The Impact of Covid-19 on International Students in Brazil and Portugal

Abstract

Several studies have highlighted the importance of exploring the impact of the pandemic on the internationalisation of higher education. However, few have addressed the vulnerabilities and strategies of students involved in this type of mobility. This article examines the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on international students who have been in Brazil and Portugal, using a mixed methodology (questionnaires and interviews). The results show that the pandemic caused widespread stress and anxiety and generated additional precariousness for higher education students, especially those from the Global South. Based on the identification of these vulnerabilities and the responses of these students, we hope those higher education institutions, as well as the governments of the countries of origin and destination will also be able to find responses that contribute to a better equity between the different groups of international students, and between them and their national peers.