This study examines the learning experiences of government-sponsored second-year international accounting students at a host university in New Zealand. There is an expectation that being financially advantaged, government-sponsored students should navigate better in the new learning environment. Nonetheless, the results show that they experienced the typical situational challenges faced by other international students in foreign universities. These challenges were so significant that were not even mitigated by having scholarships or previous excellent academic records. The implicit expectation is for the home institution and government sponsor to have a pro-active role in collaborating with the host university in the foreign country to provide pre- and post-departure support. Academic adjustment is a gradual process; thus, future research may include international students at different stages of study to better understand their coping strategies and their relationships with academic achievements.