International Students: Their Health and Education Journey

International students belong to one type of “sojourners”. According to Paige (1990), international students are defined as individuals who temporarily live in a host country rather than their home country in order to participate in international education as students. They are normally young, well educated, highly motivated and adaptable (Furnham & Bochner, 1986). As a type of sojourners, international students share the same characteristics with other types of sojourners but also have their own features. Living in a new country which is culturally different from their home countries poses big challenges to sojourners. There are added challenges for them as students when they have to cope with a different educational system. The constant pressure of living and studying in a different culture has some impact on their health and wellbeing. This chapter will discuss the health and wellbeing of international students generally and in Tasmania particularly.