Discrimination Under Cultural Differences: A Study of Implicit Bias

Faced by International Students

Jiaqi Hu

School of Law, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, Guangzhou, China

Keywords: Cultural Differences, Implicit Bias, International Students.

Abstract: In the context of high-quality international educational exchanges, more international students are choosing

to further study abroad in countries with multicultural policies. Nevertheless, they face issues of

discrimination, which have evolved from overt to covert forms instead. Implicit discrimination is mainly

manifested in the microaggression of international students in academic research, the exclusion of social

interaction, and the unfair treatment of employment development. These affect the mental health, academic

and career development of international students. Though legal policies exist, practical implementation is

challenging, leaving hidden biases unaddressed. This paper explores the forms, origins, and remedies of

hidden discrimination against international students through literature review and case analysis. It highlights

that cultural differences are the root cause and calls for a collaborative effort from students, universities and

governments to break down barriers and create an inclusive learning environment for sustainable international

education development.

1 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Under the wave of globalization, international

exchanges in the field of education are becoming

more and more frequent. More and more international

students are choosing to choose countries with

multicultural policies for further study. In recent

years, the number of international students has been

growing. In addition to the traditional popular study -

abroad destinations of the UK, the US, and France,

the proportion of students choosing to study in

countries such as China, Australia, and Germany has

also significantly increased. However, in the

seemingly inclusive social and cultural context, the

international student community faces the real

problem of prejudice and discrimination. Especially

in the context of today's international education, the

discrimination faced by international students is

quietly changing from explicit to implicit. This

prejudice is mainly rooted in the historical, cultural

and social cognitive differences of different countries,

and exists in the academic, social and career

development of international students in ways that are

hard to detect (Chen, 2021).

Implicit discrimination, unlike explicit bias, is

more subtle, manifesting in subtle exclusion, unfair

academic treatment, and social marginalization.

These issues undermine international students' self-

esteem and sense of belonging, impacting their

academic progress and career development, and

hindering their integration into foreign cultures.

TCases such as the 2019 racist incident at Laurentian

University in Canada and the 2021 Yu Jun v. Idaho

State University case in the US underscore the

severity and urgency of addressing implicit bias and

discrimination. These incidents highlight the

widespread nature of discrimination and its

multifaceted impact on international students. Thus,

addressing implicit bias has become an urgent and

important task.

Despite efforts by various countries to address

implicit discrimination against international students

through policies and legal measures, implementation

challenges persist, resulting in insufficient attention

and ineffective resolution of bias issues. Universities,

though possessing anti-discrimination policies,

mostly focus on overt discrimination, with unclear

definitions and handling procedures for implicit bias.

For instance, the lack of clear standards for

addressing microaggressions in classrooms leaves

Hu, J.

Discrimination Under Cultural Differences: A Study of Implicit Bias Faced by International Students.

DOI: 10.5220/0014294100004859

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Politics, Law, and Social Science (ICPLSS 2025), pages 81-87

ISBN: 978-989-758-785-6

international students without effective support.

Additionally, students struggle to find proper

feedback channels for such biases. Though

multicultural acceptance has improved, stereotypes

about international students remain in social. Many

locals still view Asian international students as “not

being good at socializing,” leading to their exclusion

in social settings. Furthermore, the limited

intercultural activities at the societal level restrict

interactions between international students and local

residents, exacerbating the invisible discrimination

they encounter.

When examining the reasons behind the implicit

biases faced by international students, cultural

differences are one of the important factors. These

difference stems from the long-term accumulation of

variations in history, values, and behavior patterns

across different countries and regions, and has deep

social roots. Due to the complexity and diversity of

cultural differences, it is difficult to completely

eliminate them in a short period of time. International

students often need a considerable amount of time to

adapt to a new cultural environment.

This paper focuses on the problem of implicit bias

faced by international students during their study

abroad experiences. Utilizing methods such as

literature review and case analysis, it examines the

manifestations and regulatory status of implicit

discrimination in the current era. Through research,

this paper aims to uncover the underlying social and

cultural mechanisms behind the existence of

prejudice, focusing on the external role of invisible

bias on individuals and the internal construction of

cultural identity. Additionally, the study offers

multidimensional solutions and recommendations for

educational institutions, policymakers, and

international students.

This article proposes solutions to hidden

discrimination from multiple perspectives to alleviate

the cross-cultural conflict and adaptation problems

faced by the international student community, create

a more inclusive and supportive learning environment

for them, and enable the international student

community to achieve personal growth and academic

development in the context of multicultural countries.

