This qualitative case study examines the concept of 'internationalisation at a distance (IaD)' by investigating the learning and academic socialising experiences of international students in online higher education (HE). Amid the evolving landscape of global HE, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of distance education, creating a unique context for internationalising HE at a distance. The number of international students joining foreign universities from their home countries through the medium of online learning has continued to grow. To better understand IaD from the vantage point of international students, not of universities or domestic students, the present authors listen to online international students, shedding light on the complex nature of being international students in such social and cultural contexts. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 19 international students of Chinese ethnicity residing in China while studying and pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees offered by universities in English-speaking countries. Our findings reveal that despite the institutional rhetoric which promotes diversity and inclusivity, especially during student recruitment and induction, online international students experience that their unique cultural perspectives and pedagogical knowledge are usually not accepted, accommodated and welcomed by their programmes, tutors and peers. Nevertheless, like their domestic counterparts, international students are proactive in navigating and shaping their online learning environments and relationships to effectively serve their own learning needs and interests. The outcomes challenge stereotypical narratives of international students prevailing in HE literature and create much more realistic discourses of the democratising potential of international online HE beyond the diversity rhetoric. The findings have been analysed using the theoretical framework of epistemic injustice, hoping to contribute to the IaD research and practices by challenging and reshaping the often uncritical and colonial perspectives on international online students.