International students and social work education: a scoping review

With increasing numbers of international students across the globe, it is essential that social work education continually adapts and innovates in ways that are inclusive of and responsive to this diverse group of students. Innovations in social work education with international students requires an understanding of the existing perspectives and knowledge base. This scoping review investigates published peer-reviewed articles written in English from January 2003-March 2023 on international students' experiences of entry-to-practice social work courses. Twenty-four relevant articles are reviewed, with the majority examining experiences of students located in Australia. Prominent in the reviewed articles are discussions about the impacts of cultural and language differences, as well as the impacts of international students' knowledge of local systems on their educational and everyday experiences. Findings highlight the need for the social work curriculum to promote diverse perspectives and ways of learning, and to effectively leverage students' and educators' knowledge of international systems. Evident is also the need for more strengths-based practice and research, for better understand and promote the diverse strengths and contributions that international students bring to their social work communities.