At the same time, this study also hopes that

international educational exchanges can be promoted

to a deeper level and realize the sustainable

development of international education. Only by

working together to reduce the implicit bias faced by

the international student community can countries

make their study and life abroad smoother and make

greater contributions to the diversified development

of international education around the world.

2 MANIFESTATIONS AND

PRGULATORY STATUS OF

IMPLICIT STATUS OF

IMPLICIT DISCRIMINATION

AMONG INTERNATIONAL

STUDENTS

2.1 Manifestations of Implicit

Discrimination Faced by

International Students

2.1.1 Microaggressions in Academic

Research

One of the manifestations of implicit discrimination

faced by international students mainly exists in

academic research. Due to encountering unfair

discrimination and bias in their studies, international

students face obstacles on their academic journey.

Microaggressions, a common form of implicit

discrimination, involve verbal offenses and

behavioral rejections. International students may be

overlooked in class or given unimportant tasks in

group discussions. Professors may subconsciously

undervalue their contributions, perceiving them as

less insightful or creative compared to those of

domestic students. A notable example is the

December 2023 MIT incident, where Professor

Rosalind W. Picard publicly criticized a Chinese

student for academic misconduct at the NeurIPS

conference in Vancouver. She highlighted the

student's Chinese nationality and cited personalized

statements as evidence. This act of stereotyping an

entire group based on one instance is a clear affront

to Chinese students and typifies academic

microaggressions. It negatively affects the reputation

of Chinese students, leading to doubts about their

academic integrity and impacting their opportunities

and career development.

Moreover, microaggressions are also manifested

in international students who are wrongly accused of

academic misconduct due to cultural differences

between countries or unfamiliar with the professional

academic norms of the country where they are

studying. A typical case is the University of

ICPLSS 2025 - International Conference on Politics, Law, and Social Science

Minnesota doctoral student expulsion over AI use. In

January 2024, the University of Minnesota expelled a

Chinese doctoral student in his third year, Yang

Haishan, on suspicion of using AI to answer exam

questions. The university alleged that some of his

responses closely matched those of ChatGPT,

implying plagiarism. However, Mr. Yang insisted

that he only used ChatGPT to check grammar and did

not use AI to generate answers on the test. For

international students. This incident highlights the

misunderstandings and biases that international

students face in international education and academic

research, often rooted in differing cultural

backgrounds.

Through relevant research investigation and

background analysis, we found that the formation

factors of implicit discrimination faced by

international students in academic research may

greatly affect the mental health of international

students, produce anxiety and decreased self-worth. It

affects the academic development of international

students' research opportunities, mentorship and

career development.

2.1.2 Social Interaction Discrimination

International students also face implicit

discrimination in their social interactions, which not

only hampers their integration into the local culture

of the host country but also poses incalculable

obstacles to their psychological well-being and social

development during their study abroad period. These

forms of implicit bias at the social level manifests

itself in many ways, and is compounded by cultural

differences and historical contexts between countries.

In social interactions, international students are

often prejudiced and ridiculed by local students

because of their weaker second-language skills (Li &

Gong, 2025). For example, some Asian American

students are belittled by their classmates because they

do not speak fluently because of their English accent

or expression. These verbal attacks not only hurt their

self-esteem but can also lead them to become silent in

social situations and not take the initiative to express

their opinions in order to weaken the bias of local

students (Sembiante, Salinas, Ramírez, Vásquez-

Colina, & Silva, 2020). This phenomenon is

especially common on American campuses, where

some Chinese students are ignored by their

classmates and teachers in class due to accent

problems, which seriously affects their enthusiasm

for integrating into the local culture. In addition, there

is social exclusion, for example, international

students often find it difficult to integrate into the

local social circle, because local students may be

reluctant to accept international students. Some

international students are intentionally or

unintentionally overlooked at campus parties or

social events, with no one inviting them to participate,

making it challenging for them to build friendships

with local students.

Taking the UK as an example, Chinese students

report a higher proportion of discrimination in UK

higher education institutions. A 2024 survey showed

that 41% of Chinese students reported experiencing

discrimination due to a combination of race, ethnicity,

and nationality. This discrimination manifests itself

not only in verbal aggression and social exclusion, but

also in cultural misunderstandings and stereotypes.

