International students are increasingly present in higher education institutions in Malaysia. According to Muhammad, Sabbar, Shahid, and Rai Imtiaz (2013), “international students or foreign students are those who travel to a country other than their own for the purpose of study” (p.834). Since international students are those who travel to a country from their homeland, it is refreshing that they encounter more challenges and difficulties. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Based on recent statistics from the Division of Planning, Research and Policy Coordination, Ministry of Higher Education, the percentage of international students enrolled in public higher education institutions in Malaysia is 4.85%. These students come from different parts of the world such as Maldives, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Maldives, Nigeria, Sudan, Yemen, Iran, Brunei, Saudi Arabia and others. This statistic shows that Malaysia is considered one of the favorite destinations for international students to pursue higher education studies. However, despite the preference, international students pursuing higher studies in Malaysia still cannot avoid challenges and problems during their study life in Malaysia. Many people argue that students in higher education institutions face many problems during their study life and that there are few major problems that almost all college students face at least once during their years in Malaysia. However, in terms of challenges and difficulties, international students or foreign students face greater and different adaptation challenges than local students. International students are as important as local or national students in higher education institutions in Malaysia. Without their massive presence, Malaysia will lose the chance to develop as the institution of higher education is one of the key factors in the development of the nation. Therefore, it is important to find out the main challenges and problems faced by international students in Malaysia so that better solutions or incentives can be considered to help them. Basically, it is believed that the main problems faced by international students in Malaysia are classified based on social and cultural difference, financial difficulties and inadequacy of facilities provided by the university. Social and Cultural Differences International students or foreign students have faced more challenges during their studies in Malaysia due to social and cultural difference. There are differences in terms of ethnic groups, races, customs, culture and traditions. When international students come to Malaysia, they are expected to be able to adapt to Malaysian culture as this country is one of the most multicultural countries in Southeast Asia. To gain knowledge, these students will have to make some necessary adjustments or socio-cultural adaptations to adapt to the unfamiliar place and environment reaching out to domestic people. For this reason, it may be difficult to do so if there is no interaction between foreign students and locals. It is quite well known that Malaysians are shy when it comes to foreigners or foreign people coming to the country. For example, a study by Abdullahi, Noor, and Musa (2014) found that “On socio-cultural aspects, they express difficulty in understanding the nature of the Malay people and culture. The Malay people on average were known as peaceful, calm, quiet and very reserved; they maintained alow level of interaction with their (foreign) hosts” (p.164). From the study we can clearly see that international students in Malaysia have difficulty adapting Malaysian culture. Although Malaysians on average were known as peaceful, calm, quiet and very reserved, it is not considered a bad or unhealthy sign. However, for people who did not grow up in the environment of Malay culture, this may be seen as a negative or unhealthy signal or simply perceived as a sign of hatred. Additionally, international students may experience a more painful adjustment to their life abroad. compared to one's own nation. Adapting to a new culture can be a challenging and stressful experience. Yusliza and Chelliah (2010) stated that “international students differ greatly in adapting to new circumstances and studies. Some adapt easily while others find it very difficult” (p.275). For international students, coming to Malaysia literally means entering a new social and educational environment in which they face a difficult condition. This may result in a painful adjustment to their lives as they will have to deal with differences between their nation's personal cultural values, rules and customs (GulRaihan and Sandaran, 2017). Being opposite in cultural values ​​can have a negative impact on their mental health leading to helplessness and loneliness. A study by GulRaihan and Sandaran (2017) found several factors influencing international students' sociocultural adaptation challenges, namely language proficiency, academic adaptation, environmental adaptation, and interpersonal adaptation. According to the study, international students face difficulties in understanding the English accent of Malaysians and vice versa. Sometimes they even find it difficult to speak English instead of their own language. It has been argued that English proficiency and adjustment appear to be positively related and will influence their adjustments (Yusliza & Chelliah, 2010; Sawir, Marginson, Mewett, Nylan, & Ramia, 2012). It is important for international students to overcome language difficulties first, otherwise other problems will arise such as difficulty dealing with academic work, uncertainty in expressing ideas in class or difficulty understanding what is required of them at university. language proficiency and environmental adaptation also influence international students to adapt their life in Malaysia because they have to live independently from their parents and family. They will have to get used to the pace of life in Malaysia. Thus, it is proven that these factors will influence the sociocultural adjustment of international students. Therefore, social and cultural differences can be one of the challenges faced by international students during their study life in Malaysia. Financial pressure is another major issue or one of the major constraints affecting the study of international students in Malaysia, especially those who do not get funding. subsidies and have to pay their own university fees and living expenses. According to Baharak and Ramli (2015), research has shown that international students who have received graduate assistantships do not experience financial hardship compared to international students who do not receive financial aid or self-pay students. The reason for this financial difficulty faced by self-paying international students is due to the stress of not having enough money to pay for tuition fees and accommodation expenses. It is generally known that the tuition and accommodation fees that international students have to pay to the university are higher than those oflocal students. On the other hand, international students also have fewer opportunities to earn extra income that will further improve their financial capacity. For example, international students can earn extra income while studying in Malaysia by doing a part-time job. However, although international students are allowed to work part-time in Malaysia, part-time job opportunities for them are limited and the competition is also fierce. Nowadays, almost two-thirds of local students work part-time to help finance their studies. The increase in the number of students working part-time is due to the high cost of living in Malaysia which not only affects international students but also local students. Furthermore, there are also several restrictions or guidelines that govern international students who wish to work part-time. work during their studies in Malaysia. The Immigration Department of Malaysia has specific guidelines for international students studying in Malaysia and seeking part-time employment opportunities. This guideline more or less reduces the opportunities of international students to earn extra income as they are bound by some restrictions. According to Alghamdi and Otte (2016), financial difficulties are also considered one of the challenges faced by international students. This article argues that the financial difficulties faced by international students are due to fewer opportunities to work part-time as they hold a student visa and are therefore restricted by law. They also have limited employment rights and limited knowledge of their rights in the workplace. To summarize, because international students are restricted by law and have to spend more money on tuition fees, accommodation and transportation costs, international students are believed to face greater financial expenses. difficulties compared to local students in Malaysia. The issue of inconvenient facilities in Malaysia is equally important in determining why international students face more challenges during their study in Malaysia. Facilities are seen as an obstacle if they are poor, inconvenient and inaccessible. Baharak and Ramli (2015) explain that facilities are divided into three main groups: places of stay, transportation facilities and dining places. Some international students may have difficulty finding good accommodation, however there are lucky students whose universities provide accommodation. If students cannot access university-provided accommodation, private renting is the next option. Private rent would not be expensive as they are located close to the university. However, if it is too far from the university, international students may feel quite reluctant to stay there as this will lead to higher costs as transportation may be added to the cost of renting the house. In addition to having difficulty finding accommodation and transportation, some international students admit that the food isn't right for them. Malaysian cuisine is known to be generally spicy as it is heavily influenced by Thai, Chinese, Indonesian and Indian cuisine. A study by Baharak and Roselan (2013) shows that these international students reported that the food was not to their liking. These students claimed that the food was too spicy for them and on top of that, these foods were served in an unhygienic state. Additionally, they said there aren't enough restaurants around campus. So, there aren't many options to choose from. These problems accumulate when students are not allowed to cook their own food. Therefore, these rules and precautions do not help.”