Cultural Differences and Challenges Faced by International Students

Introduction
The concept of international education has gained much popularity in the recent times
and it is a reflection of this particular every year thousands of students from the developing
countries of the world migrate to the first world countries in search of better educational
facilities (Wu, Garza & Guzman, 2015). This trend can be seen as a reflection of the benefits
which the process of international education renders to the students like international degrees,
new language learning, cultural exposure to the different cultures and others (Wu, Garza &
Guzman, 2015). Furthermore, presently it is seen that the financial prospects of the process of
foreign is also very rewarding and thus many students who have the necessary means take the
help of this process (Kelly & Moogan, 2012). However, at the same time it is seen that the
students had to deal with certain negative effects like the events of culture shock and others
during the process of international education (Kelly & Moogan, 2012). This essay will argue
the fact that the cultural differences during the process of foreign education are partial due to
the presence of different kinds of native cultural groups and others.
Cultural difference and the performance of the students
The differences in the culture between the native country of the student and the host
country in which the student is going to study plays a significant role in the not only in the
performance level of the students but also the experience of their stay during the process of
their education (Leithwood, 2013). It is generally seen that if the culture of the nation is
similar to the one in which the student has been brought up to the culture of the host country
in which the study has decided to pursue his or her higher education then the performance
level of the student is likely to enhanced and vice versa. Many psychologists are of the
viewpoint that the individuals are work or study in a much better manner if their cultural as
well as the other psychosocial needs are fulfilled in a better manner (Popov et al., 2012).

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Apart from the educational performance factor the concept of culture also plays a significant
role in the process of the adjustment process of the students. It is generally seen that the
extent up to which a particular individual is being able to adjust to the culture as well as the
society of another nation depends on the predominant culture of that particular nation
(Bodycott & Lai, 2012). Therefore, if the student finds a culture which is similar to the
culture as well as social structure of his or her native nation then it is all the more likely that
the process of adjustment will be more easier for the student under discussion.
Culture and Personality differences
The major challenge which the students face during the process of international
education is the difference in the culture of which they face in the foreign nations. Many
experts are of the viewpoint that the personality or the culture of an individual can be seen as
the accumulation of the cultural as well as the social beliefs of the environment in which she
or he has been brought up (Rienties et al., 2012). This factor has a significant impact on the
personality of the individuals of these nations as well. Therefore, the authors Allik et al.,
(2017) are of the opinion that the personality of a particular individual is an accumulation of
the cultural beliefs as well as trends of that particular nation. Therefore, it would be apt to say
that the factor wields a considerable influence on the identity or the personality of a particular
individual. Furthermore, the author Terracciano (2005) is of the viewpoint that this particular
is one of the reasons for the manifestation of the strong cultural trends within the character or
the personality of the various individuals belonging to a particular nation. The “Motivation
for Acculturation Scale” gives an overview of the willingness of the individuals to acculturate
into the national cultures of the nation into which they are going to study. An interesting
finding of this particular scale is the fact that the willingness of a particular individual to

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acculturate within a particular depended on the personal motivation level of the students and
not on the time which they had spent in the foreign nation (Rienties et al., 2012).
Furthermore, it is generally seen that if the students finds that his or her classmates belong to
the same kind of culture or have identical character traits then not only the process of
assimilation into the culture of the host nation becomes very easy for the student but at the
same time this has a direct impact on the performance level of the students. Moreover, the
assimilation into the culture of the host nation and also the formation of effective bonds with
the students who are a part of the host culture is very important as it is likely to help the
student not only in the process of his or her studies but at the same time will help the student
to learn new and different things in a much better manner (Cobern, 2012). Therefore, it can
be said that the primary hindrance which the students need to overcome in the foreign land is
not the foreign culture but their own desire to mingle with the native people of that particular
nation.
Language Barrier
Another major challenge which the majority of the students face during the process of
international education is the language. It is generally seen that the majority who take the
help of international education are the students are third world countries where they do not
get adequate facilities for higher education (Ashton-Hay, 2016). The students therefore do not
have English as their first language or the mother tongue language. Thus, it is often seen that
they fail to communicate in an effective manner with the native people of the nation in which
they are studying because of the differences in language. Furthermore, it is generally seen
that although the majority of the nations of the present do impart education in the English
language yet there is a difference in the quality of the English which is being taught to them
(Ashton-Hay, 2016). This becomes more significant when an individual from a third world
country like India or Pakistan goes to study in a first world nation like Australia, USA or