For example, some Britons believe that Chinese

culture is "backward" compared to British culture, a

misconception that has led to prejudice and

discrimination against Chinese students (Wang,

2023).

After being discriminated against, many

international students often feel a great deal of

psychological pressure. They may experience

emotions such as anxiety, fear, impaired self-esteem,

and heightened loneliness. Prolonged exposure to a

discriminatory environment can not only affect

international students' academic performance and

quality of life but also cause lasting harm to their

mental health. Due to language barriers and cultural

differences, international students are more inclined

to socialize with their compatriots and meet other

people from the same country or region, thus forming

a closed circle and missing important opportunities to

expand their interpersonal networks (Yan, 2018).

2.1.3 Discrimination in Employment

Development

International students also face numerous implicit

biases in career development. Local employers

believe that it is difficult for international students to

adapt to the local corporate culture, and will consider

the cultural differences of multiple countries, which

will affect the work communication and task

arrangement of the enterprise. Employers might also

question the quality of overseas education, doubting

the professional capabilities of international students

despite their international education and high

professional skills. Some local companies also put

forward additional hidden requirements, such as

Discrimination Under Cultural Differences: A Study of Implicit Bias Faced by International Students

screening based on race or nationality, demanding the

purchase of "American identity insurance," or

requiring unconventional interview times. These

hidden conditions not only increase the cost and

psychological burden of international students, but

also show the invisible discrimination faced by

international students in employment development.

2.2 Current Status and Limitations of

Solutions

In recent years, according to relevant literature and

reports, it is not difficult to find that the problem of

implicit discrimination faced by international

students has gradually entered the public eye.

Governments, social organizations and universities

have taken multi-dimensional actions to solve it, but

the solution to this problem is still generally limited.

In March 2025, the chairman of the US House of

Representatives' "China Select Committee" requested

detailed information on Chinese students from six

universities. In response, China's Foreign Ministry

spokesperson Mao Ning urged the US to protect

Chinese students' legitimate rights and avoid

discriminatory measures. Socially, organizations like

the Asian American Coalition for Education have

protested and negotiated to stop discriminatory

practices in university applications. Legally, acts like

the US Civil Rights Act and Title IX have been

updated to protect international students' equal rights.

However, current regulations mainly focus on study-

abroad destination countries, neglecting protections

for students by their home countries. Despite existing

laws, international students often struggle to obtain

sufficient support in practice. One-sided media

reports and societal unawareness of implicit

discrimination further exacerbate the issue, making it

difficult to detect and correct such covert biases,

which may even reinforce negative stereotypes.

In addition, as a school with a high incidence of

invisible discrimination faced by international

students, many colleges and universities are also

actively carrying out anti-discrimination training,

improving the awareness of multicultural

understanding of teachers and students, cracking

down on harassment or bullying, and providing

psychological counseling and legal consulting

services for international students. However,

university anti-discrimination policies are often not

effectively implemented. In handling complaints

from international students, some universities are

unable to provide effective assistance due to a lack of

concrete evidence or policy support.

3 WAYS TO SOLVE THE HIDDEN

DISCRIMINATION OF

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

3.1 Cultural Differences: The Root

Cause of Implicit Discrimination

Among International Students

Based on the analysis of the multi-dimensional status

quo and current measures faced by international

students, we can see that the root causes of implicit

discrimination are complex. These causes are

primarily reflected in cultural differences, social

cognitive biases, language communication

difficulties, and the solidification of stereotypes.

Research on cross-cultural communication has found

that there are cultural differences between different

ethnic groups. For instance, there are distinct

differences in communication styles between Whites

and Blacks, European Americans and Latino

Americans. These differences extend to language use,

non-verbal behavior, and values among different

ethnic groups (Hu, 2005). These cultural differences

have led to group biases faced by international

students, and with the globalization of educational

exchanges, they have gradually changed from explicit

to implicit.

Therefore, among the many contributing factors,

cultural differences are the most fundamental reason

for the invisible bias faced by the international

student community. As Nesbitt argues in The Global

Paradox, as the world becomes more and more

homogeneous, people increasingly value and hold on

to their own uniqueness. Culture serves as an identity

identifier that distinguishes different groups from

each other, and people unconsciously maintain the

uniqueness of their own culture. Culture serves as an

identity identifier that distinguishes different groups

from each other, and people unconsciously maintain

the uniqueness of their own culture. Even though

Chinese culture has undergone a transformation and

gradually formed a relatively stable model, the

differences between it and other cultures are still

significant.

