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English as a second language nursing students encounter unique challenges based on cultural and linguistic differences and develop strategies to overcome these challenges. The problem is Texas Gulf Coast associate degree nursing students who speak English as a second language encounter difficulty in passing coursework and exams due to cultural and linguistic differences. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences and unique challenges of English as a second language students pursuing an associate degree in nursing at a Texas Gulf Coast community college. A gap in the literature indicated that more research was needed on the experience of English as a second language nursing students in associate degree nursing programs and how to help retain them. The theoretical framework supporting the study combined Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory and Bandura’s self-efficacy theory of motivation. The research questions guided the exploration of the lived experiences and the unique challenges of English as a second language nursing students regarding associate degree nursing. The qualitative descriptive phenomenological study included 15 English as a second language associate degree nursing students from a Texas Gulf Coast community college in the second, third, or fourth semester. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Interview transcripts were analyzed and coded using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that participants perceived many aspects of their experience differed from those of primary English speakers. Early identification and intervention will improve the retention of diverse nursing students.