| This study investigated the level of satisfaction that international students experienced with student support services at a liberal arts University in the North East. The University's International Students Services Office (ISSO) is the sole point of contact for students studying under an F1 VISA. Services offered range from government compliance, housing, academic, cultural and non-academic needs. The study examined students' familiarity with the ISSO offerings, their difficulty in transitioning to a new culture, level of importance placed on the ISSO services available to them and their overall satisfaction with these services. Student survey responses were then compared with those collected from a local College that has a longer history of supporting international students. The study obtained student comments on how the institutions could improve international student services. A total of 192 international students, from 25 countries, responded to the survey. Data analysis was conducted using SPSSRTM for descriptive and inferential analysis. The results indicated there was a low level of familiarity with the ISSO and the services it provides. The respondents were neutral when asked to place an importance rating on services offered by the ISSO and were neutral with regards to their levels of satisfaction with those services. The students did not report any areas of difficulty when adjusting to their new culture. This study did not utilize interviews or focus groups though it has been determined that those would have been beneficial. |
