THE IMPACT OF LANGUAGE BARRIERS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

This  study investigates the impact of language barriers on the academic performance of University students in non-native English-speaking contexts. As English has become the dominant medium of instruction in higher education worldwide, many students are required to study complex academic subjects in a second language . This situation often creates linguistic challenges that affect comprehension participation assessment outcomes and overall academic achievement .The research employs a mixed methods approach combining survey data and academic performance indicators to explore how language-related difficulties influence students learning experiences . The findings indicate that limited academic vocabulary low-speaking confidence and insufficient writing skills are among the primary factors negatively affecting academic performance . Additionally the study highlights the importance of institutional language support effective teaching strategies and digital learning tools in reducing the impact of language barriers . The results contribute to the existing literature on English as a Medium of instruction ( EMI )and provide more practical and good recommendations for educators and policy makers seeking to improve educational equity and learning outcomes in multilingual higher education environments.