Seeking support: exploring help-seeking behaviors of international Pacific Islander students in higher Education through the academic communities of engagement (ACE) framework

International students are vital to many universities in the United States; while they enrich campuses with their diversity, they face unique challenges, including cultural and linguistic barriers and difficulties in adapting to Western educational paradigms. This qualitative study explored the academic help-seeking behaviors of international Pacific Islander students attending a private university in Hawai‘i, guided by the Academic Communities of Engagement (ACE) framework. Semi-structured interviews examined students’ perceived challenges to learner engagement, their experiences seeking and receiving support from course and personal communities, and the enablers and obstacles they encountered when seeking help. Findings revealed that participants faced challenges related to cultural differences in academic expectations, limited prior technology experience, and financial pressures from work-study obligations. Students relied heavily on their personal community of support, particularly family back home, for affective support through regular online communication and fellow Pacific Islander peers on campus for navigating unfamiliar cultural norms. Within the course community, participants sought help from professors, academic advisors, and campus support centers, though obstacles such as language barriers, cultural discomfort with authority figures, and a preference for self-reliance often hindered help-seeking. Enablers included instructor approachability, culturally responsive teaching, and peer study groups. The study extends the ACE framework to an in-person, culturally and linguistically diverse context and highlights the need for universities to disaggregate international Pacific Islander students from broader demographic categories. Findings suggest that culturally responsive support services, increased representation of Pacific Islander faculty, and structured peer mentoring can improve engagement and academic outcomes for this overlooked student population.