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…

This study explores the unique experience of disrupted sojourns and early reentry among U.S. college students who were abruptly repatriated from their study abroad experience in March 2020. Using a combination of focus groups and interviews with 25 U.S. returning students, the findings suggest that students' experiences were characterized by…

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…

This phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of Chinese international students during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to delve into how these individuals articulate their experiences during the pandemic, with a particular focus on how their geographical location influenced their experiences. To achieve…

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…

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of Chinese international students currently in search of internship positions during their Optional Practical Training (OPT) program after completing their degrees in the United States. Specifically, this study employed an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) for exploring participants'…

This study delves into the experiences of Saudi graduate students navigating mental health challenges while pursuing higher education in the United States. As a result of cultural and academic pressures, these students grapple with various stressors, including cultural adaptation, academic demands, and familial separation. The research aims to…

Purpose: This study aims to examine the unique lived experiences of international graduate students in light of COVID-19 and the recent sociopolitical climate in the USA (e.g. Black Lives Matter movement, protests against anti-Asian hate crimes and gun violence). Design/methodology/approach: The authors used an exploratory qualitative design…

International students are more likely to experience mental health issues and increased stress. Mental health is often surrounded by negative societal stigmas that act as barriers to seeking support and tend to lead to greater mental health concerns. International students tend to seek socioemotional support from other international student peers…

As the U.S. higher education student population continues to change and grow, universities need to be prepared to provide adequate support for their unique needs. Yet research has not kept pace with the growth, or the variety of international student experiences. Additionally, research on at-risk migrant and refugee students in higher education…

This chapter introduces the learner profiles and the sociocultural roadmap of participating Chinese graduate students. The learner profiles illustrate the demographic and linguistic background of each participating student. Their lived experiences include pre-departure experience (i.e., learning the English language as a foreign language),…

This research study sought to investigate and explain the perceptions and experiences of Ghanaian international students in the American higher education system. Four subjects enrolled at different higher education institutions in the USA participated in the study. The participants were selected based on the following four criteria: (a) they were…

This article is a research summary of a dissertation in progress that explores the experiences of Black Sub-Saharan African-born (BSSA) graduate students pursuing degrees in the STEM fields at a predominantly white institution (PWI). This includes meaning-making of their experience with the campus climate at PWIs from BSSA graduate students'…

While the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in China impacted Chinese international students' families' lives, the spread of the virus in the U.S. heavily influenced their own. Drawing upon the stress and coping model (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), this qualitative study unpacks Chinese doctoral students' experiences and coping at one large research…

This dissertation presents a phenomenological study that voices the perspectives of Korean female international graduate students in U.S. higher education on their acculturation experiences. This qualitative study used Berry's (2017) acculturation theory as the framework. This study particularly focuses on the acculturative stressors faced by…