International Students’ Confidence and Academic Success

Research shows that the international student population is showing significant growth. This article deals with issues affecting a growing international student population. Studies show that foreign students are encountering difficulties in social adaptability, language barriers, academic ability, and financial need. There is evidence that a correlation exists among a sense of self-efficacy and each of these four issues. This study includes quantitative analysis of 137 students’ responses to a questionnaire addressing each of these issues that constitute their total resources. Data show that international students attending a mid-western university who scored high on confidence levels in completing their programs of study also scored high on the confidence of their resources. Analysis revealed that students who scored low in confidence for completing their programs of study also scored low on their confidence of these four aforementioned issues.