The study explains discriminatory experiences of international students in one of
the campuses in South Korea through the lens of neo-racism. Neo-racism is a
theory of segregation that postulates discrimination is based on individual’s
national identity, culture, and country of origin. For deeper understanding
discriminatory perceptions of international students, the study applied a qualitative
study with semi-structured interviews with purposive sampling at one aggressively
internationalizing university. The study found implicit and explicit forms of
discriminatory experiences, discriminatory perceptions of exclusion, different
treatments based on nationality, lack of cultural knowledge, stereotype, and
English language ability. Drawing from the findings, the study concludes that
discriminatory experiences of international students are more status-based rather
than country of origin based in a context of South Korea. It suggests that
discrimination as segregation exists, and therefore, it is desirable to consider this
issue into relevant policies and practices.