Muslim International Students in the United States: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Experience of Identities

This study explored how Muslim international students experience their religious, ethnic/racial, and gender identities prior to coining to the United States and as students in the midwestern United States using E. Kim's (2012) International Student Identity model as a guiding framework. Three significant findings emerged from semi-structured interviews with 10 students who attended 4-year institutions in the midwestern United States: (a) religious difficulties of being Muslim and Islam as a flexible religion, (b) difficulties with racial constructs and ethnic stereotypes, and (c) gender difficulties of male/female interactions and perceptions of veiling. Based upon these findings, recommendations for higher education professionals, administrators, and policymakers are provided.