Original Research

SAGE Open
October-December 2023: 1–14
Ó The Author(s) 2023
A Trend Analysis of the Challenges of DOI: 10.1177/21582440231210387
journals.sagepub.com/home/sgo
International Students Over 21 Years

Omotoyosi Oduwaye1 , Askin Kiraz1 , and Yasemin Sorakin1

Abstract
International students leave their countries to pursue their educational goals in a different country and must adapt to suc-
ceed. However, they may face challenges when adapting to and learning a new culture. This study investigates the challenges
common to international students in their host countries and summarizes the publishing trends. A literature search of peer-
reviewed articles published in Scopus, Taylor & Francis, EBSCO Host, Web of Science, Springer, PubMed, and Wiley Online
over 21 years (2002–2022) was done for data collection. After the screening, a total of 175 articles were included in this
review and analyzed with content analysis. The findings show that the top four destinations for international students (USA,
UK, Australia, and Canada) produced the most articles about international students’ challenges. Additionally, most papers
investigated more than one challenge, and sociocultural (82.9%) and academic challenges (82.3%) were the most researched,
with language issues as the primary cause. The results also show no changes or improvement in the challenges of interna-
tional students in 21 years, and areas such as psychological and economic challenges need more research. These challenges
and other trends found in the articles are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.

Keywords
challenges of international students, adaptation issues, higher education, study abroad

The UNESCO Institute of Statistics defines anyone who
crosses a border or territory into another country and
enrolls in an educational institution as an international
student. International students are sought after globally,
and their numbers have increased significantly. There were
over 6.3 million international students globally as of 2020
(UNESCO Institute of Statistics [UIS], 2022a). Different
countries host these students due to the economic growth,
cultural awareness, and diversity they bring to their host
countries (Luo & Jamieson-Drake, 2013).
According to Fakunle (2021), international students’
motivations for studying abroad are from educational,
aspirational, experiential, and economic dimensions.
Many international students’ motivation to study abroad
stems from personal ambitions and the desire for better
prospects. For others, it is because of their country’s low
education quality (Bhandari et al., 2018). In addition,
economic, technological, and cultural factors signifi-
cantly impact international education, making it easier
to access for international students (Organization of
Economic Cooperation and Development[OECD],
2021). Regardless of what motivates these students to
study overseas, they may need help settling in a new
country and adapting to academic life due to unforeseen
difficulties. These students face challenges at almost
every point during the transition from their home coun-
try to their destination and post-graduation (Khanal &
Gaulee, 2019).
When these challenges are not addressed, interna-
tional students may experience low life satisfaction and
lose interest in their academic pursuits. For instance, a
study in Germany reported a higher dropout rate among
international students studying for higher education
degrees. In the study, international students cited lan-
guage barriers, financial issues, and the requirements of
academic study as reasons for dropping out (Pineda
et al., 2022). Therefore, reviewing these challenges to
understand them further can improve international stu-
dents’ education and experience.
Over the years, numerous academic and social
researchers have conducted studies to determine
1
Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
Corresponding Author:
Omotoyosi Oduwaye, Near East University, Yakin Dogu Boulevard, Nicosia
99010, Cyprus.
Email: oduwayeomotoyosi@gmail.com

