During her first week of freshman year, Ethiopian national Edenya Asgedom says she became aware of the Sanger Learning Center at the University of Texas–Austin. Sanger offers students resources such as tutoring, weekly meetings with a peer academic coach, and classes and workshops on everything from time management to public speaking.

Asgedom says she has met multiple times with her assigned learning specialist, who taught her study techniques for different classes.

“During a stressful exam week, my learning specialist has gone as far as helping me organize every hour of my time and given me studying techniques on how to approach each of my final exams and assignments at one of our one-on-one meetings,” says Asgedom.

[Learn what to look for in international student services.]

Most U.S. universities have centers that offer academic support to students. Before applying to U.S. colleges, prospective undergraduate international students may want to be aware of the academic support services each school offers, should the need arise. Services are typically free and can target listening, reading comprehension, speaking, vocabulary development, writing, academic study skills and resources for self-study.

Some tutoring centers — also called learning centers or academic skills centers — require appointments while others allow drop-ins. Some may also require international students to undergo diagnostic testing to assess their strengths and weaknesses.

While specific services vary by school, prospective international students can expect U.S. university tutoring centers to typically offer these academic support services.

1. English-language help: Prospective international students who speak English as a second language can plan to take advantage of on-campus English language tutoring offered at most universities.

At California State University–Chico‘s ESL Resource Center, for instance, the multilingual tutors have backgrounds in teaching English and linguistics to individuals who speak other languages, says Saundra K. Wright, the center’s director and professor of linguistics. She says tutors work with students to address all areas of language usage, such as reading, writing, listening, grammar, class presentations, pronunciation and conversation.

Wright says since her tutors have backgrounds in linguistics, they are able to talk with students about language at a deeper level, “discussing areas of English grammar that are most challenging for nonnative speakers and looking at how one’s first language can influence the acquisition of a second language.”

Some universities offer conversation partners who assist with English verbal communication skills. For example, Minnesota State University–Moorhead‘s English Language Tutor Program pairs international students with conversation partners. They meet together three to four hours per week to practice and improve their English-speaking skills, such as pronunciation, through conversation, according to the school’s website.

[Explore how to improve conversational English skills.]

2. One-on-one and group tutoring: International students can expect most schools to offer individual or small-group tutoring in a variety of subjects. They should check school websites and contact tutoring centers directly once they are enrolled, since tutoring programs and policies can vary.

South Korean national Jaejoon Lim says he frequented California State’s ESL Resource Center “more than any other tutees” and received one-on-one tutoring, particularly for writing assignments for his various courses.

“I got help with grammar and spelling check, vocab enhancement and the structure of the paper,” says Lim, who graduated with a journalism degree in May.

While some centers like California State’s offer one-on-one tutoring, the University of Minnesota–Duluth‘s tutoring center primarily offers group tutoring, says Claudia Martin, tutoring coordinator at the university’s Academic Writing and Learning Center. She says some benefits to group tutoring include the potential to create course-specific study groups and the ability to hear other students’ questions.

Experts say international students may want to begin tutoring once school starts to get guidance before they need it. Martin says international students should seek assistance early to get the added benefit of extra practice with their subject-specific English vocabulary.

[Discover ways international students can cope with difficult classes.]

3. Workshops and classes: Prospective international students may also find that many tutoring centers offer workshops and classes that provide a range of academic support.

Northeastern University‘s International Tutoring Center offers international students workshops on such topics as language, culture and reading, according to its website.

Michelle A. Jewell, director of UT–Austin’s Sanger Learning Center, says the school offers multiple workshops that can be modified by request to meet the needs of different students, including international students.

“We host workshops on basic academic skills like reading, time management, self-quizzing, preparing for finals and public speaking,” says Jewell.

She says university staff present the workshops to international student groups, and sometimes student educators who are also current international students join.

The University of Pennsylvania‘s Weingarten Learning Resources Center offers Academics Plus workshops that assist international students with the transition to a new academic culture and learning environment. The 90-minute workshops cover language and cultural concerns, academic reading and writing, personal presentation skills, time management, note taking and critical thinking, according to the school’s website.

Whether it’s tutoring or workshops, Asgedom, now a sophomore at UT–Austin, says she recognizes that asking for academic help may seem unfamiliar for some international students. While growing up, she says she was encouraged to be independent and not seek out external tutors. But she adds that “new things take getting used to, and you won’t know if you like it or not unless you try it.”

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