Cultural familiarity, ethnic discrimination, and adjustment of South Asian students in South Korea

This study explores the adjustment of South Asian international students in South Korea using social identity and self-determination theories. Survey data from 267 students (2024–2025) were analyzed with STATA 19.5 to examine how pre-arrival cultural familiarity, perceived ethnic discrimination, and post-arrival cultural experiences affect daily life and academic adjustment. The findings indicate that cultural familiarity positively predicts daily life and, to a lesser extent, academic adjustmen