Abstract

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          This study explores how college-aged third culture kids (TCKs) understand identity, belonging, and social life in university settings. Drawing on qualitative interviews with four students who grew up across cultures, the study finds that TCK identity is fluid, situational, and often managed through strategies such as selective self-disclosure and code-switching.Participants described both strengths, including intercultural competence and adaptability, and challenges, including misunderstandings, privilege-related social tensions, and uncertainty about home. Although based on a small, non-generalizable sample, the study highlights the complexity of cross-cultural upbringing and suggests the need for greater institutional recognition of globally raised students.