Exploring the social and academic experiences of international students in South African Universities

Abstract

Many international students register at South African public universities but encounter serious difficulties in integrating into the culture of these institutions. This study identified and analysed factors contributing to the integration of international students in South Africa and the universities at which they are registered, using Tinto’s Student Integration Model as a theoretical framework. The purpose of this study was to explore the academic and social experiences of international students at South African universities, the influence of their academic and social experiences on their integration in South Africa and the institutions they are registered at, as well as the coping strategies they employ to facilitate their integration in this new environment. Secondary data analysis was used to explore the experiences of international students in South Africa. The data were originally gathered for the purposes of a project on student mobility in Africa using a mixed methods design. For the purpose of this study, only qualitative data collected from face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 50 international students from five South African universities was used. A thematic method was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that international students at South African universities are faced with numerous challenges in their attempts to integrate in the new environment. These include language barriers, unfamiliar teaching styles, discrimination and crime, and a lack of socialisation with domestic students. However, the findings also revealed that international students appreciated the academic benefits they gained from studying at South African universities.