Intercultural Learning, Adaptation, and Personal Growth: A Longitudinal Investigation of International Student Experiences in China

Despite the rapid increase of international students in the Chinese higher education sector, little is known about their experiences in China. This paper reports a longitudinal study investigating experiences of a small group of international students during their undergraduate study in an English-medium medical course at a Chinese university. Data were generated through annual interviews, complemented by two rounds of questionnaire surveys respectively held at the beginning and end of the course. Drawing on self-determination theory, findings reveal the learning process through which the participants, responding to and interacting with new academic and social environments, gradually achieved adaptation and personal growth. Meanwhile, the research presents evidence of the students' dissatisfaction, arising mainly from three aspects of their university environments: linguistic, pedagogical, and attitudinal. Policy implications are discussed and suggestions for future studies are given.