International students face

International students are facing "serious problems" with their mental health that have forced them to return to their home countries, international education stakeholders told The PIE News.

In a series of interviews that took place as part of the PIE Perspectives video series, stakeholders explained that in some cases students had to go home without medication on short notice and that vital counseling services had been stopped. .

Stakeholders also told The PIE that different cultural views on mental health can make it difficult to assess whether a student is in need of urgent support.

"They could have left without their medication"

"We’ve found ourselves [in a situation] where our international students very often and suddenly have had to return to their home countries," said Douglas little, international student mental health project manager at the University of Nottingham.

“This has caused big problems. So, for example, if they are currently receiving formal treatment for a mental illness, they may have left without their meds, they may have departed halfway through counseling therapy, and there may be specific challenges facing universities regarding the well-being of their children, their students, "he said.

Elizabeth Kumbhari, vice president of professional exchange programs and legal advisor at Cultural Vistas, explained that mental health can be a challenge for international students because cultures view mental health problems in different ways.

“People raise their hands or ask for help, at different levels and in different ways, sometimes with urgency ... So an organization like ours might receive an email from a participant saying: 'I feel a little 'down and this could mean they are very depressed.

"Or we might get an email saying I need a consultant right now and that could just mean they're having a bad day," Kumbhari said.

Many students have faced financial difficulties which have led to mental health problems. Last month, The PIE reported that Indian students were suffering from serious mental health issues after being evicted by private landlords.

Urša Leban, a member of the executive committee of the European Students' Union, said PIE students across Europe have lost their jobs and financial income.

"There were a lot of changes in accommodation, many were forced to go home...all of this put a lot of pressure on the students," she said.