A recent report says that more than 65% of international students feel very stressed. Also, over half of them often feel lonely and irritated. This report comes from three big student groups in the Netherlands. These groups are ISO, LSVb, and ESN.
Wieke, an editor, talked to some of these international students. She asked them how they feel and what problems they face while studying in the Netherlands. Many students opened up about their experiences and shared their daily struggles.
International Students
One day, my roommate suddenly disappeared. She left everything behind—her clothes, schoolbooks, and even a brand-new printer. But she had officially ended her room contract. She said it was a family issue and moved back to the Czech Republic.
At that time, the Czech Republic was under a strict code red due to the coronavirus. If she went back, she wouldn’t be able to return to the Netherlands. That’s why she made the decision to cancel her stay here. Before leaving, she told us we could throw away her belongings if we wanted.
Their student life became more difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like local students, they also deal with mental health problems. But international students have extra struggles. They cannot visit their families easily. They often feel alone and find it hard to get help. Their universities give them very little support.
No going home
When I feel sick, I usually go back home. My parents take care of me and give me tasty food. It helps me feel better. But for international students, this is not easy now because of the coronavirus.
Cecilia is a student from Spain. She studies at VU University in Amsterdam. She says it is hard to travel home during the pandemic. Flights cost more and do not run as often. She also needs to take a PCR test before flying. That test costs a lot of money. Because of all this, she cannot go home easily.
Sometimes, students cannot stay in their home country even if they go back. Linyu, a 20-year-old Chinese student at the University of Groningen (RUG), shares her story. She says, “If I stay outside the Netherlands for more than six months, I will lose my residence permit.”
Without this permit, she cannot continue her studies in the Netherlands. Some of her Chinese friends went back home during the COVID-19 pandemic. But they had to return to the Netherlands just to keep their residence permits active. They came back even when they had no classes or work to do here.
You are sitting alone in your small student room. Your family is far away. It feels quiet and empty. Cecilia says, “This really affects my mental health. I often feel lonely. I do have friends. But we do not meet often now. Without social gatherings, it feels even harder.”
Finding help is hard
The coronavirus crisis has strongly affected the mental health of international students. Many feel lonely, stressed, or sad. Linyu, a student, shares her experience. She wanted to talk to a psychologist. But as a non-EU student, she could not use Dutch health insurance. She needed private insurance, which involved too much paperwork. Also, most psychologists did not speak English, so she could not get help easily.
Linyu explains, “My GP gave me a list of English-speaking psychologists.” He continues, “But I had to find out on my own who had no waiting list. I also had to check who was covered by my private insurance, which is a special type.” Linyu starts to speak faster. His voice sounds frustrated. He says, “This whole process is driving me crazy. I already struggle with my mental health. That is why I am trying to get help.” He takes a breath and adds, “But when getting help becomes so hard, it feels overwhelming. It adds more stress, and I cannot handle that pressure.”
Lack of support from universities
Many international students come to the Netherlands to study. They expect universities to support them when they face problems. Sadly, this often does not happen. Cecilia shares her experience. She says the university only told her, “Sorry, we are not opening.” No one asked how she was or offered help. She feels alone and unsupported. She does not blame the professors. She believes they are doing their best. But still, she struggles with her mental health and gets no help from the university.
Universities do not offer enough mental health help. Students often wait a long time to meet a university psychologist. Many do not know where else to go. One international student said he felt very bad and needed to talk. He called the university's suicide helpline.
He said, “I didn’t want to die. I just needed to speak to someone. But the person who answered did not speak English. When I finally reached someone who spoke English, the call got cut. It took so much courage to call. When the call dropped, I felt lost and scared. I didn’t know what to do next.”
Study pressure
International students already deal with many challenges. On top of that, the pressure to succeed in studies keeps growing. This pressure has increased even more after the pandemic. Cecilia shares that students always carry an academic burden. But now, it feels heavier. Life has become harder, yet universities still expect students to perform at the same level.
Linyu explains that the pressure to pass courses became too much for him. If he does not sleep well, he cannot focus on his studies. Without proper study time, he fails his exams. If he fails, he cannot continue his education. This creates a cycle of stress. Studying becomes even harder in such tough conditions.
What now?
Many students go through tough times. International students often face even bigger challenges. They deal with new cultures, languages, and loneliness. Universities must offer more help. They should assign friendly mentors who listen and guide students. They must also hire more trained psychologists. Most importantly, universities should act with kindness and care.
Right now, many universities still follow old rules and normal routines. But today’s situation is not normal. Students need special support, not just rules. Universities must understand their students' struggles. They should change how they work to make life easier and less stressful for every student.
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