article Basak Bilecen author Isabell Diekmann author 119325 Thomas Faist author The experience of loneliness is common among international students who study in a foreign country, away from their home. Loneliness refers to the difference between the actual and desired social relationships highlighting not only the quantity but also the quality of relationships. We argue for a perspective on loneliness that emphasizes its social context rather than relying mainly on individualistic or psychological interpretations prevalent thus far. In this article, we explore network predictors of loneliness among Chinese international students in Germany. Through our analysis of a unique data set, we show that when compared to the local students, international students tend to feel lonelier. Surprisingly, when we discover that when international students have the same network size, those with more emotionally supportive ties tend to experience more loneliness compared to those with fewer emotionally supportive ties. Not surprisingly, having a romantic partner is associated with lower levels of loneliness, especially when they also live in the country of education. Additionally, we find that international Chinese students who struggle to form cross‐national friendships report higher levels of loneliness. By delving into these findings, our research offers a sociological account of loneliness among international Chinese and local students in Germany. Wiley2025 eng 1468-243510.1111/imig.13298 632 yes B. Bilecen, I. Diekmann, and T. Faist, “The Puzzle of Loneliness: A Sociostructural and Transnational Analysis of International Chinese Students’ Networks in Germany,” <i>International Migration</i>, vol. 63, no. 2, 2025, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13298">10.1111/imig.13298</a>. Bilecen, B., Diekmann, I., &#38; Faist, T. (2025). The Puzzle of Loneliness: A Sociostructural and Transnational Analysis of International Chinese Students’ Networks in Germany. <i>International Migration</i>, <i>63</i>(2). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13298">https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13298</a> B. Bilecen, I. Diekmann, T. Faist, International Migration 63 (2025). Bilecen, Basak, Isabell Diekmann, and Thomas Faist. “The Puzzle of Loneliness: A Sociostructural and Transnational Analysis of International Chinese Students’ Networks in Germany.” <i>International Migration</i> 63, no. 2 (2025). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13298">https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13298</a>. Bilecen, Basak, et al. “The Puzzle of Loneliness: A Sociostructural and Transnational Analysis of International Chinese Students’ Networks in Germany.” <i>International Migration</i>, vol. 63, no. 2, Wiley, 2025, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13298">10.1111/imig.13298</a>. @article{Bilecen_Diekmann_Faist_2025, title={The Puzzle of Loneliness: A Sociostructural and Transnational Analysis of International Chinese Students’ Networks in Germany}, volume={63}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13298">10.1111/imig.13298</a>}, number={2}, journal={International Migration}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Bilecen, Basak and Diekmann, Isabell and Faist, Thomas}, year={2025} } Bilecen B, Diekmann I, Faist T. The Puzzle of Loneliness: A Sociostructural and Transnational Analysis of International Chinese Students’ Networks in Germany. <i>International Migration</i>. 2025;63(2). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13298">10.1111/imig.13298</a> 618982025-10-21T11:21:41Z2025-10-21T12:10:19Z