INT3617 Global Issues Group Research Project
How do INTO Exeter students really cope with stress?
A survey of 107 international students revealing what causes stress, what helps, and why most never seek professional support.
Introduction
The pressure is real and growing
About 73% of university students experience significant stress (Olson et al., 2025). For international students this compounds: new language, new culture, financial strain, and distance from family (Ansari Lari et al., 2025). In the US, anxiety among international students rose 78% from 2015 to 2024, yet service use lagged (Zhai et al., 2025).
Sample breakdown
Methodology
How we conducted the study
Survey
Anonymous Microsoft Forms
107 responses
Valid, across all programmes
Analysis
Descriptive stats, group comparisons
Next steps
Interviews with 5-10 students
Figure 1: Sources of Stress
Academic pressure dominates
Top three stressors are all academic. Cultural adaptation ranks last, contrasting with much of the international student literature (Chen, 2025).
Figure 2: Coping Strategies
Friends and rest beat formal support
Usage shown in navy, perceived effectiveness in mint. Counselling is both least used and lowest rated.
Usage rate
Perceived effectiveness
Student Voices
In their own words
More flexible deadlines
Free-of-charge therapy sessions
Socials and community events
More counselling access
Figure 3: Barriers to Counselling
The barrier is self-perception, not stigma
79% have never used professional counselling. Among 85 non-users, stigma ranks last (Knettel et al., 2024).
Figure 4: Stress by Programme
Pre-Masters students face the highest rates
Foundation
IYO
★ Pre-Masters
Highest rate despite lowest mean
Figure 5: Gender and Age
Older and younger students feel it most
High/very high stress by gender
High/very high stress by age
Note: Small subgroups for youngest and oldest age brackets warrant caution.
Academic stress dominates
94% feel stressed, driven by exams and deadlines, not cultural adaptation.
Informal strategies prevail
Friends, hobbies, and breaks are most used and rated most effective.
Self-perception, not stigma
55% avoid counselling because stress feels not serious enough.
What Students Want from INTO
Simple changes could make a big difference
Flexible deadlines
Clearer counselling info
Peer support groups
References APA 7th Edition
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