The Forgotten Half: Understanding the Unique Needs of International Student Partners

Abstract

With the increasing enrollment of international students in North American universities, the need to support the adjustment of international students has also increased. One factor consistently identified as essential to successful student adjustment is having a strong support network, including familial support. Previous research investigating the needs of international students’ partners is limited and has suggested that partners may face greater barriers to adjustment than international students. The current study was conducted to better understand the needs of partners as well as potential barriers they face when attempting to access services. Although limited by sample size, the results suggested that partners are interested in increased support in helping their transition to local living and mainstream culture.

Confronting and Reimagining the Orientation of International Graduate Students: A Collaborative Autoethnography Approach

“…Among adjustment challenges such as language, academics, and social connections, for example, navigating financial/legal systems (Calder et al, 2016) and finding housing are difficult due to lack of access to credit or guarantors (Preston et al, 2006;Womujuni, 2007) and rental discrimination (Godley, 2018). Accompanying partners of international students also face issues, e.g., lack of appropriate services and programs and parenting demands (Cui et al, 2017;Lei et al, 2015). Some have called for universities to reflect these settlement needs in orientations (e.g., Rains, 2015).…”

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Ontario International Graduate Students: An Auto-Ethnography

“…To adopt mindfulness as a tool for mental health and happiness, students have to have space and time to practice it. Lei et al (2015) discuss how international students feel comfortable having a partner from the local country beside them during traumatic events. The new students suffer from academic mismatch due to a vital change in curriculum and teaching style, and they also worry about their residence, food, and other expenses.…”

“…The new students suffer from academic mismatch due to a vital change in curriculum and teaching style, and they also worry about their residence, food, and other expenses. Lei et al (2015) state, "international students primarily struggle with social isolation" (Conclusion, para. 1).…”