The socio-economic and psychosocial impact of lockdown Measures of Covid-19 pandemic on International Students at St. Lawrence University- Kampala

Corona virus disease pandemic has had far reaching socioeconomic and health impacts worldwide. Its effects on the higher education sector has presented with different manifestation especially among international students studying in Uganda. At St Lawrence University, the lockdown imposed by government had dire consequences on international students. The study on the socioeconomic and psychosocial impact on students was premised on the need to explore the socioeconomic challenges faced by international students of St Lawrence University as a result of the various lock down measures of COVID-19; and to examine the psychosocial impact of lock down measures on international students of St. Lawrence University. A total of 85 international students were included in this qualitative cross sectional study. The findings indicated that anxiety was the main psychological effect. The main stressors were financial hardships, improbability about their future especially regarding their survival, the likely effects on their studies and career. It is recommended that the university management sets up a contingency plan that includes international students during the unforeseen circumstances and considers the provision of online counseling to both national and international students. The government contingency plan should always be inclusive of international students.