Being an international student is more than just an adventure;聽it's聽an opportunity to learn, grow, and lose yourself in the charm of foreign cultures. But聽don't聽be fooled by the Instagram photos聽that only show聽the highlights. Behind every snapshot is a brave student facing real daily challenges.聽Here's聽a look into international student life through several testimonials.
Language barrier and administrative hurdles
One of the first difficulties students face when they arrive in a foreign country is the language barrier. Communicating with locals, following courses, or even shopping can be a real challenge if you聽don't聽speak the local language. However, this obstacle can also be an opportunity to learn a new language and enrich oneself culturally.
Interestingly (or聽perhaps聽not), administrative formalities abroad are often intertwined with language problems.聽Between visas, residence permits, numerous forms to fill out, university entry documents, or registering for local health services, students聽literally聽navigate the maze of foreign bureaucracy.
Camille shares her experience:聽鈥淭he first challenge is the administrative part.聽It's聽not always聽very clear, and not everything is necessarily in English. The university system聽doesn't聽work the same way聽as what聽we're聽used to. For example, in some countries, certain documents聽are required聽that聽we're聽not used to having, or original documents we聽didn't聽think to bring聽with us. In my case, to get the Italian social security number, it聽wasn't聽clear聽at all聽what needed to聽be done, and I had to figure out a lot on my own to get it.鈥澛燫egarding聽the language barrier, Camille adds that聽when she arrived,聽no one spoke English at the foreign student reception office.聽鈥淚聽didn't聽speak the local language, so it was聽really聽tough. Fortunately, we helped each other a lot.鈥�
Federico,聽another international student,聽adds:聽鈥淲e also had many administrative difficulties in France.聽To get my carte vitale, there was no option to check聽'foreigner'聽for the place of birth on the application form, which completely blocked the process. So, I had to go in person, but at that time, I聽didn't聽speak the language, and no one spoke mine or English, which made things even more complicated.鈥�
For Sarah, the language barrier was more about accents and writing styles:聽鈥淚n my country, I learned English in a certain way. I heard it a certain way and had never experienced other accents or heard a foreigner speak English with their local accent. So, when I heard English with an Italian accent for the first time, I genuinely wondered if it was English! Writing was also a big problem for me: I come from a country where we speak and write in Persian, with a completely different script and alphabet. Even though I learned the Western way, seeing letters written differently from what I聽was taught聽at school was聽very聽destabilizing. And then, at the聽university's聽reception office, no one spoke English, and I聽didn't聽know a word of Italian. It聽was聽really聽complicated, even though La Sapienza in Rome is supposed to be an international university! Can you believe that?鈥�
Different educational systems: Learning new ways
Each country has its聽own聽educational system, with specific teaching methods, evaluations, and expectations. Adapting to a new system can be confusing聽at first, but聽it's聽also an opportunity to acquire new skills and discover different educational approaches.聽
Camille shares:聽鈥淚n class, the school system is quite different. For example, in Italy, there are fewer class hours but more homework, so you聽need to聽learn to be autonomous quickly!聽University professors often arrived late,聽and this聽seemed normal to everyone, but it聽was聽quite聽confusing聽for me at first.聽Group projects聽are conducted聽differently, and the academic calendar聽isn't聽the same. You learn to adapt and understand these differences over time.鈥�
Sarah explains that maintaining her scholarship was a significant challenge:聽鈥淚t's聽a real challenge for someone from a non-EU country.聽Here's聽how it works: you get 5000 euros per year for your studies, but to obtain and renew it, you聽need to聽pass certain exams and attend specific classes. In my first year, I did everything to get the best grades to ensure I would have it for the following year.聽Studying for these specific exams takes a lot of time and is very stressful because聽not only do聽you need good grades, but聽your financial situation is also at stake.鈥�
Integrating with local students can be聽challenging
Both Camille and Federico agree that integrating with local students聽isn't聽easy. International students tend to stick together. Camille says:聽鈥淚 think it depends on where you go; you may find it easier or harder to integrate with locals. In my case, I聽didn't聽form many strong connections with local students because they already had their established groups. It聽was difficult聽to break into their circles. We mostly stayed among Erasmus students, although I did make some local friends outside the university.鈥�
Federico also聽found it聽difficult聽to integrate with French students:聽鈥淭hey tended to stick together and聽didn't聽necessarily want to form bonds with other international students.鈥�
Despite these daily challenges, Camille, Federico, and Sarah affirm without hesitation that this experience has been one of the most enriching of their lives, and they聽wouldn't聽trade it for anything. Studying abroad offers a wealth of experiences, and the chance to immerse oneself in a new culture while learning is what continues to attract more young people to聽take the leap despite聽the hurdles.
