The research project upon which this article is based aimed to give a voice to the experiences of unaccompanied Chinese mainland students undertaking the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) in an Australian high school. Eleven students aged 18-20 participated. All students completed a written questionnaire (in either English or Mandarin), and six participated in individual interviews. All students described initial difficulty and dissonance in coming to terms with the demands and expectations of the IBDP. Successful students overcame these difficulties by developing new strategies to make sense of the new learning environment, adapting existing learning strategies and maintaining a positive attitude. (Contains 2 tables.)