International Students’ Cultural Experiences: Exploring Socio-Cultural and Academic Adjustment in Malaysian Universities

Eight Hundred and thirty-one international students from seven public and private universities in
Malaysia were surveyed in a preliminary research to explore the students’ socio-cultural and academic adjustment
in universities. The survey questionnaire requires respondents to answer a 20-item measure of difficulty they face
in relation to their interaction under two dimensions: socio-cultural and academic dimensions. Pearson correlation
coefficient shows a positive relationship between social integration and academic adaptation with a significant
level of 0.01. The higher the ability of the students to adapt socially into the new environment, the better their
capability is in making adjustment academically.