What International Students Wish Professors Knew About Entrepreneurship

By Anne-Wallis Droter, EO writer/editor

Entrepreneurs possess an unrelenting spirit that drives them to navigate challenges and solve problems to bring innovative products and services to market. There is no set age at which the entrepreneurial mindset kicks in; some start early while others begin later in life.

Founders who start building companies at an early age often face difficult choices during their university days, especially if they already run a company or start one as a student. They must find a tolerable compromise between juggling their responsibilities as a leader and a learner. Balancing classes, exams, and extracurriculars with business development requires dedication and an exceptional commitment to both pursuits.

Navigating the Challenges of Student Entrepreneurship

In observation of International Students Day, we reached out to three former champions of EO’s annual Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) competition, the premier global competition for university and college students who own and operate a business while attending school.

We asked these successful student entrepreneurs how they managed the conflicting responsibilities of running a company and earning their degrees, what challenges they faced, and what they wish professors knew about the challenges of entrepreneurial life.

What Professors May Not Understand About Student Entrepreneurship

Among the significant challenges student entrepreneurs face is a misconception by professors that their business pursuits are merely a distraction from academic studies.

Dr. David Hodgson, a former student entrepreneur in Canada and 2023 GSEA Global Champion, is the co-founder of Hollo Medical. He shared that it’s not only professors who may benefit from a better understanding of student entrepreneurship—but also anyone unfamiliar with the highs and lows of the entrepreneurial journey.

“It is important for [professors] to know how much drive and passion it takes to try to conquer a problem independently,” he shared. “It’s critical that entrepreneurship is not characterized as a distraction in the university context—presuming your academics don’t suffer,” he continued. Instead, Hodgson believes that students should be applauded for demonstrating resilience and perseverance in building something outside of the classroom—not as a diversion but as a complement to their classroom education.

Ni Kadek Karina Dewi, a student entrepreneur in Bali who is the 2024 GSEA Global Champion and founder of BioGhum, agrees. As a student on a campus with “a complicated bureaucracy,” she experienced difficulty in balancing academics and entrepreneurship.

“Speaking from my experience participating in the GSEA quarterfinals, I was very much in a pickle to work on my midterms in a tight time crunch between my normal classes,” she explained. “That happened due to professors’ unwillingness to compromise and reschedule my midterms to a better time. I really hoped that my professors would be more understanding of the fact that I would need to skip classes from time to time to attend competitions, shows, exhibitions, and the like,” she lamented.

“A few professors wouldn’t provide any relief when important company-related events clashed with exams,” she shared, noting that inflexible academic policies created unnecessary stress.

A supportive university program can make all the difference for student entrepreneurs. Nick Cotter, a former student entrepreneur in Ireland, 2022 GSEA Global Champion, and founder of Cotter Agritech, attended University College Cork — a pro-entrepreneurship university— and was grateful for the support that accommodated his goals.

“I benefited from a UCC Quercus Innovation/Entrepreneurship scholarship, which works to nurture talent through support, challenge and mentoring both academically and in other areas of talent such as entrepreneurship,” Cotter shared. “My entrepreneurial efforts were recognized and valued. Among things like life coaching and masterclasses, the support included accommodations when important trade shows clashed with summer exams—I was allowed to sit these exams in the autumn without penalty.”

Advice for Aspiring International Student Entrepreneurs

If you are a student with entrepreneurial aspirations, GSEA competitors offered three helpful tips around how to make it work:

1. Nurture Entrepreneurial Resilience

First, with no guarantee that your business will succeed, take steps to nurture your entrepreneurial resilience.

“Not all of us will build successful businesses right away, but the key is to keep going,” Dewi said. She offers powerful advice: “Many of us will stumble, fail, and pivot. But the key point is to just keep picking yourself up after you fall. That is what it takes to become a great entrepreneur.”

2. Start Now, Learn Along the Way

Cotter found entrepreneurial inspiration in the words of Arthur Ashe, an American tennis champion, activist, author, educator, and tireless campaigner for civil rights and racial equality: “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”

Cotter added: “Just start! Talk to customers early, build a support network, and find mentors—the journey will be challenging. Stay laser-focused because your time is the startup’s most valuable asset.”

Hodgson concurred: “You will never know the outcome until you try,” he added. “Start now and learn along the way.”

3. Use This Hack to Ideate Your Business

Time is indeed every entrepreneur’s most valuable resource, but how do you decide how best to use that limited treasure?  

Hodgson identified a smart hack for ideating a business: “If an idea keeps you up at night, you’re on the right track!”

He also warned student entrepreneurs not to overthink, which can lead to analysis paralysis. If you wait until the perfect moment to start your business, you may be waiting forever.

The Value of Student Entrepreneurship in Standing Out After Graduation

Whether your student business succeeds or not, the entrepreneurial journey teaches you skills that can serve as a career differentiator post-graduation.

“Whether you succeed or fail, you've demonstrated the willingness to try. It's a trait that's not very common, as demonstrated by how few people start businesses,” Cotter said. “Many armchair generals talk a good game, but very few get out there on the battlefield. Being one who does makes you stand out for the rest of your career.”

Starting a business teaches students real-world skills, including the value of hard work, responsibility, and adaptability in ways a traditional job may not.

Dewi’s entrepreneurial journey has already paid off by giving her a head start in the workforce.

“When starting a business, we test our entrepreneurial and creative soul to its limit by working on the business,” she explained. “We must figure out the business model, calculate the financials, and communicate effectively to potential business partners. All are great skills to bring with you into the workforce.”

Hodgson agreed. “Most of all, student entrepreneurship demonstrates a drive to be ingenious regardless of the circumstances (i.e. seeking an education). It shows that you are willing and able to do what it takes to make a difference in the world, and I think this is an important quality to lead a successful and fulfilling life.”

Entrepreneurial qualities make student entrepreneurs uniquely equipped to lead and excel in any field, as they’ve already proven their ability to tackle complex problems head-on.

Applications are Open for the 2025 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) Competition 

EO recognizes the value in empowering student entrepreneurs to achieve their goals and dreams. EO’s annual Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) competition is the premier global competition for university and college students who own and operate a business while attending school. Since 1998, the competition has been supporting international student entrepreneurs with mentorship, recognition, and connections to take their businesses to the next level of success.

If you are an international student entrepreneur who is running a business while attending university, what are you waiting for? Apply for GSEA today!

Want to learn more about GSEA? Tune in to watch three full seasons of StartItUp, a miniseries that follows the incredible journeys of top international student entrepreneurs on their quest to grow their businesses, solve big problems, and compete for GSEA Global Champion status.