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(https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
2 SAGE Open
international students’ challenges in different regions
and countries. However, the generalization of these chal-
lenges to all international students globally needs to be
clarified. Therefore, examining the existing literature on
this topic is important to identify the improvements and
trends in these challenges. The specific objectives of this
study are (I) to find and analyze the trend changes in the
challenges of international students from 2002 to 2022,
and (II) to investigate the similarities and differences of
these challenges across regions and countries. This
research provides insight into understanding, acknowled-
ging, and finding possible solutions to these challenges.
Literature Review
International students worldwide face sociocultural
(Baklashova & Kazakov, 2016; H. Ma & Miller, 2021;
Wu et al., 2015), academic (Grayson, 2008; Ibragimova
& Tarasova, 2018; Perry, 2016), psychological (Dovchin,
2020; Wu et al., 2015) and economic (Robertson et al.,
2010; Shah et al., 2019; Vickers & Bekhradnia, 2007;
Witherell & Clayton, 2014) challenges. These challenges
have been investigated in some countries hosting interna-
tional students, and findings show they are linked.
Sociocultural Challenges
The first and most common challenge international stu-
dents encounter in their study countries is sociocultural.
These challenges have been linked to increased stress lev-
els among international students (Iorga et al., 2020),
especially in the first and second years of arrival in their
host country (Kristiana et al., 2022). Homesickness, lone-
liness, and isolation (Cowley & Hyams–Ssekasi, 2018;
Shah et al., 2019), stress (Russell et al., 2010), absence of
cultural food (Forbes-Mewett, 2018), social living condi-
tions (Newsome & Cooper, 2016; Sivtceva, 2016), climate
and environmental differences (Nieto & Zoller Booth,
2010; Sherry et al., 2010), unequal treatment, and lan-
guage discrimination (Dovchin, 2020; Lee, 2010) are
some common sociocultural challenges international stu-
dents face. Meanwhile, these challenges are different for
domestic students. Compared to their international coun-
terparts, domestic students can quickly adapt to higher
education since they usually have a support system.
Whereas international students live in a foreign land with
different cultures, have little knowledge of the way of life,
and barely know people in the new destination (Shah
et al., 2019).
Although international students can predict sociocul-
tural challenges such as language and loneliness, they
may still face unexpected challenges such as discrimina-
tion, racism, and culture shock. For instance, Brown and
Jones (2013) investigated racial discrimination against
153 international students, and 49 respondents reported
that they had experienced racially motivated verbal and
physical assault. Likewise, Ge et al. (2019) found cultural
bias and discrimination against Chinese international stu-
dents in Canada. These students reported being prejudiced
based on their identity (language use, skin color, and cul-
tural practices). Such negative labels hinder students’
adaptation and academic success in the long run (Ge
et al., 2019). One apparent solution to this issue would be
enabling a social relationship between domestic and inter-
national students. However, international students find it
difficult to form friendships with domestic students in their
host countries (Elturki et al., 2019; Jenkins & Galloway,
2009) since they mostly gravitate toward their fellow inter-
national students of the same ethnicity.
Apart from discrimination, culture shock is another
unexpected sociocultural challenge international students
face. This is because most international students are leav-
ing their countries for the first time and are used to a par-
ticular way of life. Nevertheless, they must incorporate
their host country’s unfamiliar culture. These students are
exposed to the radical differences in values, attitudes,
habits, and ways of thinking (Poedjiastutie, 2015) in both
cultures. For instance, one must immediately open a gift
in Western culture and show gratitude; this differs from
Eastern and African cultures, where gifts are opened in
the absence of the giver (Baklashova & Kazakov, 2016).
Such cultural differences may cause awkwardness in social
interactions for the parties involved.
Another issue that cuts across all socio-cultural chal-
lenges is language. International students prefer to study
in countries where English is the native or official lan-
guage (Ke et al., 2022; Mahmoud et al., 2020), hence why
their most popular destinations are English-speaking
countries like the US, the UK, and Australia. Choosing
such countries not only helps the students integrate eas-
ily, but they can also improve their English proficiency.
However, students whose first language is not English
may need help in those countries (Gatwiri, 2015; Kuo,
2011; Nieto & Zoller Booth, 2010; Sawir, 2005; Sherry
et al., 2010).
Several sociocultural issues are linked to language
barriers. For instance, research has shown that speaking
with an accent and pronouncing words differently than
native English speakers can cause international students
to face accent stereotyping (Crawford, 2000) and high
levels of discrimination (Poyrazli & Lopez, 2007). This
discrimination and stereotyping is called linguistic
racism. Dovchin (2020) posited that linguistic racism has
two main traits—the first is ethnic stereotyping, which
involves laughing and joking at ethnically different
English speakers. The second is linguistic stereotyping,
which Dovchin (2020) defined as unfavorable percep-
tions enacted on English speakers due to their ethnicity,
Oduwaye et al.
regardless of their high language proficiency.
International students who are non-native speakers face
more language barrier issues. Some of these students can
read and write but can barely hold conversations in
English. This language difficulty may stem from the
weakness in students’ prior English language learning
experience while schooling in their home country (Sawir,
2005). Language issues affect the adjustment, academic
performance, social, and overall experiences of interna-
tional students.
Despite the availability of several studies on sociocul-
tural challenges and highlighted solutions, international
students still need help with these challenges since there
have been no significant changes. Recent studies (Calvo
et al., 2022; H. Ma & Miller, 2021; Y. Ma & Zhan, 2022)
focused on international students’ experiences during the
pandemic and found that these students faced more
social problems like discrimination and loneliness than
domestic students.
Academic Challenges
Regardless of their citizenship status, all students can
have academic struggles (Perry, 2016). However,
Grayson (2008) and Deuchar (2022) reported that inter-
national students face more academic challenges when
compared to their domestic counterparts. These chal-
lenges emanate from their academic environment and
