Rising to the Challenge

This qualitative study, part of a larger investigation of the international student (IS) experience at one U.S. university, focused on uncovering the cultural, social, academic, and linguistic acculturation practices of twenty ISs through focus groups and interviews. The findings show that ISs experience a myriad of complex challenges, from language barriers to new cultural norms, and that most of the practices they used to navigate their acculturation process were self-initiated rather than university-supported. The study highlights the agency of ISs in navigating their acculturation process and constitutes a call to action to higher education to strive to better meet the needs of this resourceful but neglected group of students.