Social and pedagogical adaptation of foreign students to the university environment

Relevance. Teaching foreign students is an important part of supporting international relations and part of internationalising education. Increasingly often foreign students choose the Republic of Kazakhstan for higher education, but there are difficulties in their adaptation in an unfamiliar country, which determines the relevance of this study. Purpose. The purpose of the study is to determine the problems of adaptation of foreign students to the university environment. Methodology. To achieve the goal, the methods of analysis and synthesis, comparison, and the author�s questionnaire �Success of the adaptation process� were used. Results. The study conducted among 1769 foreign students at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University revealed that the primary challenges faced by these students in their adaptation process include language barriers, communication issues with teachers, differences in educational systems, and difficulties with dormitory living. It was found that first-year foreign students experience higher levels of stress compared to those in senior courses. Conclusions. The research concluded that effective adaptation of foreign students can be facilitated through joint leisure activities and accommodation with local students, long-term language courses, and the use of social networks. The study emphasized the crucial role of teachers in supporting and interacting with foreign students, suggesting that the findings can be utilized by university management and educators to enhance the integration and educational experience of foreign students in Kazakhstan. Keywords: higher education institution; international education; integration; cultural differences; student support