Indian international students in Canada are increasingly becoming targets of online hate, facing xenophobia, racism, and stereotyping across digital platforms. This research investigates how these hostile narratives shape students’ self-perceptions, mental health, academic engagement, and social relationships. Using qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 10 Indian international students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, the study highlights how digital hostility fosters emotional distress, academic disengagement, and feelings of exclusion.
Although international students are often framed as economic assets within higher education, their social integration is compromised by rising geopolitical tensions and the algorithmic spread of hate. Grounded in Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, this research addresses a critical gap in the literature by focusing on the specific, lived impacts of online hate rather than treating international students as a homogenous group. Thematic analysis reveals four interconnected themes: the platforms and prevalence of online hate; its emotional and academic toll; experiences of cultural exclusion and stereotyping and calls for change.
By amplifying student voices and real experiences, this study contributes to broader discussions on racism, digital culture, and educational policy. It calls for urgent action in reshaping institutional responses, strengthening campus support systems, and challenging reductive narratives about international students within Canada’s multicultural framework.