An approach to school experiences of returning migrant students at the undergraduate level

Abstract

This article presents the first results of a research being carried out on the experiences of returning migrant students at the Universidad Veracruzana (UV). The aim was to know the students’ own versions of the challenges they faced during their returns. The authors conducted interviews where the students recounted their integration into Mexican society and the educational system. For this exploratory and descriptive study, data were analyzed from a deductive perspective based on Vargas (2018), who proposed migrant students face three types of barriers when returning to the country: structural (economic and administrative), cultural, and social. Some characteristics of these barriers were reported by students during the interviews. We presented suggestions made by students for improved educational attention at the university. As a pioneering study conducted at the UV, it represents the first approach to this particular group of students. The study also spurred institutional actions at the UV aimed to raise awareness of and provide comprehensive care to these students.