Indigenous youth wellbeing in higher education: a systematic literature review of qualitative studies

Completing a higher education degree is a game changer for the success of Indigenous youth. However, there is a paucity of research which explores the enablers of and barriers to Indigenous higher education youth (18–25 years) wellbeing. This systematic literature review aimed to explore the nature and scope of international research that engages with Indigenous youth to identify the enablers of and barriers to youth’s wellbeing when undertaking higher education. Twenty-eight studies met our selection criteria. Major enablers of youth’s wellbeing included social connections and support. Barriers included: lack of culturally appropriate support, home sickness, financial stress and negotiating with family. These findings have highlighted a significant gap in research and practice and point to the importance of hearing Indigenous higher education youth’s voices for identifying salient strategies for respectful promotion of wellbeing in higher education.