Experiences of Culturally Engaging Advising Among South Korean Doctoral Students: A Collaborative Autoethnography

Empirical research on culturally engaging advising (CEA) for international graduate students, particularly in relation to their cultural backgrounds and identities, remains limited. This study addresses this gap by employing collaborative autoethnography and drawing on CEA and intersectionality frameworks to examine the experiences of four South Korean women doctoral students in the social sciences. Findings highlight challenges these students face due to their intersectional identities as Asian, Korean women and non-native English speakers. Findings also demonstrate ways in which CEA can be tailored to suit their needs. This study contributes to comparative and international higher education by offering insights on supporting Korean international graduate students and, more broadly, encourages the support of international students who are vital to higher education. Although focused on U.S. contexts, the findings have implications for higher education institutions aiming to meaningfully serve their international graduate student populations across the globe.