Exploring the perceptions of campus climate and integration strategies used by international students in a US university campus

ABSTRACT

This study explored the perceptions of a US university campus climate by international students and analyzed strategies that they used to socially and academically integrate their campuses. The sample consisted of international students who have at least completed two years of their college education. Individual interviews and focus group were used for data collection. A combination of content analysis and constant comparison method were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that self-determination has influenced the intercultural strategies of integration used by international students on a US university campus. The study includes recommendations for student services personnel to help international students’ social and academic integration beyond the first two years in college.

KEYWORDS:

• International higher education
• international students
• comparative education
• global education
• perception of campus climate
• social integration
• academic integration
• retention
• persistence

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.