The instructor-student relationship may be understood as an educational helping relationship. Through interviews with 15 participants enrolled in masters or doctoral programs in education, this qualitative study explored graduate students' perceptions of educational helping instructor-student relationships over the entirety of their higher education experiences. Participants discussed the structuring of instructor-student relationships in terms of perceived level of care and nurture, family as a metaphor for instructor-student relationships, and the quality of class participation. Implications for practice and research are offered.