As students transition from high school to university, they must navigate new academic learning environments, develop new social networks, manage multiple new responsibilities, explore and regulate independence, and deal with the stressors that they will encounter. Successful transitioning to university often involves sources of support as well as…

Following the gradual post-COVID-19 return of international student flows, it is important to examine how higher education institutions and international students are reacting to their new environment and how they relate to each other. Central to this relationship is the concept of "belonging"; what it means for international students,…

The first year of university is a challenging period of academic and personal development for students. Through phenomenographic analysis of 27 interviews with students who had just completed their first year at university, this study provides valuable insight into students' perceptions of adapting to learning in a university environment. Four…

Drawing on 24 semi-structured interviews, this small-scale qualitative study delves into mature students' social, academic, and career preparation experiences pursuing college education. Using Schlossberg's (1989) transition model, the findings reveal that mature students' overall experience is influenced by their mature status, as they possess…

Nearly 40% of Canadian university students are depressed. However, strong social support may mitigate adverse outcomes for some. This study examined: (1) If students who showed initial depression were more likely to experience poorer end-of-semester well-being (continued depressive symptoms, burnout, and poor social and academic adjustment); and…

This study investigates the socio-cultural experiences of Chinese international graduate students in a Canadian university. Specifically, this research explores the multiple challenges of their engagement in and out of the classroom as it relates to their language and culture. Qualitative data was collected by interviewing students and staff at…

This article offers a tentative exploration of how working-class students' mobility is affected by the push to enter middle-class careers and lifestyles, and the pull of their working-class origins. Based on a nine-year qualitative longitudinal study of working-class students at a Canadian university, I will show that few study participants…

Background: Access to university mental health services is poorly characterized. Our objectives were to (1) assess patterns of access and (2) explore predictability of contact with student mental health services. Participants: Data derived from the U-Flourish study, which includes a survey of successive cohorts of incoming undergraduate students…

Postsecondary students with disabilities risk facing challenges while pursuing their academic goals. Although disability service providers are encouraged to support their goal pursuit, its actualization and the role of individual differences remain poorly researched. We examine the role of autonomy striving dispositional styles, need satisfaction,…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of Saudi Arabian university students returning home after having spent time away studying internationally. The investigation focused exclusively on female students who for diverse reasons were unable to complete their studies abroad. Design/methodology/approach: A thematic analysis…

This study explores the learning needs of international students at a Canadian private university. Through a qualitative content analysis of 580 students' emails, we identified and examined 819 requests and complaints The analysis highlighted trends about due dates, assignment resubmissions, regrading, and plagiarism issues, leading to the…

As the number of international students in higher education continues to grow, so do concerns regarding systemic obstacles, discrimination, and social isolation that can impede students' academic success. Peer mentorship has been shown to support graduate students through academic socialization and achievement in higher education (Lorenzetti et…

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a multifaceted ability that helps individuals to sense, understand, value, and effectively apply the power of emotions as a source of information, trust, creativity, and influence (Goleman, 2006; Mayer et al., 2011). The five components (self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation, and social skill) embedded…

Objective: The present study explored differences in four domains of university adjustment (i.e. personal-emotional, social, academic, and institutional attachment) among students with and without a history of engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and examined the independent influence of NSSI on university adjustment. Participants and…

International students' names are often mispronounced, and this experience can have psychological and relational implications for some students' cross-cultural adjustment. Little research, however, has examined why students are or are not bothered by mispronunciations. This study examined the impact of heritage name mispronunciation on 173…