The United States is a primary destination for international graduate students. For those whose first language is not English, academic reading is an obstacle that must be overcome to achieve academic success. This exploratory, sequential, mixed methods study investigates the academic reading experience of seven international MA-TESOL students in a southeastern U.S. university and identifies the most impactful factors within four consequential categories: reading challenges, reading adjustment, reading efficacy, and reading support. Findings suggest that with institutional, faculty, international and domestic peer support, and engagement with the reading process, students can overcome initial reading concerns and eventually acquire sufficient reading skills to complete their master’s program successfully. Implications suggest that academic reading support for international graduate students should nurture collaborative efforts, emphasize knowledge of reading strategies besides language proficiency, and promote parity or interconnectedness with academic writing.