Navigating challenges and leveraging protective factors: International students of color in school psychology graduate programs

International graduate students of color (IGSCs) bring valuable cultural perspectives and strengths to school psychology programs in the United States, yet their experiences remain underrepresented in the literature. Grounded in Critical Race Theory and the risk and resilience framework, this qualitative study explored the challenges and protective factors shaping IGSCs’ persistence and success. Semistructured interviews with 10 IGSCs across diverse racial and linguistic backgrounds revealed five core challenges: lack of awareness of international student identity, microaggressions and cultural stereotyping, policy-related restrictions, communication barriers, and difficulty navigating discussions related to U.S.-centric diversity issues. Despite these barriers, participants identified protective factors that supported their well-being and professional growth, including personal strengths (e.g., proactive coping, multilingualism, religious faith), social connections (e.g., with family and peers), and program support (e.g., faculty advocacy, peer mentorship, financial support, university services). These findings underscore the need for training programs to adopt culturally responsive and strength-based approaches that recognize IGSCs’ unique contributions while addressing systemic inequities. Implications for graduate education, faculty practices, and institutional policy are discussed.