Isaacs, SerenaMoletsane, James2026-10-122026-10-122026https://hdl.handle.net/10566/25543As gender identities continue to evolve and diversify, it is crucial to understand how institutional structures such as higher education institutions (HEIs) influence the experiences of non-binary individuals who use and identify themselves as part of these spaces. Existing research reflects how HEIs can be sites of discrimination and marginalisation for non-binary students and that they have fewer resources and support services that accommodate their non-conforming identities. The purpose of this study is thus to explore the lived experiences of gender non-binary students at HEIs. This study aims to address a critical gap in the literature and to contribute significantly to knowledge regarding non-binary experiences in higher education in the context of South Africa, which is a largely under-researched area. This study adopted an interpretative phenomenological approach, guided by the qualitative research framework and utilised semi-structured interviews as a data collection method, conducted with a sample of fourteen (n =14) participants. Non-probability and snowball sampling methods were used to purposively include non-binary students at HEIs.enHigher educationNon-binary identityLived experiencesGender fluidityInstitutional climateThesis