Abstract
This study explores the lived experiences of island-based students from Boracay who commute to Malay College on the mainland for tertiary education. Through an interpretive phenomenological analysis, the research captures the complexities of their academic journey, highlighting the emotional, social, cultural, and financial challenges they face. While national policies such as the Tertiary Education Subsidy aim to bridge access gaps, they often fall short of addressing the localized realities of archipelagic learners. Five key themes emerged from the data: (1) Negotiating Island and Academic Identities, (2) More Active and Personal Life, (3) Forging New Communities Beyond the Island, (4) The Emotional Bridge: Connecting with Home from Afar, and (5) Anchored in Our Roots, Affirming Island Identity in a New World. The study provides a nuanced understanding of how these students navigate between two worlds, contributing valuable insights for the development of context-sensitive policies and institutional support systems to improve academic outcomes for geographically isolated learners.
