Understanding Loneliness Among International Students: A Network Perspective

Loneliness—defined as the gap between actual and desired social relationships—is a common yet underexplored experience among international students. In this study, we examine the social and relational dimensions of loneliness among Chinese international students in Germany, moving beyond individual-level explanations toward a sociological understanding grounded in personal networks.

Using a unique dataset, we find that international students report higher levels of loneliness than their local peers. Counterintuitively, those with more emotionally supportive ties can feel lonelier than those with fewer such ties, suggesting that the presence of support does not always align with expectations or needs. Romantic partnerships, especially when partners are co-resident in the host country, are linked to lower loneliness. Additionally, a lack of cross-national friendships emerges as a key predictor of higher loneliness.

These findings highlight the importance of understanding loneliness not simply as an individual emotion but as a socially situated experience shaped by network structures and cultural transitions. I argue for more longitudinal research to examine how loneliness develops and changes over time within the shifting contexts of migration, education, and integration.