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Introduction This study explores how university students in Switzerland perceive and experience stigmatization within higher education. Drawing on intersectionality theory and social representations theory, it examines stigma not only as an individual experience but also as a structural, symbolic, and ideological phenomenon shaped by institutional norms and dominant discourses. Methods A sample of 254 university students was recruited using a snowball sampling method. Participants completed a free association task based on the Grid Elaboration Method. The data were analyzed using lexical similarity analysis and Descending Hierarchical Classification (DHC) with IRaMuTeQ. Results Five main discourse classes emerged: (1) academic pressure and economic barriers, (2) structural exclusion in academic careers and mental health, (3) language, visibility, and everyday exclusion, (4) stigmatization, prejudice, and social exclusion, and (5) conceptual ambiguity and institutional responsibility. The findings show that stigma operates across multiple intersecting identity dimensions, including gender, language, socioeconomic status, race, and political beliefs. Discussion The study highlights how stigmatization is produced and maintained through intersecting social structures and institutional practices. It underscores the emotional, relational, and structural harm caused by stigma and calls for more nuanced, intersectional, and action-oriented strategies to foster genuine inclusion and student well-being in higher education.
Etxebarria et al. (Wed,) studied this question.