Studies which examined the unique adaptation of Chinese students to the American educational system, culture, and lifestyle have received more attention in the past decade. This is directly related to the dramatic increase in Chinese students enrolling in American higher education. However, literature has usually explored the experiences of Chinese graduate students, as opposed to undergraduate students, since they have accounted for 70.8% of all Chinese overseas students in the U.S. (Institute of International Education, 2007). Chinese undergraduate students in the U.S. have not been the focus of study for educators and researchers of higher education, and women undergraduate students have been discussed even less. However, this unique group of students should not be ignored because they can provide valuable information to help educators in American higher education improve their service to international students, and to motivate their academic success.

This qualitative study employed a phenomenological interviewing research method to examine the experiences of six Chinese women undergraduate students who were studying at an American university. Convenience sampling and snowball sampling were used to identify participants, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data in the study. Data from interviews provided rich information, resulting in the following findings: (1) reasons why these Chinese women decided to come to the United States to seek their bachelor's degree; (2) disparity between Chinese and American higher educational systems; (3) challenges and stressors these Chinese women undergraduate students encountered during their educational sojourn; and (4) evaluation of their overseas education and experience.