From Displacement to Belonging: Can Higher Education Bridge the Gap? A Phenomenological Study of Refugee Youth’s Educational Pathways and Integration in Canada

A phenomenological approach was used to understand the experience of resettlement, integration and university education of refugee youth sponsored under the Government Assisted Refugee (GAR) and the Privately Sponsored Refugee (PSR) programs in Canada. Central to the phenomenon is addressing the meaning of the students’ lived experience arriving in Canada under the GAR and PSR, and how their journey to education shaped their integration. How do their life challenges affect their educational pathways? Eight in-depth interviews with four resettled refugee university students were conducted, in addition to individual interviews with four key informants. The study was conducted through the lens of critical theory to explore the power relations and the common sense of the system. Results showcase systematic barriers in refugee youth’s access to higher education, with their likelihood of enrollment and educational success further burdened by discrimination, isolation, language proficiency, and a lack of understanding of their needs by service providers. Integration was marked by moments of educational accomplishments, highlighting the importance attributed to education by refugee youth. Nevertheless, the participants also expressed obstacles to integration centered around financial burden, being labeled as others by their surroundings, language proficiency, housing, and overall delays in their academic pathways.