The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of using IVR to help Indonesian EFL students cope with the twenty-first century. We examined 53 Indonesian university students in this study to see how immersive virtual reality (IVR) impacts their English as a Foreign Language (EFL) proficiency and transferable skill development. The pre-experimental design used a mixed methodology approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. Statistical analysis, using paired sample t-test and ANOVA, showed that post-test scores (mean = 84.72, SD = 7.83) were significantly higher than pre-test scores (mean = 58.96, SD = 8.16, p < 0.001). Using t-test and ANOVA, we compared students’ pre- and post-test EFL proficiency levels within and between the two groups. We analyzed the quantitative data with qualitative descriptions of changes in transferable skills and participants’ opinions about the impact of IVR on their English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and transferable skills. The integration analysis revealed that students felt an improvement in transferable skills, but their English skills still needed improvement in pronunciation and vocabulary. In addition, IVR helped undergraduate students overcome English learning difficulties. They reported a decrease in the anxiety they experienced when using IVR in real-life scenarios, although they saw it as a useful tool to improve transferable skills. According to the results of the study, IVR had a statistically significant effect on undergraduate students' transferability of skills. Although most users found IVR to be an engaging learning experience with realistic settings and fun activities, they recognized that the use of avatars could sometimes be a hindrance in designing stories using EFL. We offer implications for improving foreign language learning using IVR technology. By implementing the most effective teaching models in the metaverse, it is important to create, design, and manage VR platforms in a structured way that reflects modern student-oriented learning, learning satisfaction, and improve learning outcomes based on these results for future education, namely in design thinking, computational thinking, and critical thinking, as well as improving overall language competence. While research has found some difficulties in integrating IVR for language learning, it has also found substantial links between IVR use and greater engagement, critical thinking, and the development of creative skills in the twenty-first century. © The Author(s) 2025.
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