Abstract
The Japanese tutor system is designed to support international students who have transferred into the third year at National Institute of Technology, Hachinohe College (hereinafter referred to as Hachinohe Kosen). These students have two Japanese tutors in the third and fourth year for two years, in order to receive support in academic setting as well as their college life. The purpose of this study is, from international students' perspectives, to examine international students’ attitudes, experiences, and expectations toward Japanese tutors. A qualitative study was carried out in order to elicit the participants’ perspectives toward their tutors. Open-ended questionnaires were distributed to four international students, who are first year students at Hachinohe Kosen, and they were interviewed. They looked back at the support they had received from Japanese tutors during the first six months of their stay at college, and perceived what influence this support had had.