are sometimes visible in their academic performance.
Teaching methods, university curriculum, and teachers’
accents are examples of the academic challenges these
students may encounter (Alavi & Mansor, 2011).
International students struggle more during their first
year as they get to know their new learning environment.
This is also when the realization of a new life dawns on
them. As a result, being in a new country and navigating
a new university increases alienation thoughts among
international students (Burdett & Crossman, 2012).
Language is also a primary cause of academic struggle
among international students, especially non-native
speakers of English. Many international students must
write and pass an English proficiency examination for
admission and visa purposes. However, Burdett and
Crossman (2012) found that despite passing these exams
before arriving, international students in the USA still
needed help to survive academic-related language chal-
lenges upon arrival. Much of this struggle is centered on
understanding and keeping up with the accent used in the
host country. Park et al. (2017) researched 182 English as
a second language international students studying in
Australia—a native English-speaking country. They
found that all these students experience accent-related
problems when speaking in an educational setting.
International students in such situations avoid class
3
discussions so they do not sound unintelligent (Andrade,
2006; Sherry et al., 2010). Sawir (2005) explained that
these language difficulties might be because of weak-
nesses in students’ previous learning experiences, where
they focus less on conversational skills and more on
grammar and reading in a teacher-centered classroom.
Apart from listening and speaking, reading was also chal-
lenging for international students, especially undergradu-
ates (Perry, Weatherford, & Lausch, 2016). Students with
reading and writing issues tend to miss assignment dead-
lines (Zhang & Mi, 2010), affecting their academic
performance.
International students studying in non-English-speaking
countries have more language difficulties. Ibragimova and
Tarasova’s (2018) study on non-English speaking interna-
tional students in their first year at a Russian university
showed that studying in a non-English-speaking country is
even more tedious, and students must devote their first
year to learning Russian. This phenomenon is common in
most European universities, where students must learn the
host nation’s language to qualify for tuition-free education.
The implication is that these students must learn a new
language from scratch to a certain proficiency level within
a limited time before starting their academic journey.
Nevertheless, language and the inability to participate
in the classroom are not the only academic challenges
international students encounter. They also tend not to
understand their degree requirements (Pineda et al.,
2022). In addition, they have issues with communication
and interaction with local students and professors, as
well as coping with the stress of schoolwork (Shah et al.,
2019). International students also reported more advisor-
related problems (Perry, Weatherford, & Lausch, 2016),
and some reported discrimination between local and
international students by lecturers (Alavi & Mansor,
2011). International students may need more motivation
when they perceive the learning environment and require-
ments as highly challenging. As a result, they may be
unable to cope and drop out of school (Pineda et al.,
2022), leading to more sociocultural and psychological
challenges. However, Vlachoudi et al. (2023) posit that
self-evaluation can lead to positive learning outcomes for
students, and the results from such evaluation can
improve lesson planning and design, which eventually
helps the students’ performance. Universities admitting
international students can utilize organizational evalua-
tion to combat these academic challenges.
Psychological Challenges
There has been an increase in the number of resources
explaining what constitutes mental health issues, how to
spot the symptoms, and the available solutions (Busfield,
2012; Forbes-Mewett, 2018). There is also an increase in
4 SAGE Open
media reporting regarding mental health, and as a result,
there is a surge in mental health issues, prevalence, and
interventions (Foulkes & Andrews, 2023). People are
aware of mental health problems and how they affect
our lives now more than ever. The rise of mental health
awareness has dramatically improved the view of inter-
national students’ psychological challenges in their host
countries.
Researchers are more interested in international stu-
dents’ mental health because of the psychological, physi-
cal, and mental stress associated with migration and
university life (Chen et al., 2020; Dovchin, 2020; Forbes-
Mewett & Sawyer, 2016). According to some studies
(Collishaw et al., 2010; Stallman, 2012; Twenge et al.,
2010), the deterioration of the mental health of adoles-
cents and university students is on the rise as more
research respondents report symptoms of low mental
health and severe psychological problems. Homesickness
and loneliness are among the earliest emotional issues
international students encounter post-arrival (Shah et al.,
2019). These students may find a way to connect with
their home country to alleviate their emotional sickness.
Forbes-Mewett (2018) noted that culturally appropriate
food could comfort international students. However,
these students cannot access the home-cooked family
meals they are probably used to back home. In addition,
food is a crucial element for international students’ adap-
tation that is often overlooked (Forbes-Mewett, 2018).
There is a significant difference in psychological chal-
lenges between domestic and international students.
Prior research on international students’ mental health
showed that international students have always suffered
psychological challenges. For example, Furnham and
Trezise (1983) found that international students in the
UK had higher psychological disturbance levels than
British students. Lu (1990) also noted that international
students reported that homesickness was a more stable
challenge for international students than other psycholo-
gical symptoms that tend to fade over time. In addition,
Sam and Eide’s (1991) global research on international
students found that these students reported anxiety,
paranoia, depression, and somatic symptoms while
studying in a foreign country. Ryan and Twibell (2000)
also reported the same results and added that these symp-
toms affect international students’ activities. Another
study of 900 international students in Australia by
Russell et al. (2010) reported that 41% of the respon-
dents experienced elevated stress levels. This research also
found that culture shock, homesickness, and perceived
discrimination are the leading causes of stress among this
demographic. Such stress levels can lead to psychological
distress and lower levels of functioning among these stu-
dents (Hunley, 2010). Recent research also had similar
