Ethnic capital and agency of Chinese and Korean international students in American higher education

Ethnic capital takes various forms and acts as a coping mechanism, influencing how international students navigate and utilize it to address challenges they face on campus. Ethnic capital significantly shapes international student satisfaction and experiences in American universities. While the role of ethnic capital within the Asian American population has been extensively studied, its impact on international students remains understudied. Thus, this study explores the roles of ethnic capital for Chinese and Korean international students. Additionally, it investigates whether ethnic capital continued to play a significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic, given the substantial number of international students still residing on campus. Instead of solely viewing ethnic capital as beneficial or not to the international student population, this study positions it as a means through which international students acknowledge their vulnerability while simultaneously resisting and empowering themselves.