Navigating borders

This study examines how former F-1 visa international students experience and navigate institutional, financial, and immigration systems in U.S. higher education. Using a transformative paradigm and Critical Policy Analysis, the research focuses on graduates from a private performing arts college. Data sources include semi-structured interviews with international graduates. Findings highlight ongoing financial struggles, restrictive immigration laws, and inconsistent institutional support, alongside strong peer networks and resilience. Participants described balancing the benefits of U.S. education with the emotional and financial costs of maintaining legal status and education. The study expands existing research by focusing on students’ stories as a form of policy insight and demonstrating how students interpret and respond to institutional policy. Implications emphasize the need for institutions to reinvest international revenue into direct support services, align advising and financial structures, and advocate for more fair immigration and funding policies that support international students’ persistence, well-being, and sense of belonging.