The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of students of color enrolled in graduate counseling education (GCE) master's-level programs in California. A phenomenological approach was used, and participants included 25 students of color from five GCE programs who were enrolled in terminal master's-level counseling and counseling psychology programs in marriage and family therapy, general counselors, and professional clinical counseling California State University and California private institutions. Five student online focus groups were conducted via Zoom to collect the data. The following three main themes emerged in the findings: (a) Social Support, (b) Structural and Interpersonal Racism, and (c) Administrative and Leadership Needs. Implications of findings and recommendations indicate social supports, using a CRT pedagogy framework, and administrative and leadership needs help to increase sense of belonging, academic success, and retention for students of color in GCE master's-level programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]