This study investigated international students’ adaptation experience in a higher education
institution. A sociological survey was conducted among one hundred and seventy Indian students in
their first and second year of medical studies at West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University,
Aktobe, the Republic of Kazakhstan. Against the background of many studies in this field, this topic
is contextualized within the higher medical education system in the western region of Kazakhstan.
The study helps to improve understanding of such phenomena as international students’ dimensions
of psychological, sociocultural, and academic adaptation. The differences in the various dimensions
of adaptation from the gender perspective and the year of study were investigated. The impact of the
adaptation level on the students’ study achievements was assessed.
The study results demonstrated challenges in psychological adaptation in the first-year international
students, which decreased over time. The differences in the psychological, sociocultural, and academic
adaptability between girls and boys were not statistically significant. Second-year international
students felt more emotionally comfortable and psychologically safe in the group, and this reflected
their high grades GPA. Based on the findings, the authors propose recommendations on how to
improve the international students’ comfortableness in the Kazakhstani university setting.