results (Forbes-Mewett & Sawyer, 2016; Nguyen &
Balakrishnan, 2020; Sun et al., 2021). However, some
studies (Ladum & Burkholder, 2019; LaMontagne et al.,
2023) have found no differences in the prevalence of men-
tal health issues between international students and their
domestic counterparts.
The causes of mental health problems for interna-
tional students were grouped into three by Forbes-
Mewett and Sawyer (2011). First are the English lan-
guage challenges, and the sub-factors here are the inter-
action between teachers and students and the unfamiliar
academic environment. According to Dovchin (2020),
language discrimination leads to an inferiority complex,
social withdrawal, anxiety, and self-esteem issues for
international students. Dovchin (2020) also stated that
these symptoms may lead to severe depressive mental
health symptoms in these students. The second cause is
the sudden freedom international students from restric-
tive backgrounds find and how they take charge of daily
activities like cooking, managing relationships, and
finances. The third cause is cultural perception, with
examples such as not asking for help due to stigma and
unwillingness to disclose information. Forbes-Mewett
and Sawyer (2011) argued that the third factor is why
international students avoid using university counseling
services.
Furthermore, social adaptation plays a significant role
in preventing psychological challenges for international
students. Rosenthal et al. (2006) discovered that
Southeast Asian students make fewer connections in
their country of study, making them susceptible to psy-
chological problems like anxiety and depression, which
may also affect their education. However, Sun et al.
(2021) found that Chinese international students with
social connectedness to domestic students reported
reduced mental health compared to those who only
formed connections with people of the same ethnicity.
Gan and Forbes-Mewett’s (2019) study in Australia
found that international students rarely seek professional
help, and when they do, they hope to be anonymous to
disclose their issues more easily. Besides, universities
have counseling centers for their students regardless of
ethnicity; however, the use of the facility is where the
problems lie. Different understandings of mental health,
psychological problems, cultural perceptions, and stigma
affect help-seeking behaviors (Gan & Forbes-Mewett,
2019). It is easier for international students to acknowl-
edge a physical illness than accept that they have psycho-
logical problems (Forbes-Mewett & Sawyer, 2011).
Economic Challenges
Several studies (Adnett, 2010; Andrade, 2006;
Baklashova & Kazakov, 2016; Bound et al., 2016;
Brown & Jones, 2013; Ortiz et al., 2015; Scott et al.,
Oduwaye et al.
2015; Shah et al., 2019; Vickers & Bekhradnia, 2007;
Witherell & Clayton, 2014) highlighted and emphasized
the deliberate part of international students in the devel-
opment of their host country’s economy. For instance,
one of the most popular destinations for international
students—the United States of America– reported that
international students contributed $45 billion to the
economy in 2018 and $41 billion in 2019 (NAFSA,
2019). Although there has been a decline in the enroll-
ment of international students, the US still received a
$28.4 billion contribution to the economy in the 2020/
2021 academic year from international students
(NAFSA, 2021).
These students not only add to the economy, but their
contribution also improves the higher education budget
in their host countries. An OECD article by Van-
Damme (2017) reported that international students con-
tribute immensely to the total expenditure of interna-
tional students hosting countries on higher education.
Countries like Australia and New Zealand receive an
income from international students equal to one-quarter
of their total expenditure; the United States receives
2.4%, and Canada receives 8.2%. Van-Damme (2017)
noted that in Denmark, where higher education is free
for domestic students and international students pay, the
country receives 13.3% of its higher education budget
from international students.
International students offer their host countries
numerous economic benefits. However, few studies
acknowledge the presence of economic difficulties in
the lives of these students. Robertson et al. (2010) and
Shah et al. (2019) noted that the primary financial chal-
lenge international students face is the tuition fee. In
most countries, domestic students pay less than inter-
national students. These students still pay when study-
ing in European countries like Denmark, Sweden, and
Poland, where education is free for European Union
(EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) students.
However, countries like Norway, Germany, and
Iceland offer free education to everyone who studies in
a public institution (Lungu, 2022), while countries like
the Czech Republic offer tuition-free education only to
international students who want to learn the Czech lan-
guage (Taylor, 2022).
Nevertheless, there is still a considerable variation in
domestic and international tuition fees. Undergraduate
international students pay the highest tuition fee, mak-
ing it seem like they are a source of revenue (Cantwell,
2019). Countries with no higher education tuition fees,
like Sweden and Denmark, are known to charge inter-
national students. Moreover, international students in
countries with subsidized fees for domestic students,
like the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, still
pay premium fees (Johnstone & Marcucci, 2010),
5
usually more than double that of what domestic stu-
dents pay.
Despite all this, the enrollment of international stu-
dents keeps increasing steadily. Lee et al. (2006) sug-
gested that the potential for economic gain is a common
rationale for universities admitting international stu-
dents. Cantwell (2019) and Van-Damme (2017) also pos-
ited that these universities might see international
students as ‘‘cash cows’’ instead of an addition to the stu-
dent body to improve cultural diversity. However, Van-
Damme (2017) noted that the high cost of tuition is a
way for countries to reduce the influx of international
students and only welcome those with financial stability.
Financial support is another economic challenge for
international students, with their first year being the
toughest. During the first year, they are yet to get famil-
iar with their new environment and may not fully under-
stand the cost of survival. Besides, international students
cannot depend on employment in the host country to
fuel their education and living costs. Open Doors (2019)
reported that about 62% of international students in the
US have their primary source of income outside the
country. Some have business in their home country or
receive assistance from family, friends, and their home
country’s universities and government.
Sometimes, this support is insufficient, as they may
not fully anticipate living costs in the host country. Shah
et al. (2019) reported that international students in
