Many international students experience culture shock but some more than others. It is observed that the students from Asian countries are more vulnerable to culture shock then students from Europe. This may be due to cultural and religious backgrounds being different to what they experience in Australia.

Culture shock is the feeling of disorientation and loneliness that you may feel in the first couple of weeks of living in a new environment. This is a very common feeling and will pass when you get more settled into your new home.

Pressures with settling into the new cultural environment, lack of support during the difficulties with accommodation, social isolation and financial hardship have an effect on students’ well-being. This can give rise to homesickness. Many things in your environment that you took for granted may have changed. Sights, sounds and smells are no longer familiar. The food tastes different and it can be a challenge to find food that you enjoy eating. There are cultural differences in the way people interact and spend their time. You may be uncertain about how to deal with some everyday situations because you do not understand what is expected of you. You may have difficulty understanding the language because people’s accents are unfamiliar and they speak too quickly. Study is challenging because the expectations are different and you may not feel comfortable talking with your lecturers in the way that other students do. Your family and friends are far away and it is not easy to contact them when you need to. You may not know who else you can talk to.