Through Their Lens: A Photo-Elicitation Study of Food Access Challenges Among International Graduate Students at a Connecticut University

International graduate students in the United States face unique challenges in securing healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods. Despite rising attention to college student food insecurity, the lived experiences of international graduate students remain underexplored. Using a photo-elicitation approach incorporating photovoice-informed techniques, including participant-generated photography and the SHOWeD discussion framework, this study examined barriers, adaptations, and potential solutions related to food access among 18 international graduate students at a private university in Connecticut. Data collection occurred from April through July 2026, during which subjects provided photographs capturing their experiences with food access and participated in focus groups to discuss their day-to-day food environments. Thematic analysis, informed by the Social Ecological Model, identified four interrelated themes: (a) structural and logistical barriers to food access; (b) cultural disconnect in food availability and challenges in adaptation; (c) adaptive strategies and compromises; and (d) solutions and recommendations for action. Findings illustrate how food insecurity among international graduate students extends beyond affordability and reflects structural, institutional, and cultural barriers that can undermine health, well-being, and academic success. Although students demonstrated resilience through adaptive strategies, some of these strategies involved compromises in nutrition and cultural belonging. Multidomain interventions addressing individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy factors are needed to reduce these inequities. By centering international graduate students' experiences and recommendations, universities can develop culturally responsive strategies that strengthen food access, foster inclusion, and enhance student well-being.