Challenges of International Students from Pre-Departure to Post-Study

Abstract

Studying in overseas universities or colleges presents international students with exciting opportunities; however, with these opportunities come challenges that they need to overcome. The purpose of this review is to summarize the challenges of international students. Drawing on the existing literature since the year 2000, this article addresses several challenges confronting international students within some top sending countries and receiving countries. The challenges are categorized into pre-departure, post-departure, and post-study to create a model of the issues of international students. The findings revealed a plethora of challenges including some common ones such as obtaining accurate information, admission procedure, and preparing documents for VISA while preparing for study abroad. Similarly, international students have to deal with language, financial challenges, and cultural adjustment when they are in host countries. Uncertain future and paperwork are the major challenges after graduation.

Doctoral Students’ Transition to the Academic Culture of Foreign Universities: Setting the Stage for PhD

“…The other studies reveal that a student-supervisor misfit produces negative experiences among doctoral students that demotivate them for further studies (Alloh, Tait, & Taylor, 2018;Bista, & Gaulee (2017); Golde, 2005;Hoskins & Goldberg, 2005;Khanal & Gaulee, 2019;Tinto, 1993). The contradiction in the way of thinking between student and supervisor have the consequences of withdrawal from the doctoral degree (Golde, 2005) that was not observed in the present study.…”

“…Selecting a supervisor before arriving in the host university is one of the significant aspects of making a transition to a foreign university. The participants experienced that it is hard to assess the sociability and degree of expertise of a supervisor in a relevant field of study when doctoral students are living in their home country and requesting for the acceptance from the potential supervisor (Alloh, Tait, & Taylor, 2018;Bista, 2016;Khanal & Gaulee, 2019;Phillips & Pugh, 2000).…”

“…The difference becomes more prominent in the developing and developed countries of the world. These distinctions emerge as a result of the socio-cultural and academic conditions of a country (Khanal & Gaulee, 2019). Consequently, "doctoral programs differ between countries, institutions, and disciplines in terms of their structure, development process and taught element" (Janta, Lugosi, & Brown, 2014, p. 553).…”

“…Consequently, "doctoral programs differ between countries, institutions, and disciplines in terms of their structure, development process and taught element" (Janta, Lugosi, & Brown, 2014, p. 553). The international students, in this perspective, struggle to accommodate themselves in another cultural setting that is not consistent with their own culture (Alloh, Tait, & Taylor, 2018;Khanal & Gaulee, 2019). Lea and Rice (2007) argued that "these difficulties run from students being ignored to verbal insults and confrontation" (p. 405).…”

“…In other words, selecting a supervisor indirectly determines doctoral students" topic of the dissertation, conceptual framing and methods of conducting research that falls in the supervisors" field of study and this directs the nature of their mutual relationship as well (Schiff & Ryan, 1996). The doctoral students become conscious in selecting a supervisor of their "choice" (Alloh, Tait, & Taylor, 2018;Khanal & Gaulee, 2019).…”