The Emotional Impact of Studying in a Second Language: A Guide for International Students

You passed IELTS. You got in. You probably thought, "okay, the hard part is done." Then you sat in your first seminar and said absolutely nothing for 90 minutes. That is not a you problem. That is what studying in a second language actually feels like.

Your brain is doing extra work, constantly

When native speakers write an email, they just... write it. For you, every sentence involves a checklist your brain runs in the background: right word? Right tone? Right preposition? Is this too formal? Too casual?

Researchers call this cognitive load. Your working memory is tied up managing language mechanics, which leaves less room for the actual thinking, the analysis, the argument you were supposed to write.

By 9pm, you are exhausted in a way your flatmates cannot explain. That is language fatigue. Your brain has been running a background translation program since breakfast.

Writing papers in English

ESL writing challenges go beyond vocabulary. You are also dealing with:

• Different expectations for argument structure

• Citation styles you have never used

• Academic conventions that vary by discipline

• The sheer speed gap: a paper your classmates draft in a weekend can take you a full week

Research led by Danijela Trenkic at the University of York found that international students with strong English test scores still read at half the speed of native speakers, understood significantly less of what they read, and summarized it less effectively in writing. The researchers noted that these difficulties exceeded those reported on the same tests for home students with dyslexia.

One thing that actually helps

Write your drafts in English from the start, even if it feels harder. Drafting in your first language and then translating creates more cognitive work, not less, and the final writing quality tends to be lower.

Also: go to your campus writing center early. Not when you are already behind. Early. Book recurring appointments if you can.

Why you stay quiet in class

You know the answer. You start forming it. By the time you have translated it, checked it, and prepared to say it out loud, the conversation has moved on. Your silence gets read as disengagement. It is not.

Group work is its own problem. Native speakers talk fast, interrupt, and think out loud. If you need a moment to gather your thoughts, you often just get talked over.

Scripts that buy you time

These are not tricks. They are normal, professional phrases. Use them.

Before seminars, record yourself answering likely discussion questions. The goal is to shrink the gap between thinking and speaking.

Accent bias is real and documented

A 2024 study in Frontiers in Psychology found that students who perceive accent stigma experience discrimination, lower self-confidence, and weaker integration. Researchers documented four behavioral markers: verbal and nonverbal disapproval, and verbal and nonverbal avoidance.

Research from the University of Leeds confirmed that accent discrimination is widespread at UK universities. Students reported having their accents mimicked, being pressured to speak differently, and pulling back from class participation as a result.

Your accent is not a flaw. It is proof you operate in more than one language.

What you can actually do

• Focus on clarity, not sounding like a native speaker. Slow down slightly, emphasize key words, pause between ideas.

• If you get interrupted consistently: "I would appreciate the chance to finish my thought."

• Find allies in group settings who will bring your contributions back into the conversation.

• Put your energy into written work when speaking feels like too much of an uphill battle.

Emailing professors

Email etiquette varies by culture and nobody teaches you the rules. Most of the anxiety is about getting the tone right. Here is a structure that works every time:

1. Subject line: include the course name and what you need

2. Opening: "Dear Professor [Last Name],"

3. Two sentences: who you are and which class you are in

4. One clear ask: keep it specific

5. Close: brief thank you and your name

Do not agonize over a minor grammar slip. Professors receive dozens of emails a day. Clarity and politeness matter far more than perfection.

Support that exists on campus

Most of it you have to find yourself. Waiting for it to come to you is a bad strategy.

What actually helps long-term

• Track progress over months, not days

• Read widely in your subject area; vocabulary builds automatically

• Celebrate small wins: a good seminar comment, a paper that needed fewer edits

• Connect with other multilingual students; hearing the same frustrations normalizes them