This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study focuses on international student services offered at US community colleges. It uses website data to document:
- The services available to support international students;
- The number of colleges that focus exclusively on recruitment, admissions, and legal/immigration issues compared to other services;
- Colleges that offer services beyond recruitment, admissions, and legal/immigration; and
- Whether larger community colleges offer more services and, if yes, which ones.
The study’s sample was drawn from the Community College International Education Research Initiative’s comprehensive data of international education at U.S. community colleges.
The following table lists and provides definitions of each of the international students support services we identified:
| Support Service | Definition |
| Academics | Academics refers to services to support international students’ learning and progress toward graduation through advising, tutoring, counseling, course planning, and other educational resources (e.g., English proficiency and support). |
| Admissions/Incoming Students | Admissions and incoming students include services to help prospective and newly admitted students navigate applications, enrollment, orientation, and the transition into the institution (e.g., admissions steps, transcript requests, TOEFL/IELTS/English proficiency test requirements, and pre arrival information/tips). |
| Continuing Students | Continuing students represent services to support already enrolled international students with access to resources, and persistence toward graduation (e.g., semester check-in, and requirements while in the U.S.). |
| Legal and Immigration | Legal and immigration services provide international students with guidance and resources on legal matters, visa requirements, immigration status, and related rights and responsibilities. |
| Recruitment | Recruitment includes services that attract and engage prospective international students by sharing information about the institution, its programs, and enrollment opportunities (e.g., current student testimonials, virtual campus tours, brochures, and handbooks). |
| Student Services | Student services are the resources, services, and experiences that support international students’ basic needs, engagement, sense of belonging, and well-being throughout college (e.g., dining, housing, extracurricular events, student health, and student activities). |
| Support Staff, Offices, and Additional Resources/Information | Support staff, offices, and additional resources are the institutional support networks that help international students access assistance, navigate campus and community systems, and stay informed (e.g., parking passes, contact information, frequently asked questions, local resources, and office hours). |
| Transfer and University Collaboration | Transfer and university collaboration services help students move between institutions through coordinated admissions, credit transfers, articulation agreements, and institutional partnerships. |
Read the Report
U.S. Community College International Student Services: Availability and Scope
Distribution of International Student Support Services:
Full Report
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How to cite this page: Nyarko, C. B. (2026). International student services: Availability and scope. https://ccintled.pages.wm.edu/learn-about-our-research/international-student-services/