Studying abroad is one of the most transformative experiences you’ll ever have. But it’s rarely just exciting. It’s also disorienting, lonely, exhilarating, and occasionally terrifying. You’re navigating new cultures, forging communities from scratch, and constantly asking yourself: Who am I here? Who am I becoming?
Not only do stories entertain us through these moments, they help us make sense of them. They show us we’re not alone in feeling caught between worlds, in missing home while simultaneously being transformed by distance from it.
Whether you’re preparing for your journey, in the thick of culture shock, or reflecting on what your time abroad has meant, these books, films, and series offer companionship, insight, and maybe even some answers. They are curated and brought to you by the team at Study International.
So grab your library card or queue up your streaming service. Here are the stories that understand what you’re going through.
Four books international students should read
1. ‘Small Worlds’ by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Recommended by Study International writer Sarah Jamil, his lyrical novel traces the lives of Black British characters navigating love, art, and community across London. Nelson’s poetic writing style captures the intimate moments that define us — the small worlds we create and inhabit — making it especially meaningful for students who are building new communities far from home.
“I gaze at my parents, and see that a world can be two people, occupying a space where they don’t have to explain.” — Caleb Azumah Nelson
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2. ‘Buttermilk Graffiti’ by Edward Lee
If you feel like the world is more divisive than ever and fear discrimination when studying abroad, you are not alone. In these increasingly polarised times, this book by Chef Edward Lee can quell some of your worries. And if you’re wondering why that name sounds so familiar, you might recognise it as the runner-up on the hit reality show ‘Culinary Class Wars’ Season 1.
“Interestingly, Lee is as gifted a scribe as he is a cook. Life is unfair that way,” says Lee Lian Kong, our senior education editor who recommended the book.
but he helps you see beyond the cold first impressions of locals toward outsiders in several American cities.
In many cases, food turned those icy stares into warmer, even life-changing conversations, the kind you can only get by venturing far from home and approaching people who look and behave nothing like you.
3. ‘Exit West’ by Mohsin Hamid
This subtle, speculative novel explores migration through magical realism, following a young couple fleeing their war-torn country through mysterious doors that transport them across the globe.Through this unique concept, the story explores migration, love, displacement, and identity.
Study International writer Sivanesan Krish says, “It sort of captures themes of impermanence, loss, and reinvention without turning refugees into statistics.
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4. Human Acts by Han Kang
A haunting exploration of trauma, resilience, and humanity in the face of political violence. Nobel Prize winner Han Kang’s masterful prose examines how individuals navigate unimaginable circumstances, making it particularly resonant for students grappling with questions of identity, belonging, and the weight of history in new environments.
“It quite literally captures human acts in all of their goriness, and kindness, and the grey areas in between,” says Claudia Khaw, the Study International writer who recommends the book. “It makes you wonder – what makes us human?”
Movies and shows for international students to watch
1. ‘The Namesake’ (2006)
This touching film depicts the immigrant experience through the lens of an Indian-American family navigating identity across generations. It beautifully captures the complexity of finding community, being part of a diaspora, and balancing the pull of two cultures. It’s essential viewing for anyone straddling multiple worlds.
“For your own sake, watch ‘The Namesake,’” Khaw says about the movie.
2. ‘Brooklyn’ (2015)
Set in the 1950s, this historical romance follows Eilis, a young Irish woman who migrates to New York in search of opportunity. The film’s second half powerfully depicts her struggle when she returns to Ireland and must choose between the comfort of home and the promise of her new American life — a dilemma many international students will recognise.
Recommending this film is writer Sarah Jamil, who says: “When I think of homesickness in a film, Brooklyn is the first that pops up into my mind. Especially when, in the second half, Eilis is heavily torn between staying in Ireland and going back to America — I think many international students can relate to that contemplation, and the struggle with things like identity, love, worrying about the future. It’s probably one of my favourite romance films!”
3. ‘Mo’ (2022–2023)
This Netflix series follows Mo Najjar, a Palestinian refugee seeking asylum in Houston, Texas, as he navigates life caught between cultures. With humour and heart, it explores the precariousness of living undocumented while straddling Palestinian, Mexican, and Texan identities.
4. ‘Normal People’ (2020)
While not about international students, this series masterfully captures the trials and tribulations of young adulthood from high school through university. It powerfully navigates the uncertainty, the intensity, the quiet heartbreaks, and the person you become along the way.
“University relationships can be messy, toxic, unstable, and yet it fills you up in a way that you’ll probably never experience again — which, by the time you’re 25 and above, it’s probably for the best,” shares Jamil, who also recommends this film. “It’s a very raw story about, yes, normal people and often normal feelings.”
5. ‘Never Have I Ever’ (2020–2023)
This coming-of-age comedy-drama centers on Devi, an Indian-American high schooler navigating grief, identity, and belonging. Though set in high school, it resonates with anyone who’s felt caught between cultures or has struggled to honour both parts of their hyphenated identity.
6. ‘What Comes After Love’ (2024)
This romantic drama follows a Korean woman who moves to Japan to study and work, where she falls in love with a Japanese man — only for the relationship to end, sending her back home. It’s a bittersweet exploration of how international experiences shape us, even when they don’t turn out as planned.
7. ‘The Thinking Game’ (2024)
There’s a lot of talk now about the value of a UK degree. In fact, the value of a university degree itself is probably at an all-time low. To the skeptics, we urge you to watch this documentary about Google DeepMind’s quest to build an artificial general intelligence that could beat humans at Go (and possibly everything else in the future). The goal isn’t to watch and feel justified in using AI for your essays even more, but to see how this world-changing pursuit was born out of University College London — and that it could only be born out of a top university.
8. ‘Lost in Translation’ (2003)
While not directly about immigration, Sofia Coppola’s film perfectly captures cultural distance, loneliness, and miscommunication in a foreign country. Two Americans adrift in Tokyo form an unexpected connection. It’s a reminder that feeling lost is often the first step to finding yourself.
“Lost in Translation is a great film for students — it’s all about noticing life, connecting with others, and finding yourself,” Krish, who recommends this movie, says.
9. ‘Fresh Off the Boat’ (2015–2020)
For more lighthearted fare that touches on the immigrant experience, Fresh Off the Boat explores clashes between first-gen parents and second-gen children with humor and heart. One of the main characters, Jessica Huang, is also an international student, providing a sense of relatability.
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10. ‘Kim’s Convenience’ (2016–2021)
Similar to Fresh Off the Boat, Kim’s Convenience follows immigrant parents (this time from South Korea) and their second-generation children. Set in Canada, it tells hopeful stories about finding community while embracing your family and identity in a country that doesn’t always understand you.
11. ‘Eye Love You’ (2024)
This Japanese romance drama features a unique premise: a telepathic woman who’s always heard others’ thoughts in Japanese meets an international students. For the first time, she hears someone’s thoughts in Korean, a language she doesn’t understand. It’s a fresh take on the language barriers and cultural bridges that define international relationships.
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