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International students are diverse not only in culture, but also in socioeconomic and family academic capital.

First-generation international students face compounded challenges due to their intersectionality.

First-generation international students may benefit from mentoring and joint support programs between offices.

By Richard Zhang, M.D., MA and Chandani Rana, LCSW

Student support services at U.S. universities are often centered on siloed, rigid categories: undergraduate athletes and non-athletes, domestic and international students, or first-generation and continuing-generation students. These specialized programs help newcomers navigate basic academic, social, and financial resources in their new school or even new country. Individually, however, such programs may not sufficiently account for the needs of those with overlapping identities—in particular, first-generation international college students.

People in this intersectional position face the challenges of two groups. On one hand, they may contend with acculturative stress and legal uncertainties in the U.S., as most other international students do. On the other hand, like U.S.-raised first-generation students who lack prior role models, first-generation international students benefit from more targeted mentorship and explicit guidance as to colleges’ “hidden curricula”: for example, strategically choosing majors, balancing demanding workloads with limited time, or financial literacy about paying educational fees.

Often separate and unconnected, university offices for international and first-generation students can do more to intentionally, jointly support this vulnerable sub-community. Such initiatives benefit from a nuanced understanding of this population’s intersectional challenges. Support can alleviate compounded stressors that otherwise raise the risk for mental health conditions in transitional-age young adults.

First-Generation Tensions

International students at U.S. universities are often perceived as affluent and privileged. Factoring in paid tuition and living expenses, the annual enrollment of over 1 million international students is indeed........

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