Newcomer Women: Emerging Adults’ Experiences of Postsecondary Education in Canada

Abstract

The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight into the experiences of newcomer women as they navigate emerging adulthood, migration, and the transition into undergraduate degree programs at Canadian universities by addressing the research question: What are the lived experiences of emerging adult newcomer women pursuing an undergraduate university degree in Canada? Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six emerging adult newcomer women, aged 18-21, who were recruited from five postsecondary institutions across Canada. The four overarching themes that were constructed from the data were: (a) sense of belonging; (b) sources of support; (c) transition to adulthood; and (d) impacts of COVID-19. The themes and subthemes within these four overarching themes provided in-depth understanding of newcomer women's experiences with university in Canada and suggested several directions for future research. Keywords: newcomer, refugee, immigrant, postsecondary, career development, qualitative research, emerging adulthood, IPA