According to a poll conducted by researchers at Carleton University, international students in Canada experienced psychological, academic, and financial strain during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the findings, 80 per cent of international students were “worried” or “extremely anxious” about their capacity to pay for their university tuition, 55 per cent were at threat of depression, and almost 50 per cent were at risk of anxiety disorder. Another 30% stated that they “had not transitioned well to online training.”
The poll received answers from students from 84 countries, with India accounting for the largest chunk (46 per cent), followed by Chinese pupils (7 per cent). A total of 1,000 international students participated in the study, with 600 completing the entire assessment. Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 25 students after the survey, which was completed in February 2021.
“Roughly two-thirds of our survey respondents experienced financial stress, just over 70% psychological stress, and almost 40% academic stress,” assistant professor of Public Policy and Administration Anil Varughese and professor at School of Public Policy and Administration Saul Schwartz wrote for The Conversation.
About 25% had financial and psychological stress but not academic strain, and almost 20% experienced all three types of stress. While some students experience all three types of stress at the same time, others only experience one, two, or none. In interviews, international students expressed feelings of loneliness, mental tiredness, panic attacks, and social isolation, according to the researchers, who pointed to overcrowded counselling centres. Students also thought that online classes harmed their overall educational experience due to a lack of engagement with other students.
Other problems that harmed their entire educational experience were a lack of engagement with classmates, an inability to experience and adjust to Canadian culture, a lack of social networks, and an inability to utilize campus space and resources. In terms of financial stress, the survey and interviews revealed that the loss of parental or spousal income, as well as pay from off-campus jobs, caused the most financial difficulties for overseas students.
According to the Canadian Bureau for International Education, the research aids in identifying and comprehending the magnitude and complexity of difficulties experienced by international students. This has been a difficult two years for everyone in the education industry, but the susceptibility of international students, their youth, the precarity of their status and finances, and the separation from family and friends are a mix of misery in any crisis, let alone one as lengthy as the pandemic.
“Within the global international education arena and in Canada, we have increasingly seen both international and domestic students suffering from isolation, academic stressors, and financial hardship. The pandemic has both compounded and highlighted these challenges,” Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) said.
A comprehensive understanding of these issues is a crucial component toward assisting our sector and educational institutions in better targeting initiatives, setting priorities, and establishing policies that ensure approachable and culturally competent mental health support is integrated into the student journey while studying at a Canadian university.
In the spring of 2022, the organization will release its own research, which has evoked answers from over 40,000 international students at 70 post-secondary institutions around the country.
Whereas the domestic students could take a break from school without losing their right to live and work in Canada, overseas students have had to stay registered and advance through their degrees in order to keep their immigration status, employment rights, and prospective immigration pathways, according to Knutson.
Overall, Canadian institutions have been slow to modify policies and procedures that were designed to support local students. Variability in tuition payment deadlines, qualifying for scholarships and bursaries, and access to adequate mental healthcare, among other things, should be investigated to see if they worsen international student risk.
The pandemic has exacerbated and made more visible academic, financial, and mental health burdens, according to Isaac Garcia-Sitton, executive director of International Student Enrolment, Education, and Inclusion at Ryerson University. More than ever, holistic and all-encompassing support is required to guarantee that international students who choose to study in Canada have a quality and happy post-secondary experience.
Policy inadequacies exist in both mental health and financial support for overseas students. Both Knutson and Garcia-Sitton emphasized the importance of emergency grants and loans, as well as the extending of tuition price due deadlines. While Canada was relatively liberal in permitting international students who met the eligibility requirements to obtain the $2,000 per month Canada Emergency Response Benefit, Canadian universities and colleges provided no ongoing financial help.
“There is an urgent need to understand [international students’] unique vulnerabilities and to develop effective policy responses,” Varughese and Schwartz concluded.
CBIE further stated that the Canadian international education community recognizes the need of creating a friendly and inclusive atmosphere in which international students can accomplish their personal, intellectual, and career goals.
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