Canada face financial challenges because of high rent
and low-paying part-time jobs. Newsome and Cooper
(2016) also found that international students in the UK
reported financial challenges. Some of the respondents in
the study complained about high house rents and
resorted to living with other students in a small room to
counter their financial issues.
International students have always faced one chal-
lenge or another in gaining an international education,
achieving their dreams, or improving their career pros-
pects. When host universities or countries fail these stu-
dents, they may use digital activism to communicate
their needs and get a solution to better their lives.
However, technological habitus and computational self-
efficacy, among other factors, may hinder digital acti-
vism (Aguayo et al., 2022). Therefore, it is essential to
recognize the existence of these challenges and tackle
them to improve international education practices.
Method
Search Strategy and Inclusion Criteria
This study focuses on international students’ challenges
in various countries, and keywords like ‘‘challenges of
international students,’’ ‘‘international students; issues,’’
and ‘‘adaptation challenges of international students’’
6 SAGE Open
were used to search for articles in databases from 2002
until August 2022. The databases searched are Web of
Science, Springer, Taylor & Francis, Scopus, EBSCO
Host, PubMed, and Wiley Online.
Identification of studies via databases and registers
Identification
Records identified from*:
Databases (n = 425)
Registers (n = 0)
Records screened
(n = 310)
Reports sought for retrieval
(n = 252)
Screening
Reports assessed for eligibility
(n = 210)
Studies included in review
Included
(n =175)
Reports of included studies
(n = 0)
Figure 1. Systematic Review Flowchart.
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic
Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were
followed in the screening and retrieval of articles, as
shown in Figure 1. The inclusion criteria were that arti-
cles must be focused on the challenges and issues of
Records removed before
screening:
Duplicate records removed
(n 115)
Records marked as ineligible
by automation tools (n = 0)
Records removed for other
reasons (n = 0)
Records excluded**
(n = 58)
Reports not retrieved
(n = 42)
Reason – No full texts available
Reports excluded:
Reason 1 (n = 27) included
domestic students
Reason 2 (n = 3) review
article
Reason 3 (n=5) not peer-
reviewed
Oduwaye et al.
international students, published in English, peer-
reviewed, and have available full texts. Duplicate articles,
review articles, and articles that involved domestic parti-
cipants were excluded, and a total of 175 articles were
eligible for inclusion.
Quality Assessment
The Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Systematic
Review and Research Synthesis (Aromataris & Munn,
2020) was used to critically appraise each article. The
checklist has 11 questions with options of yes, no,
unclear, and not applicable. All authors appraised each
article independently and compared the results. Articles
with scores higher than six were deemed moderate to
high quality and included in the study.
Data Synthesis and Analysis
Different types of articles published in peer-reviewed
journals and used qualitative, quantitative, and mixed
methods were included in this review. The information
extracted from the articles were publication year, author
name(s), country (affiliation), article type, citation count,
and the challenges investigated. The included studies
were heterogeneous in methodology, and since we
intended to explore the relationships in their data, a nar-
rative synthesis was used to summarize our findings (Lisy
& Porritt, 2016). Content analysis was used to analyze
the findings of each article. Content analysis is commonly
used to identify and present themes from quantitative
and qualitative data (Vaismoradi & Snelgrove, 2019).
Inductive coding was used to categorize emerging
themes, and the coding was done independently by two
authors, with the third author ensuring reliability to a
degree of 95%. The emerging themes from the challenges
investigated in each study were grouped into four cate-
gories, as shown in Table 1.
Results and Discussion
This descriptive study intends to inform international
students, teachers, advisors, and higher education boards
of home and destination countries about the need to
identify and comprehend the challenges of international
Table 1. Coding Categories for Challenges Faced by International Students.
Theme
Sociocultural challenges Language, immigration policies, accommodation, homesickness, loneliness, adaptation, and acculturation issues
Academic challenges Procrastination, academic environment, academic stress, use of English.
Psychological challenges Anxiety, mood disorders, low motivation, depression
Economic challenges Tuition payment, living cost, and unemployment
7
education. Articles related to the ‘‘Challenges of
International Students’’ published in different databases
over 21 years (2002–2022) were analyzed in this study. A
total of 175 research articles with international student
participants were identified.
Trends in Article Publication (Year)
All 175 papers analyzed were published in English. The
research articles published between 2002 and 2014 were
significantly lower. Nevertheless, they recorded more
citation counts compared to recent years (see Figure 2).
This may indicate that these research articles, although
low in number, served as the basis for the literature
review of recently published articles.
By 2015, the number of published articles on interna-
tional students’ challenges increased, and this increment
was steady (refer to Figure 3). There were 15 (8.6%) and
16 (9.1%) articles published in 2015 and 2016, respec-
tively. Since the enrollment of international students in
2019 increased to over 6.1 million from 5.7 million in
2018 (UIS, 2022b), it was not surprising that more
researchers studied the challenges of these students.
However, in 2020, despite the slight increase in enroll-
ment of international students to 6.3 million, only 13
(7.4%) publications addressed international students’
challenges.
The year 2021 saw a further decrease in publications,
with only 11 (6.3%) articles. It should be noted that the
pandemic and national lockdowns spread globally in
2020, which may have affected the enrollment of interna-
tional students and the number of studies published. So
far, 19 (10.9%) articles were published in 2022, which is
the highest in all the years in this analysis. Most of these
articles were about international students’ challenges
during the pandemic and its aftereffects.
Trends in Article Publication (Country)
Researchers across 27 countries published all the ana-
lyzed articles. Most of the articles were co-authored, with
a few authors having multiple articles addressing differ-
ent challenges of international students. Most of the
studies were done in America (44%), followed by
Australia with 12%, the UK with 9%, and Canada with
Description
8 SAGE Open

