International graduate students and cultural competency in counselling services: directions for health practitioners

International graduate students deal with an array of stress when arriving in the United States for the purpose of their studies. This stress relates to various difficulties with regards to their acculturation process. In the absence of family and friends, the importance of counselling services on campus is a vital resource for the support of international graduate student. This paper highlights the provisions and importance of culturally competent counselling for international graduate students on US campuses. Key implications are discussed for how university practitioners and administrators might best provide resources and support international graduate students in the future. This could lead to more effective results in the improvement of international students' mental health.