Navigating sociocultural adaptation: The experiences of Chinese international students in Baguio City, Philippines

Jing Chang & Marilou Saong

Volume 5 Issue 4, December 2025

Abstract

Amid rising academic competition in China, Chinese students pursuing higher education abroad face sociocultural adaptation challenges. This study investigates the sociocultural adaptation processes of Chinese international students in Baguio City, Philippines. A qualitative descriptive design was used, with a sample of 20 Chinese students from Baguio-based higher education institutions. Data collection included in-depth semi-structured interviews and a structured survey exclusively for demographic profiling. The findings show that students faced significant adjustment difficulties, which include adjusting to interactive teaching methods, lack of proficiency in English, relying on networks of friends from their home country, dealing with infrastructure problems, and dealing with inefficiencies in the administration. Peer support, cultural resilience, and gradual engagement were among the coping mechanisms. Differences in experience were also mediated by demographic factors like age, sex, and educational attainment. This study sheds light on the multifaceted sociocultural experiences that Chinese international students encountered in the Philippines, which were influenced by institutional, linguistic, emotional, and educational contexts. The findings underscore the importance of institutional and policy-level interventions that address systemic and cultural disparities.

Keywords

Author information & Contribution

Jing Chang. Doctor of Education Candidate, University of Baguio. Email: m13699179227_1@163.com

Marilou Saong. Corresponding author. PhD in Education. Professor, University of Baguio. Email: marilousaong@e.ubaguio.edu

"All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript."

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Funding

Institutional Review Board Statement

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The authors utilized ChatGPT, QuillBot and OpenPaperpal in the preparation of this work to improve readability and language. The authors reviewed and edited all content produced through the use of these tools, for which they fully accept responsibility in the final publication. Consensus AI and Elicit AI were used for the purposes of literature review, while Scribbr helped with reference formatting.

Notes

Acknowledgement

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Cite this article:

Chang, J. & Saong, M. (2025). Navigating sociocultural adaptation: The experiences of Chinese international students in Baguio City, Philippines. International Review of Social Sciences Research, 5(4), 178-204. https://doi.org/10.53378/irssr.353289