Factors Affecting International Student Success in Higher Education: A Needs Assessment to Guide Differentiated and Intentional Programing

Abstract

Previous research has raised concerns about international students’ adjustment and acculturation in U.S. higher education. International students at the institution in the current study had lower grade point averages (GPAs) and retention rates than domestic peers. This study examined whether noncognitive student success factors (e.g., self-efficacy) varied across international student subgroups (e.g., region of origin, English-language proficiency) and whether these factors predicted their GPA. There were meaningful subgroup differences for the noncognitive factors. For example, goal commitment, persistence, self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and institutional commitment differed by region of origin, whereas quality focus, engagement, persistence, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging differed by English-language proficiency. Collectively, the 10 noncognitive factors accounted for 23.3% of the variance in cumulative GPA, with self-efficacy (3.13%) and sense of belonging (4.45%) contributing the most uniquely. These results can guide intentional implementation of programing that addresses these areas of growth for international students.