Improving International Students' Success: Institutional Strategies for Overcoming Barriers and Optimising Learning Outcomes Using a Hybrid Approach

ABSTRACT China has emerged as one of the leading destinations for international students in recent years, attracting thousands each year due to its growing global influence. This rapid increase in international students has raised concerns about whether Chinese universities can meet their academic expectations. Since the quality of higher education is often assessed through student learning experiences, this article examines the experiences of international students in China. Building on Berry's Acculturation Theory and Self‐Determination, this work examines the mediating role of scholarship satisfaction in the relationship between financial stress, institutional support, cultural adjustment, and student learning outcomes among international students in China. The data were collected from 845 international students from several countries studying in Shaanxi, China. Modified questionnaires, SEM, LSTM were used for data analysis. The results show that cultural adjustment and institutional support significantly enhance scholarships, positively influencing academic success. Financial stress is recognised as a key barrier, negatively affecting both learning outcomes and scholarship satisfaction. Furthermore, the study highlights the complex, strong relationship between academic performance and workload, where a stable workload fosters satisfaction, and an extreme workload leads to tension and reduced performance. The theoretical contribution supports the mediation of scholarship satisfaction and the dispersal of social and institutional support theories.