This article explores global social work ethics and international field training based on the experiences and practice dilemmas of Norwegian and Swedish social work students. It employs a postcolonial perspective to answer ‘What are key ethical challenges for the students?’ and ‘How can social work educators promote ethical awareness in international field training?’ based on focus group interviews and field reports. The results show that international field training contributes to both deepening some students’ critical knowledge and reinforcing others their colonial discourses. It is argued that social work educators play an important role for students’ critical positioning and knowledge.