\n<\/p>\n
By Richard Zhang, M.D., MA and Chandani Rana, LCSW<\/em><\/p>\n Student support services at U.S. universities are often centered on siloed, rigid categories: undergraduate athletes and non-athletes, domestic and international students, or first-generation and continuing-generation students. These specialized programs<\/a> help newcomers navigate basic academic, social, and financial resources in their new school or even new country. Individually, however, such programs may not sufficiently account for the needs of those with overlapping identities\u2014in particular, first-generation international college students.<\/p>\n People in this intersectional position face the challenges of two groups. On one hand, they may contend with acculturative stress<\/a> and legal uncertainties in the U.S., as most other international students do. On the other hand, like U.S.-raised first-generation students who lack prior role models, first-generation international students benefit from more targeted mentorship and explicit guidance as to colleges\u2019 \u201chidden curricula<\/a>\u201d: for example, strategically choosing majors, balancing demanding workloads with limited time, or financial literacy about paying educational fees.<\/p>\n Often separate and unconnected, university offices for international and first-generation students can do more to intentionally, jointly support this vulnerable sub-community. Such initiatives benefit from a nuanced understanding of this population\u2019s intersectional challenges. Support can alleviate compounded stressors that otherwise raise the risk for mental health conditions<\/a> in transitional-age young adults.<\/p>\n International students at U.S. universities are often perceived as affluent and privileged. Factoring in paid tuition and living expenses, the annual enrollment of over 1 million international students is indeed estimated<\/a> to add tens of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy. Yet, members of the international community, who comprise a substantial 6%<\/a> of U.S. college students, do not all start on an even playing field. Some hail from highly educated, connected families, but others lack parental role models to guide them as to what an undergraduate experience looks like, let alone abroad. This diversity of social capital exists even among international students originating from the same country.<\/p>\n One transitions more easily into college when they already have implicit awareness of higher education<\/a> norms. What many second and third-generation students assume is obvious knowledge, as taught to them by family members who completed college, can be alternatively seen as a head start<\/a>. Not every first-generation student initially grasps how classroom participation factors into grading; how office hours are neither remedial nor punitive, but open to all; that others will not check if one is keeping up with coursework; or how early on classmates are planning their careers. Many first-generation international students feel \u201cbehind\u201d in learning these norms, stressed<\/a>, and impacted by self-doubt.<\/p>\n Beyond self-comparison with peers, a first-generation student can hold complex feelings toward their guardians abroad. One\u2019s predecessors may have experienced \u201cidentity<\/a> foreclosure\u201d in their own youth, committing early on to careers out of necessity and sacrifice, without yet exploring their actual interests. In comparison, the first-generation college student enjoys the privilege of an extended \u201cpsychosocial moratorium\u201d: experimenting with majors, social circles, and identities in a phase of self-discovery. This is not always joyful, though. They may feel pride over being the first in their family to make it this far, but also guilt<\/a> or collectivistic pressures tied to their first-generation position. Depending on their culture\u2019s norms, such a student may feel expected to achieve academically to not only reflect well on parents, but also graduate into a well-paying career<\/a> and support family abroad.<\/p>\n A first-generation international student can thus simultaneously feel \u201cbehind\u201d continuing-generation classmates in adapting to university life, and placed uncomfortably early into places of responsibility over the same parents who had raised them. These constraining<\/a> intergenerational tensions may contribute to increased feelings of isolation and academic distress.<\/p>\n Whether a first-generation international student plans to integrate long-term after graduation as an immigrant, or stay only briefly as an expatriate, they often must navigate cultural and legal uncertainties. Their newfound expectations from less-educated family members might feel even less of a shock than the plunge into a community with unfamiliar social rules. This acculturative stress builds on top of having to master English and ensure one fulfills visa-related requirements.<\/p>\n The U.S. has a quintessentially \u201clow-context culture<\/a>.\u201d Most Americans literally verbally state what they want to convey, without so much reliance on nonverbal cues and relational context<\/a> as in many non-Western countries. What one directly states can be true; what is unsaid, however, is typically assumed to not exist. An international student who normatively feels reluctant to inconvenience senior colleagues, perhaps the teaching assistant or instructor, may avoid office hours for too long, even if struggling, and be presumed to have never needed academic assistance. In another example, to the surprise of some internationals who expected flexibility, landlords may not offer accommodations beyond what was explicitly written in rental contracts<\/a>.<\/p>\n Everyday normative differences can cumulatively, anxiously, and overwhelmingly add up. One lacks a prior guidebook to explain why their American roommate wears boots<\/a> inside the room, cooks with butter instead of plant oil, or pays 20% tips at restaurants. Well-intended, idiomatic statements like \u201cGet out of here!\u201d and \u201cBreak a leg!\u201d may initially feel perplexing, even attacking. No international student wants to feel socially awkward, excluded, or clueless.<\/p>\n Beyond refining their study habits, first-generation international students must navigate many layers of unspoken academic and sociocultural norms. These students might code-switch to impressive extents when engaging with peers and with family, but such can feel taxing. Sometimes, their identities evolve and diverge so deeply in a new land that they no longer relate much to their families. Confusion, guilt, and conflicts can emerge. University support services intended to place students closer to an equal footing should recognize just how much guidance these students may need.<\/p>\n Adequately supporting this community warrants bridging of different university support offices. International and first-generation student offices can host joint workshops to make more explicit the norms of the academic hidden curriculum, like how to engage with faculty and begin career planning early. Resources directly, accessibly explaining American cultural norms can be distributed in various languages to incoming students. When possible, joint mentorship initiatives could pair first-generation international students with upperclassmen mentors who share similar backgrounds. Moreover, many university counseling centers can do more to recruit culturally sensitive clinicians<\/a> and promote their services in a welcoming, non-stigmatizing way.<\/p>\n Supporting first-generation international students could pay great dividends for universities. Global interest in a U.S. college, and thus its soft power, can grow after positive word-of-mouth<\/a> commentary from international matriculants already studying there. Increased international enrollment brings diverse perspectives that enrich classroom discussions and innovation<\/a>. Improving the stress and mental health of such students strengthens their retention<\/a>, productive engagement, and post-graduation success. De-siloing support services and addressing intersectional stressors enhances colleges\u2019 economic gain, campus life, and proximity to true health equity.<\/p>\n Chandani Rana, LCSW, is an outpatient clinician who graduated in 2025 from the Boston University School of Social Work. She brings a first-generation immigrant perspective and cultural humility into her work. Her academic interests include psychosocial challenges and the importance of social support in emerging adulthood.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nFirst-Generation Tensions<\/h2>\n
International Uncertainties<\/h2>\n
Final Considerations<\/h2>\n