Factors Affecting the Intercultural Adaptation Process: A Case Study of Vietnamese Postgraduate Students in Taiwan

The study was conducted to explore challenges occurring in the process of intercultural adaptation of Vietnamese students pursuing English-taught postgraduate degrees in Taiwan, a Chinese-speaking country. Twenty-eight participants completed a questionnaire enquiring about their academic, social and cultural life. Regarding academic affairs, the findings suggested that participants had to deal with two languages, i.e., English and Chinese, in their study process. While master’s program students were faced with examination stress, doctoral students attributed their distress to research and publication pressure. Other adjustment problems involved difficulties in daily communication, homesickness and few activities for international students. Given that little research has been done to examine the Vietnamese students’ intercultural adjustment in Taiwan, this study contributes to enriching the theoretical body and providing useful information for the relevant stakeholders, e.g., incoming Vietnamese students and policymakers.