As people across the globe see the United States as a country that provides top quality education, international students from all around the world come to the United States to learn new languages, cultures, and experiences. However, international students experience various barriers during their academic journeys in the United States, and educational leaders at U.S. higher education institutions must acknowledge core problems creating barriers for international students. Through this study, I aimed to find out how students from South Korea, a country with a very different cultural background, experience institutions in the United States and what implementations leaders at U.S. institutions may need to enact to embrace international students. I collected data for this study through qualitative semistructured interviews with Korean international students who were enrolled at a 4-year university. Major findings participants discussed in this study included an overload of information upon their arrival to the United States, social and cultural barriers they experienced (e.g., difficulties making domestic student friendships), and their lack of interest in joining student activities and clubs. I also discuss students' suggestions for their U.S. institutions based on their experiences. These findings indicated the importance of international student offices becoming bridges between international students and other campus communities, as well as the importance of cultural training for all members of a campus to build comfortable campus environments. [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.]