Bridging the mental health care gap for international students via digital interventions: conceptual foundations and a five-stage model for culturally sensitive design

International students tend to underutilize and benefit less from traditional mental health services compared to their domestic counterparts. This conceptual and theoretical paper aims to articulate the significance of digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) to expand mental health service access for international students, propose approaches for designing culturally sensitive DMHIs for international students, and inspire more rigorous research on these interventions. We explore the definition, types, and efficacy of DMHIs. We outline the unique promise of these interventions in reducing barriers to health service access encountered by international students. Most importantly, a five-stage model is proposed to guide the design and testing of equitable and culturally adapted DMHIs for international students. To illustrate these points, we discuss and critically evaluate existing studies of DMHIs for international students. Recent studies supported the potential benefits of DMHIs for improving international students’ psychological distress and well-being. However, the evidence base remains limited in scope and rigor. Future studies can apply the proposed five-stage cultural adaptation framework to guide the development and evaluation of DMHIs for international students. Researchers may conduct well-powered randomized controlled trials, examine correlates of intervention use, co-develop DMHIs with international students, and integrate DMHIs within the larger system.