Examining the cultural adaptation processes of foreign students in higher education in terms of various variables

Purpose: This study was carried out to examine the cultural adaptation processes of people living in Eskisehir at the international level, within the scope of various variables. The aim of the research is to determine how their perceptions of social self efficacy, gender, employment status, class levels, continents they come from and degree of cultural interest renew their cultural adaptation scores. Another aim of the research is to support good findings from a qualitative perspective by evaluating their experiences from the moment they arrived and their adaptation process to Turkiye in general. Method: This research examined the cultural adaptation processes of 478 foreign undergraduate students studying in different departments of a state university in Eskişehir with a quantitative research approach. In this respect, maximum diversity and convenient sampling methods were used in the study handled in the survey model. The Cultural Tendencies Survey developed within the scope of this thesis and the Cultural Adaptation Scale developed by Batır (2017), with a .88 Cronbach Alpha coefficient were used to obtain research data. Also an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted in order to provide a current structural validity understanding. EFA results show that a %62.12 variance score was reached and final version of the scale has a .97 Cronbach Alpha value, which is quite high for accepting for reliability. For data analysis, independent samples t test and ANOVA tests were used as the data met the parametric test conditions. Results: It was found that the scores of the sample group, whose cultural adaptation score average was at a medium level of 41.63, contained significant differences according to the variables of social competence, cultural interest, employment status, class level and continent of origin. On the other hand, it was revealed that cultural adaptation scores did not differ significantly according to gender. In addition to the findings in question, based on the answers given to the open-ended question in the cultural tendencies survey, it can be said that their impressions of cultural adaptation processes are generally reflected from a positive perspective. Conclusion and Suggestions: There were significant differences in the cultural adaptation of the research participants in terms of important variables other than gender. It is recommended to conduct similar research with more participants at both public and private universities in different geographical regions of Turkiye.