Hidden Struggles: Increasing International Graduate Students' Sense of Belonging

Although international graduate students make valuable contributions to American society, they often encounter significant difficulties. Further research is crucial to help universities better understand and accommodate international graduate students. We initiated a mixed-method participatory action research cycle, starting with a needs assessment that utilized social constructivist and culturally relevant teaching approaches. Our goal is to contribute to international higher education by examining the experiences of international graduate students at a Midwestern University, including their sense of belonging and the factors that promote their success. Our findings reveal that their challenges include language barriers, unfamiliar U.S. social norms, academic expectations, and legal obstacles; international graduate students benefit from a supportive university community with culturally aware professors and peers, which foster a sense of belonging.