Living on the Edge: A Critical Review of Visa Insecurity, Institutional (Un)safety, and Mental Health Challenges of International Students in U.S. Higher Education

• In Event: Advancing Higher Education: International Perspectives

Abstract

International students face intersecting challenges that include racial discrimination, visa insecurity, and inadequate institutional support, which have contributed significantly to the increasing mental health disorders reported by foreign students studying in U.S. higher education, such as a high level of depression and anxiety because of continuous visa revocations and systemic inequities. While existing literature focuses on international students' lived experiences in terms of adjustment to cultural differences and language barriers, limited attention has been drawn to the compounded experiences of students in the period of constant visa revocation, specifically on their mental health and wellbeing. This study presents a theoretical and critical review of visa insecurity, institutional (un)safety, and mental health from critical race theory and intersectionality lenses

Authors

• John O. Ajamobe, Texas A&M University

• Oluwafisayo Grace Ajamobe, University of Ibadan