topping the list (Project Atlas, 2020), there must be clari-

3500
fication on why there are few published studies. This is
3000 the same for other non-European countries like Turkey,
2500
China, and Malaysia. For instance, China had over
490,000 international students in 2018 (Statistical Report
2000
on International Students in China, 2018). This figure is
1500 slightly higher than that of the UK, which was 485,645
(United Kingdom Higher Education Statistics Agency,
1000
2021) in the same year. However, only 3% of the articles
500 analyzed in this research were from China, compared to
0
9% from the UK.
Nevertheless, this study analyzed the available articles
on international students’ challenges from European
countries. The analysis of the articles shows that interna-
Figure 2. Citation counts by year of publication.
tional students face more socio-cultural challenges in
these countries. However, we cannot generalize these
challenges because the research articles are few and lim-
12.0% ited in population.
10.0%

8.0% Trends in the Challenges Faced by International

6.0% Students
4.0% All the challenges of international students in the articles
2.0%
were analyzed, and the emerging themes were coded into
four categories: academic, sociocultural, psychological,
0.0%
and economic (see Table 2). Only a few articles focused
on a single challenge, as most addressed two or more
challenges—often academic and socio-cultural.
Figure 3. Percentage Distribution of Articles by Year of
Sociocultural challenges were the most addressed, with
Publication.
82.9% (145) articles. The most prevalent issues in this
group were culture shock, language issues, acculturation,
social values and morals, discrimination, housing, home-
44% sickness, loneliness, immigration policies, and adaptation
issues. According to the articles analyzed, most of these
sociocultural challenges are familiar to all international
students. However, international students in English-
12%
9%
speaking countries have fewer sociocultural challenges
6% 5%
3% 3% 3% 3%
1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
than those in non-English-speaking countries. This may
be because language barrier issues are less obvious, and
South Africa
USA
Australia
UK

