Culture Expectation and Wellbeing Support among Chinese International Students: A Study from student’s perspective

This dissertation explores how Chinese international students understand wellbeing while studying at a UK university. It also examines how cultural expectations affect the ways they manage difficulties and seek help. The study focuses on Chinese international students because they may face particular pressures when studying abroad. These pressures can include language barriers, academic adjustment, loneliness, family expectations, and uncertainty about university support. The research used a qualitative approach. Six Chinese international students took part in semi-structured interviews. This method was chosen because the study aimed to understand students’ own views and experiences. The interviews asked students how they understood wellbeing, what kinds of challenges they faced, how they dealt with these challenges, and what support they found helpful. The findings show that students understood wellbeing as more than mental health alone. They often connected wellbeing with physical health, emotional balance, daily routine, academic confidence, and a sense of belonging. For many students, wellbeing was linked to whether everyday life in the UK felt manageable. Small practical tasks, such as using transport, finding services, or joining seminars, could affect how settled they felt. The study also found that language and translation matter. Some students felt that Chinese terms such as “fuzhi” or “welfare” did not fully match the English word “wellbeing”. These terms could sound broad, formal, or distant from daily life. In contrast, “mental health” felt easier to understand and closer to their own experiences. This suggests that universities should think carefully about how they explain wellbeing support to international students. Cultural expectations also shaped help-seeking. Students discussed face, fear of judgement, mental health stigma, family expectations, and not wanting to worry or burden others. Many students preferred to manage problems alone first. After that, they might speak to friends or family. Formal support was usually considered later when other forms of support were not enough. However, this finding does not mean students rejected support. It shows that they made careful choices based on many aspects like trust, language, privacy, and comfort.

This dissertation may be useful for university wellbeing services, international student support teams, Chinese student societies, or staff who work with international students. The findings point to several practical improvements. Universities could explain the support process more clearly, including what happens after a student first makes contact. They could also provide stronger information about confidentiality. Multilingual-speaking support, or staff with cultural awareness, may help students feel more comfortable. This might be beneficial not only for Chinese students. Online, text-based, or voice-only options may also reduce pressure for students who feel anxious about face-to-face disclosure. Peer mentoring through Chinese student communities could provide a low-pressure first step before formal support. Overall, this study suggests that culturally sensitive support should be clear, confidential, flexible, and connected to students’ everyday lives. It should recognise that academic, social, practical, and emotional difficulties are often linked. By making support easier to access and less intimidating, universities may help Chinese international students build a stronger sense of wellbeing and belonging in the UK.