Turkish Students’ Academic Adjustment in Russian-Medium Higher Education: Academic Russian, Social Support, and Institutional Contexts

Journal of International Students. 2026. Vol. 16. No. 8. P. 195–220.

Ulgen H.

This qualitative study examines how academic Russian, institutional conditions, and social support shape the academic adjustment of Turkish undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Russian-medium degree programs in Moscow. Drawing on phenomenologically informed semi-structured interviews with 15 students at three universities, the study employs reflexive thematic analysis and develops a study-specific 4A framework (Access, Amplification, Authentication, Awareness). The findings show that dense academic Russian, bureaucratic procedures, and instructor-centered classroom norms constrain participation, while peer networks and social support infrastructures help students navigate institutional expectations and sustain academic engagement. The study contributes to international student research by highlighting how linguistic regimes, institutional structures, and social support interact in non-Anglophone higher education contexts.

Keywords: иностранные студенты, social support, социальная поддержка, russian higher education, российское высшее образование, академическая адаптация, academic Russian, адаптация к образовательной среде, иностранные студенты, копинг-стратегии, стратегии совладания со стрессом, International Students, Turkish students, academic adjustment, академический русский язык, турецкие студенты