Support services at Spanish and U.S. institutions: A driver for international student satisfaction.

Many institutions of higher education are promoting the internationalization of their campuses as a core principle through international student mobility from both a degree and credit perspective and, as a result, have expanded rapidly in enrollment. In order to effectively serve this growing population, universities are having to put additional student support services in place. However, while many have well-developed and structured programs for students in general, not all services are designed to specifically cover the needs of international students. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview on the studies conducted on the topic of international student satisfaction with university support services as a means to ensure a positive student experience. It also provides a comparative perspective on how support services for international students are structured at universities in Spain and in the United States.