Career Counseling for International Students

International students are a group with diverse career needs and concerns. The challenges international students face (e.g., psychological and sociocultural adjustment issues, language barriers, sense of loss, financial problems, getting used to a new educational system) when they come to study in the United States, as well as their expectations of coming to a new country, may significantly influence their career needs and decision-making processes. In this chapter, the authors suggest social cognitive career theory (SCCT) as a framework for working with the undergraduate and graduate international student population by emphasizing intervention strategies and making specific recommendations.