Thesis (Ph.D.) - Indiana University, School of Education, 2017The purpose of this study is to examine the factors affecting the acculturation process of the Saudi female doctoral students in the US. Documenting the adjustment process is a first step in providing an understanding of the Saudi female doctoral student acculturation during their academic journey in the US. According to Berry’s 1997 Acculturation Model, student sojourners either assimilate, integrate, separate or marginalize (Berry 1997, p. 10). The study used qualitative methods to identify self-reported factors that affected the adjustment of the Saudi doctoral students. Thirteen doctoral female students from Saudi Arabia were interviewed on their perceptions of their adjustment experiences while studying in the US. Determining the factors that affected their adjustment and identifying their acculturation modes help educational stakeholders better prepare for this population. Understanding the student’s home societal and cultural aspects can also help the stakeholders reduce the effect of factors that may lead to less favorable adjustment experiences.