Before arrival in the United States, many international students have a perception about the country. Many students choose to pursue post-secondary education because they perceive or it has been rumored that the United States will offer a higher standard of living, unlimited job opportunities along with educational, career, and personal advancement. However, upon arrival, these students face varying challenges. Previous researchers have identified some of those challenges and they include language barrier, English proficiency, culture shock, financial, and pedagogical difficulties. This qualitative study examined the insights of 20 Nigerian international students who are current students at HBCUs in the United States, specifically in Maryland and Washington, DC. Using social constructionist theory, the study found that the perception international students have about the United States before their arrival is against the reality they encountered.

The most identified challenge of international students studying at HBCUs is the issue of limited on-campus jobs and internship opportunities including limited employment opportunities after graduation. Housing and accommodation issues were also revealed as a significant challenge especially upon their arrival into the United States. The data was gathered using an online survey, which comprises of open-ended and Likert scale structured questions. The researcher incorporated the recounted experiences of participants to generate themes, which was then analyzed by comparing the findings to literature. The researcher contributed to the study from an emic perspective, as she is a Nigerian international student and part of the phenomena she is studying.