Interrupted lives and suspended futures: experiences of Brazilian students in Portugal during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This article presents an investigation into the challenges faced by Brazilian students in Portugal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using online survey data and interviews, the study highlights the significant impact of the pandemic on these students' mobility, financial stability, and mental health. Despite the challenges they faced and the uncertainties about their career prospects, Brazilian students demonstrated resilience and adaptability. The support they had from their contact networks and their temporal expectations played a relevant role in their agency. The study underlines the importance of a transnational perspective in understanding the social, economic, and emotional factors that shape international students' experiences. The paper offers valuable insights into addressing human mobility challenges in a complex global context and the results can be used to inform the development of policies and programs that meet the needs of international students in times of crisis.

Keywords: international students; Portugal; Brazilians; transnationalism; mobility