Studying International Students: Adjustment Issues and Social Support

Abstract

This study investigated international student adjustment issues and needs for social support while pursuing higher education in the United States. Data were obtained from individual interviews. Results indicate that international students experienced significant challenges in adjusting to academic stress, cultural differences, and language challenges within the U.S. higher education system. Adjustments to academic demands tended to present the greatest difficulty for international students. Friends and family were the preferred sources to seek help for personal issues. Students felt that providing academic and cultural orientation programs would be helpful to assist international students in making a successful transition to life in the United States. Reprinted by permission of the Editorial Board of the Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, the official peer-reviewed, refereed publication of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education. Permission to reprint is granted to the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences for indexing and archival purposes.