects. In this paper the results of differential item functioning (DIF) analyses for the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Preventive Resources Inventory (PRI), and the Brief COPE are presented.…

In the initial phase of participating in short-term semester abroad programs, newly arrived international students may face a lot of difficulties and challenging experiences living in Thai society. This phenomenological study reports on the issues of socio-cultural adaptation experienced by German exchange students while participating in semester…

Enhancing our knowledge about students' experiences during their studies in higher music education is essential to understand and support them as they cope with their specific workloads in studying music. This study provides a research-based understanding of what engaging in music means to music students when they reflected on their experiences of…

A phenomenological qualitative research study was conducted to answer the research question: How do first-generation college students experience ambiguous loss towards their cultural identity because of cultural mismatch? To what extent do first-generation college students experience ambiguous loss of their cultural identity? The researcher…

The advent of the internet began a slow and halting movement toward online teaching and learning. As more universities and schools adopted electronic-learning (e-learning) as a formal mode of instruction, several instructional models emerged in undergraduate and graduate programs. The unexpected spread of the COVID-19 pandemic led to an…

Interpersonal conflict is inevitable as college students live together in residence halls with new and different people (Bresnahan et al., 2009; Ferguson & Lareau, 2021; Fosnacht et al., 2020; Harwood et al., 2012; Morgan et al., 2019; Shook & Fazio, 2008). Whether the conflict stems from small miscommunications to mismatched value…

In this study, we explore the perceived stress and self-regulation of four Chinese international students (CISs) at a public research university in the southeastern United States (U.S.) during the COVID-19 pandemic through individual semistructured interviews. The identified themes include travel restrictions and delayed required tests, mixed…