Investigating the impact of COVID-19 on international student wellbeing in Australia.

Issue addressed: International students are at a heightened risk of experiencing negative health and wellbeing outcomes, which was further exacerbated during the COVID-19 lockdowns. This research sought to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and wellbeing of international students in Australia.

Methods: Thirty-one international students participated in qualitative in-depth interviews between March and April 2022 to explore their experiences of health and wellbeing during 2020-2021 while they lived and studied in Australia. Interviews were coded and analysed thematically using NVivo software.

Results: Findings highlight the impact of the pandemic on international students' mental, social and financial wellbeing, including worry about loved ones, social isolation, financial and employment insecurity and challenges related to online learning. The pandemic exacerbated and brought more attention to existing issues and placed students in unequal positions in relation to domestic students and each other.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased students' vulnerability to poor mental health and to a range of social and financial issues. SO WHAT?: The findings of this study highlight the need for support strategies to improve international students' mental health and social wellbeing outcomes in Australia.