International students' studying abroad is a complicated phenomenon that has touched both the countries that send the students and those that receive them. The issues of international students have affected academic circles as well as public and private sectors. Participation of all stakeholders in higher education is crucial to the progress of the international students learning and settling down in their new host country. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the experiences and perceptions of five international doctoral students from five different cultures around the world. All five students majored in educational administration at a Midwestern university. Their face-to-face responses using guided interviews questions were audio-taped. The interviews were transcribed and sent to the respondents for accuracy verification. Several themes emerged from the interviews with the five international students. Immigration challenges, financial barriers, education opportunities, relationships, need for more studies, and advice to future international doctoral students, university presidents, and government were voiced. Conclusions are that these international students expressed some common themes, challenges, issues, and aspirations. Commonalities of themes were dependent on the type of visa, country of origin, culture, and economical background. Recommendations for practice include universities partnering with the international students that are genuinely facing financial difficulties to help them through such difficulties as much as possible. Another recommendation for practice is for the United States immigration services to ease the visa and related processes to help more international students come to study in the United States. In addition international students should strive to understand the United States' foreign policy on educating immigrants. Recommendations for practice include advice for the sending governments, the United States government, prospective international students, current students, and administrators. [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://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]