Exploring Experiences of Chinese Students Studying at U.S. Universities Since COVID-19

Abstract

This paper presents a phenomenological study exploring what Chinese international students (CIS) have experienced since COVID-19. Three themes emerged through in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight participants. The first theme is the typical challenges that might be encountered by CIS such as cultural barriers. The concerns of safety and racism were illustrated in the second theme, which was amplified and intensified during the pandemic. The last theme involved support and services that need improvement. Implications of the findings are discussed to reflect on how to best support CIS after and beyond COVID-19, followed by limitations of this study.