Building futures through higher education: supporting health, wellbeing and belonging for students from refugee backgrounds in Australia

Higher education can support employment, economic security, belonging, purpose and social inclusion. Although existing research has focused on barriers to access and participation, less is known about how students mobilize personal, social and community assets to support health and wellbeing during resettlement. This participatory case study examined the experiences of students enrolled in a humanitarian scholarship program at one Australian university. Qualitative data were collected from 18 participants through co-designed activities, including a world café and six in-depth interviews with students and program staff. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis informed by the Health Assets Framework. We found that higher education fostered belonging and purpose and supported the development of social networks, language skills and confidence through mentoring and informal campus interactions. Students’ engagement with university life was also shaped by their capacity to draw on resilience, peer and family support, language acquisition and acculturation. Universities can play an important role in supporting the health and wellbeing of students from refugee backgrounds. Sustained, trauma-informed approaches that recognize students’ social, emotional and educational needs, as well as their strengths and contributions, are needed to enable students to thrive during and beyond study.