Work–Life Balance Under Structural Constraint: International Doctoral Students in UK Higher Education

Work–life balance has become an increasingly salient concern within doctoral education, yet the experiences of international PhD students remain comparatively under explored. Adopting a qualitative descriptive approach, this study draws on semi-structured interviews with 26 full-time international doctoral students at a teaching-focused university in Northwest England to examine how work–life balance is experienced and negotiated during doctoral study. Thematic analysis identified a set of interrelated structural challenges and coping resources, including financial constraints, language and communication barriers, institutional and family support, and motivational drivers shaping doctoral persistence. Financial precarity emerged as a particularly significant pressure, especially for self funded students, compounded by constrained access to teaching opportunities and research funding. At the same time, participants demonstrated resilience through strong autonomous motivation, adaptive coping strategies, and sustained family support. By extending work–life balance theory into the under-examined context of international doctoral education, this study conceptualises balance as structurally situated process shaped by institutional, relational, and motivational dynamics. The findings provide evidence-based insights for universities and policymakers operating in similar institutional contexts.