Cultural differences, as the core cause of implicit

discrimination among international students, are

ICPLSS 2025 - International Conference on Politics, Law, and Social Science

widely present in all dimensions of international

students' life in foreign countries. At the level of

language communication, due to the great differences

in language habits and expressions in different

countries, international students may encounter

misunderstandings in daily communication and suffer

unfair treatment. There are significant differences

between Chinese and American cultures in terms of

values, regional history, ethical concepts, and

behavior patterns. This cultural and psychological

difference has created different cultural models and

educational orientations in China and the United

States. For example, international students in Western

countries who attend Chinese gatherings find that

Chinese gatherings are usually mostly strangers,

which is different from the Western social culture

they are accustomed to. Not socializing because of

this cultural difference may be misconstrued as

"unsociable" or "unfriendly."

At the social level, international students may be

excluded from mainstream interactions due to

differences in cultural customs and etiquette norms.

In education, varying learning styles and thinking

patterns can lead to biases in academic evaluations,

impacting students' development (Qu & Cross, 2024).

For instance, Western individualism contrasts sharply

with Chinese collectivism, causing Chinese students

to be seen as "unactive" for not speaking up in class,

affecting their participation and leading to

misunderstandings (Jin, 2023). This was evident in

the 2013 case at Idaho State University, where a top-

performing Chinese doctoral student, Jun Yu, was

dismissed without warning for "unsatisfactory

progress." This incident highlights how cultural

differences can cause stereotypes and biases,

invisibly influencing evaluations. The university

failed to understand and respect cultural differences

in adaptation, using one-sided standards to measure

Yu's progress, resulting in an unfair decision.

Although the phenomenon of implicit prejudice

faced by these international students exists quietly in

a hidden form, it also has an immeasurable impact on

the psychological, academic, social and career

development of international students, which

urgently needs the attention and resolution of all

sectors of society.

3.2 Resolutions

According to some of the measures proposed at

present, it is still necessary to further start from

multiple perspectives to solve the dilemma of

invisible prejudice faced by international students,

and build a highly inclusive support system for

international students through comprehensive

policies in terms of cultural education, legal

protection, and social publicity.

3.2.1 International Student Group

In the early stage of studying abroad, international

students should have an in-depth understanding of the

cultural background, customs and social etiquette of

the target country by reading books, watching

documentaries, participating in online forums and

other ways. At the same time, with the help of

language learning tools, students can improve their

language proficiency and master local slang and non-

verbal communication skills, lay the foundation for

cross-cultural communication, and effectively

alleviate the problem of language communication

bias caused by cultural differences.

During the study abroad period, international

students should actively participate in club activities,

volunteer services and cultural exchange activities

organized by the exchange school and the

community, take the initiative to communicate with

local classmates and residents on a daily basis, and

integrate into the local life of the country through

daily contact, such as renting a house and shopping.

At the same time, international students should

respect each other's cultures, be open to new ideas,

introduce their own cultures, break stereotypes, and

enhance mutual understanding. The most important

thing is that the international student community

should correctly recognize that culture shock is a

normal phenomenon and experience of studying

abroad, and need to be patient and open-minded, try

to understand and accept different perspectives and

customs, and continue to learn and adapt to the new

environment.

3.2.2 Organizational Groups of Colleges

and Universities

Creating a collaborative support system among

universities, communities, and social organizations is

crucial to effectively alleviate hidden biases against

international students. This system can form a joint

force across three dimensions: cultural adaptation,

rights protection, and social cognition, to further

promote solution implementation. Universities

generally include anti-discrimination guidelines in

student handbooks, highlighting equal opportunities

for all students. They should also establish robust

Discrimination Under Cultural Differences: A Study of Implicit Bias Faced by International Students

cross-cultural education mechanisms, integrating

cultural customs and social etiquette into required

courses and using scenario simulation training to

enhance international students' ability to navigate

cultural conflicts. Furthermore, universities should

set up international service centers with multilingual

teams to provide academic and psychological

counseling, and implement mentorship programs to

foster interaction between local and international

students, reducing misunderstandings and prejudices.

Moreover, universities need to create feedback

channels, such as anonymous reporting mailboxes

and online platforms, to collect and promptly address

feedback. This ensures that international students

have avenues to protect their rights and reduces issues

arising from difficulties in providing evidence and

feedback.

