"All I have is myself”

The resilience of international students navigating cultural transitions and support systems in India

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/e7d71t32

Keywords:

internationalization, higher education

Abstract

This study employed an embedded mixed-methods exploratory design to investigate international students in India, focusing on resilience, perceived support, and academic adjustment. In the qualitative phase, nine students were interviewed, revealing two main themes: (1) institutional support and peer networks, and (2) resilience through self-reliance. The results revealed that support systems are vital for cultural and academic adjustment. Due to limited access, the students relied on self-reliance, which fostered personal resilience that aided in adaptation. The quantitative phase analyzed the relationship between social support and academic adjustment using data from 180 students, employing mediation analysis. The findings indicated that perceived social support had a positive influence on academic adjustment, whereas duration of stay did not mediate this relationship.

Author Biographies

  • Bipasha Das, Banaras Hindu University

    BIPASHA DAS, MPhil, is a doctoral student at the Faculty of Education, Banaras Hindu University, India. Her major research interests broadly cover the internationalization of higher education, higher education access and inclusion in society, the socio-psychological aspect of education, and women’s education.

    Email: bipasa@bhu.ac.in

  • Satyam Verma, Banaras Hindu University

    SATYAM VERMA, M.Ed., is a doctoral student at the Faculty of Education, Banaras Hindu University, India. His major interests broadly cover higher education, sociology of education, society and digital media, citizenship education, and education and politics.

    Email: satyamverma@bhu.ac.in

     

  • Alok Gardia, Banaras Hindu University

    ALOK GARDIA, PhD., is a professor at the Faculty of Education, Banaras Hindu University, India. His major research interests lie in the areas of sociology of education, social psychology, education for democratic citizenship, language across the curriculum, and issues in the pedagogy of English.

    Email: alok.edu@bhu.ac.in

     

     

     

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2026-02-05

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Vol. 16 No. 2 (2026): Journal of International Students | Special Issue Building Inclusive Futures

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How to Cite

Das, B., Verma, S. ., & Gardia, A. (2026). "All I have is myself”: The resilience of international students navigating cultural transitions and support systems in India. Journal of International Students, 16(2), 135-156. https://doi.org/10.32674/e7d71t32