Migration: Exploring the experiences of international students studying in South African universities, a case study of University of Witwatersrand
Date
2017
Authors
Khumalo, Gift Mbongeni
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Abstract
International students found in South African universities are diverse and due to wellstructured tertiary education, they are increasingly enrolling in the country every year. South Africa is amongst the many other countries in the world that are gradually increasing their efforts to attract international students (Verbik and Lasinowski, 2007) as cited in (Lee, 2010). This paper discusses the experiences of international students studying at the University of the Witwatersrand. In addition, an exploration of their challenges is made. Issues faced by international students in South Africa have been the subject of few South African studies with majority of studies done in the Western and Eastern countries. The approach utilised is the qualitative research approach and data was collected from 8 international students currently registered at the University of the Witwatersrand. The culture learning theory and ecological approach were used to understand the experiences the international students and the challenges associated with being a foreign national in South Africa. Interviews with participants were held and the data was analysed through thematic data analysis. Through the use of this data analysis, various themes were constructed from the data which include financial difficulties, experiences of social isolation, acculturalization, discrimination and many other themes. Moreover, the research study suggests that international students are faced with great difficulties in adjusting to the South African environment and the cultures. It also suggests that interpersonal relationships are essential for a successful integration and for a good health of the international students. Keywords: international students, adaptation processes, student experiences, cultural shock, discrimination
Description
The Department of Social Work
School of Human and Community Development
Faculty of Humanities
University of the Witwatersrand
In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
Bachelor of Social Work