How to advise cross-cultural students

For many students, career decision-making is a complex process, shaped by personal interests, academic strengths and aspirations. But for cross-cultural kids (CCKs), who often move between multiple education systems and cultural expectations, the process has extra challenges. 

These students often lack a clear sense of belonging to a single educational or career system, complicating their ability to make university and career choices.

As a careers counsellor working in an international school, I have seen first-hand how mobility, cultural expectations and parental influence create unique challenges for CCKs. Many struggle with the question: where do I belong, and where should I build my future?

Why career decisions are harder for CCKs

Frequent relocations and exposure to multiple education systems can mean that CCKs often have multilayered identities. University and career decisions therefore become a negotiation between the various facets of this identity.

• A student with a French passport, born in Brazil, raised in South Korea and China, studying an IB curriculum, considering university in Canada – where do they feel at home?  
• A student whose parents expect them to return home for university, despite spending their formative years elsewhere – how do they reconcile family expectations with their own aspirations? 
• A student who assumed they could return home but now faces tuition barriers or language difficulties – how do they navigate these unexpected restrictions?

CCKs are used to mobility so facing rigid obstacles, such as visa rules, tuition fees or closed career pathways, can be jarring. Many have never encountered such barriers before. 

Additionally, after years of following a path set by their parents, they are suddenly expected to take control of their future. This shift often reveals invisible constraints they hadn’t anticipated. For example:

• A student may struggle with native language requirements in their passport country.
• A national of Japan may find they cannot apply for international programmes meant for foreign students.

The role of the counsellor

Career counsellors play a crucial role in helping CCKs define their career identity. This requires moving beyond traditional assessments and university shortlisting. Instead, we must:

Encourage self-reflection: help students articulate how their education and cultural background shape their career decisions. 

Recognise parental influence: career choices are often a family decision, not an individual one.

Adapt career frameworks: many career theories were designed for monocultural students and must be adjusted to reflect mobility and identity shifts.

Counselling in this context is about supporting the student and their family. Career decisions are often influenced by collective aspirations, not just personal ambition. Additionally, guiding students to plan careers in their host country may not always align with reality. For example:

• A student in Thailand who wants to become a midwife may find the profession doesn’t exist there in the same form. 
• An electrician’s earning potential in the UK or Australia is considerable, but this may not be as true in the student’s host country.

These realities can be frustrating, requiring careful conversations about flexibility and long-term career mobility.

Practical strategies for counsellors

How can career practitioners support CCKs in making career decisions? Here are three strategies:

1. Integrate narrative-based counselling

Ask students to map their personal and educational journey – which locations and experiences have shaped their interests? Use journalling, mind-mapping or storytelling to help students connect their mobility with their aspirations.

2. Navigate parental expectations

In many families, parents’ views on best-fit universities and careers may not align with the student’s goals. Encourage open discussions where students can balance family influence with their own ambitions. Recognise that career-planning is often a family process, not just an individual one.

3. Expand the definition of ‘best-fit career’

Many CCKs lack a fixed “home” country, making national university options more complex. Help students research visa policies, post-graduation work opportunities and where they feel a sense of belonging.

Support students in identifying realistic career prospects, considering salary differences and job availability across countries.

By broadening how we frame career-planning, we can help CCKs make informed decisions that align with their values, aspirations, and global experiences.

The future of cross-cultural career counselling

As student mobility increases and higher education becomes more globally interconnected, career counselling must evolve to better support CCKs. This means:

• Moving beyond standard career assessments to include identity-exploration techniques. 
• Training career professionals to navigate cultural expectations in career decision-making. 
• Encouraging universities to recognise the unique contributions of CCKs.

For career counsellors in international schools, universities or multicultural settings, understanding the complexities of cultural identity is no longer optional – it’s essential. If we want to guide students toward fulfilling careers, we must start by helping them navigate the question: “Where do I belong?”