Mental health and international students

Leaving home and accepting a place at college or university can be an exciting but challenging time, particularly when it comes to making friends and developing independence. Many students experience stress, depression/low mood, anxiety and loneliness in such circumstances. For international students there can be additional issues.

What factors affect the mental health of international students

Little access to family and friends and the support they provide
Need to get used to a new culture and way of doing things
It may be hard to make friends, particularly if you usually speak a different language
There may be additional pressures to do well and financial worries due to the additional costs of studying abroad
You may not know how to seek help and may worry about being able to communicate your feelings fully

Support for international students

If you need to speak to someone, your university or college may well provide free wellbeing support. This can be really helpful and get you back on track. However research has shown that many students feel uncomfortable about discussing their mental health issues with someone employed by their university. In addition, sometimes people need more than the number of sessions available with their educational institution. We can help.