International students not seeking help, coroner finds after suicide cluster

Financial, cultural and linguistic barriers are linked to multiple international students taking their own lives, a coroner investigating student suicides has found.

The latest findings come after a 2021 coroner’s report found 47 international students had taken their own lives in Victoria between 2009 and 2019.

International students struggling with mental health issues are not accessing health services, a coronial investigation into a cluster of student suicides has found.

Coroner Simon McGregor investigated the suicide deaths of five international students from different countries at four Victorian universities in 2020.

In his findings handed down in the Coroner’s Court on Monday, Mr McGregor said the students had little to no engagement with student and external health services before they took their own lives.

He said he had “no concern” about the design or delivery of mental health services offered by the universities, noting the challenge was encouraging international students to seek help.

Mr McGregor said financial, cultural and linguistic barriers contributed to a lack of engagement but there was still no “clear insights” on how it could be improved.

The findings come after a 2021 coroner’s report found 47 international students had taken their own lives in Victoria between 2009 and 2019.

Most were under the age of 24 and 70 per cent were men.

Mr McGregor recommended the Victorian Health Department develop resources specifically for international students’ wellbeing and the Suicide Prevention and Response Office review its practices to assist universities in delivering mental health services.