China
Malaysia
Turkey

Russia

Netherlands

Finland

Pakistan
Poland

Mexico
Spain
New Zealand

Ghana

HongKong
Germany

Czech Republic

Taiwan
UAE

Ireland
Canada

Portugal

Indonesia

Norway

Japan
Ukraine

these students can easily communicate and understand

their environment since they have some knowledge of the
English language. However, they may be subject to lin-
guistic racism (Dovchin, 2020).
Figure 4. Percentage of Published Articles by Country.
On the other hand, international students in non-
English speaking countries have more significant socio-
6% (see Figure 4). These four countries are the top desti- cultural challenges. They live in a country with a differ-
nations for international students (Project Atlas, 2020); ent language and find it difficult to communicate outside
therefore, it was unsurprising that they produced the the classroom (Gebru & Yuksel-Kaptanoglu, 2020). As a
most articles. result, these students may need help securing accommo-
Surprisingly, most European countries recorded little dation, getting employment, shopping in the market, and
or no research on the challenges of international stu- making friends with domestic students.
dents. Since Europe is considered a popular non- Academic challenges were the next, with 82.3% (144)
English-speaking destination for international students, articles. The most addressed issues were the use of
with countries like France, Russia, and Germany English, procrastination, adaptation to a new academic
Oduwaye et al.
Table 2. Percentage of Articles that Addressed Each of the Challenges.
Sociocultural challenges (%) Academic challenges (%)
Yes 82.9
No 17.1
Grand total 100
Note. Each challenge identified per article was added to its applicable group. Therefore, an article may be counted more than once depending on the
number of challenges identified.
environment, teacher-student relationships, the role of
supervisors and advisors, and academic stress. Our
results do not show any significant difference in the aca-
demic challenges of international students in English-
speaking countries and those in non-English-speaking
countries.
Only 63.4% (111) of the articles analyzed addressed
international students’ psychological challenges. Many
prior articles focused on sociocultural and academic
challenges and barely addressed psychological ones.
Therefore, most articles on international students’ men-
tal health and psychological challenges were from 2013
until 2022. This may be because of increased global men-
tal health awareness through TV and social media
(Foulkes & Andrews, 2023). The most common issues
found under psychological challenges were mood disor-
ders, anxiety, depression, stress, low motivation, and
some significant psychiatric disorders. We also found
that international students face more psychological chal-
lenges in their first year due to loneliness and homesick-
ness. However, they may face severe psychological
challenges like clinical depression in their subsequent
years if their sociocultural, academic, and economic chal-
lenges are not addressed. Research on psychological
challenges also indicated that international students were
less inclined to access the mental health facilities of their
universities and find solutions to their psychological
challenges (Forbes-Mewett & Sawyer, 2011; Gan &
Forbes-Mewett, 2019; Martirosyan et al., 2019; Merry
et al., 2021; Onabule & Boes, 2013).
One under-researched issue is the economic challenges
faced by international students. Only 33 (19.4%) articles
addressed these students’ economic challenges. This may
be because host countries expect international students
to understand the financial burden of international edu-
cation and be prepared to bear it. This is apparent in the
visa requirements of these countries, where they expect
incoming students to show proof of funds to ascertain
that they can sustain their education and living expenses
without having to work in the country (Khanal &
Gaulee, 2019). While these regulations are valid, unfore-
seen circumstances may happen to these students and
cause them to lose their financial dependency.
Sometimes, international students do not expect the
high living expenses they encounter in their host
9
Psychological challenges (%) Economic challenges (%)
82.3 63.4 19.4
17.7 36.6 80.6
100 100 100
countries and can barely cope. Articles that addressed
the economic challenges of international students high-
lighted unemployment, the high cost of living, and mas-
sive differences in local and international students’
tuition. For instance, Newsome and Cooper (2016) noted
that international students in the UK could barely afford
accommodation and lived poorly to the extent that they
described their experience as ‘‘such a hard life.’’
Another under-researched challenge is the environ-
mental challenge—moving from one country to another
may also mean moving from one climate to another and
interacting with different environmental policies like
recycling. Few articles (Khanal & Gaulee, 2019; Shah
et al., 2019) mentioned it as an adaptation challenge,
relating it to only weather conditions. None of the arti-
cles analyzed investigated the perceptions of interna-
tional students about the environmental practices of
their host countries and the differences when compared
to their home country.
Despite the differences in these challenges, they all
had one issue in common—language. The analysis of
each challenge showed that language and its use might
be the underlying cause of all the major issues interna-
tional students encounter. The inability to use English
causes significant academic problems for all students,
regardless of their host country. Students studying in
non-English-speaking countries have sociocultural chal-
lenges since they cannot communicate with the citizens
of their host country and may have to learn the language.
Furthermore, the inability to use the host country’s offi-