Social organizations need to work together from

the three dimensions of culture, law, and publicity:

plan multicultural themed activities, build interactive

platforms, set up special legal service windows to

provide rights protection support, and cooperate with

the media to carry out systematic social mobilization.

The community can build a normalized cultural

exchange platform with colleges and universities,

break the one-way output model through cultural

display, art co-creation and other forms, promote the

establishment of deep connections between

international students and local residents, gradually

eliminate the soil of prejudice, and finally form a

social consensus that respects multiculturalism

(Cipolletta, Tedoldi, & Tomaino, 2024).

3.2.3 At the Level of National

Governments

The government should strive to improve anti-

discrimination laws and regulations, clearly define

implicit discrimination, clarify its manifestations and

judgment criteria, and formulate specific punishment

measures, such as fines and administrative sanctions,

so as to enhance the operability and deterrence of the

law, and provide a solid legal backing for

international students, so that they can defend their

rights in accordance with the law when they

encounter implicit discrimination. According to the

current legal provisions, it is not difficult to find that

the relevant regulations still lack the protection of the

discrimination faced by the host country of the

international student group, which can be added in

detail in the relevant regulations in the future to

provide a variety of ways to protect the legitimate

rights and interests of international students.

The government needs to strengthen regulations in

key areas such as schools, businesses and the media.

Government departments shall urge schools to

establish a fair and just educational environment to

ensure the study and life of international students;

Supervise enterprises to strictly comply with anti-

discrimination laws and regulations, and avoid unfair

treatment of international students in recruitment,

promotion, etc.; The media is required to report on

international students-related incidents objectively

and fairly, avoid spreading stereotypes and

prejudices, and reduce the occurrence of hidden

discrimination through all-round supervision.

Implicit discrimination is a global problem, and

governments should actively strengthen cooperation

with other countries. By sharing their experiences and

practices in dealing with implicit discrimination

against international students, countries should

jointly explore more effective governance strategies

to promote the establishment of international cultural

exchange and understanding mechanisms, promote

mutual understanding and respect among students

from different countries, and reduce implicit

discrimination caused by cultural differences at the

root. Through international cooperation, we will form

a synergy of global governance and create a more

equitable and inclusive international environment for

international students.

4 CONCLUSION

In the context of globalization, international

educational exchanges have shown a vigorous

development trend, and the number of international

students in universities from various countries has

continued to grow. Although many study abroad

countries actively advocate multicultural policies,

prejudice and discrimination are still prevalent in

many areas of life, such as academic, social, and

career development, and cause problems for

international students. Today, this shift from explicit

to implicit discrimination reveals the complexity and

urgency of the problem, and it is urgent to build a

comprehensive support system to deal with it.

With the increasing frequency of international

exchanges, international students face many implicit

biases, which exist in the microaggressions in the

field of academic research, social interaction, and

employment development. The root causes of implicit

ICPLSS 2025 - International Conference on Politics, Law, and Social Science

discrimination are complex, and cultural differences

are the most fundamental causes. The communication

styles and behavioral norms in different cultural

backgrounds are very different, which can easily lead

to communication misunderstandings and behavioral

conflicts, and then form the problem of hidden biases

encountered by international students in

communication.

To address the issue of implicit discrimination

against international students, a multi-level support

system involving international students, universities,

social organizations, and governments is essential.

International students should proactively familiarize

themselves with the cultural customs and social

norms of the host country before departure. During

the study abroad period, you will take the initiative to

interact with local students to improve your language

level and cultural adaptability. Colleges and

universities should improve the cross-cultural

education mechanism and establish a feedback

mechanism to seriously deal with discrimination, so

that the problem of implicit bias among international

students can be solved. Social organizations should

play the role of a bridge, plan multicultural activities

and carry out anti-discrimination publicity, promote

the exchange and integration of students from

different cultural backgrounds, and raise the public's

awareness of implicit discrimination. The

government needs to improve laws and regulations to

strengthen the supervision and punishment of

discriminatory behavior. They should also promote

international cooperation, sign educational

cooperation agreements, and enhance academic

exchanges and talent mobility between countries to

improve the international recognition of international

students.

Only through the concerted efforts of all countries

can we hope to break down the barriers of prejudice

from explicit to implicit, create a more equitable and

inclusive learning and development space for

international students, and make international

educational exchanges truly an important force in

promoting cultural exchanges and promoting human

progress.

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Discrimination Under Cultural Differences: A Study of Implicit Bias Faced by International Students