cial language reduced the chances of international stu-
dents getting part-time jobs, resulting in economic
challenges. Additionally, speaking in a foreign accent
made it easy for international students in English-speak-
ing countries to be subjected to linguistic racism, leading
to psychological challenges like anxiety and low self-
esteem (Dovchin, 2020).
Finally, our analysis shows that the challenges were
similar for international students regardless of their
country of origin or host countries, and there has been
no difference or reduction in these challenges between
2002 and 2022. For instance, prior research (Jenkins &
Galloway, 2009; Lee, 2010; Nieto & Zoller Booth, 2010;
Russell et al., 2010) on the socio-cultural challenges of
international students found issues like cultural
10
differences, social living conditions, language barriers,
and unequal treatment. Recent studies (Byrne et al.,
2019; Elturki et al., 2019; Gebru & Yuksel-Kaptanoglu,
2020; Hui-Spears & Park-Saltzman, 2022; Sung, 2022)
have highlighted the same issues. Therefore, there needs
to be a critical review and clarification on what host
countries, governments, and universities are doing to
help international students settle properly during their
academic pursuits.
Limitations and Recommendations
This review focuses on the challenges of international stu-
dents but does not fully address their causes. While it is
good to acknowledge the existence of these challenges, one
way to solve them is to find out the root causes. Therefore,
we recommend that research on the causes of international
students’ challenges be carried out. In addition, there are
no significant differences in the challenges when compared
between past and recent studies. Studies must be done to
learn what host countries and universities are doing to help
improve international students’ experiences.
The most addressed challenges are academic and
socio-cultural; future research may also want to investi-
gate international students’ economic and environmen-
tal challenges, as they are widely under-researched.
Although boosting the economy with international stu-
dents’ tuition is not a problem, host countries may con-
sider implementing policies to help international
students financially during their stay in the country.
Accessible health facilities, subsidized accommodation,
scholarships, and job support are a few ways to provide
economic support. The absence of such policies corro-
borates Cantwell’s (2019) and Qureshi and Khawaja’s
(2021) description of international students as ‘‘cash
cows’’ for destination countries.
Furthermore, future researchers may use this study’s
information to elaborate on international students’ psy-
chological and mental health issues. Knowing how to
help these students is important since most do not have a
family in their host country for emotional and psycholo-
gical support.
In addition, more studies need to be done on the chal-
lenges faced by international students studying in
non-English-speaking countries. The research studies on
this topic from such countries are too few compared to
English-speaking ones. The language barrier may be the
problem here, as researchers may have published the
articles in the host country’s official language. However,
it is well known that the mode of instruction used for
international students is English. Therefore, articles
relating to international students challenges in such
countries should be published in English and the coun-
try’s language.
SAGE Open
Finally, the trends in this study can serve as a core for
impending research on international students. Meta-
analyses should be done on the challenges of interna-
tional students to gain an in-depth understanding of the
issues and their causes. These challenges can affect inter-
national students’ mental health, adaptation, and aca-
demic performance. Therefore, shedding light on these
issues and providing lasting solutions can help interna-
tional students adapt quickly and better to their host
countries, which in turn helps them achieve their educa-
tional goals and excel.
Conclusion
This review article analyzed 175 research studies on the
challenges of international students published between
2002 and 2022 using content analysis. The results revealed
that the US is the biggest producer of research articles, fol-
lowed by Australia, the UK, and Canada. According to
the analysis, socio-cultural and academic challenges were
the most addressed for international students. The results
also show that the highest number of articles were pub-
lished in 2022 and the least in 2002, although the increase
in publication can be noticed from 2015. In addition, the
findings noted an increase in mental health awareness as
more articles were published on psychological challenges
from 2013 upwards compared to previous years. It also
shows that international students face the same challenges
globally, but they may manifest differently depending on
the host country. Recommendations were made, and we
suggested that future research should address the causes
of these challenges and make suggestions for improve-
ment. Government bodies and universities in host coun-
tries also need to regulate their practices and policies to
improve international education.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with
respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this
article.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research,
authorship, and/or publication of this article.
ORCID iDs
Omotoyosi Oduwaye https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6761-7369
Askin Kiraz https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2350-8291
Data Availability Statement
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were
generated or analyzed during the current study.
Oduwaye et al.
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