Getting Your I-20

Now that you have been admitted to Grand Valley, your next step is to get your I-20.

In order to get your I-20, you will need to complete a financial verification form and submit your passport and financial documents in your Laker Portal, click the 'View International Student Information' link at the top of the page. You can also upload information for any dependents who will be joining you.
 

BANK DOCUMENTS FOR THE I-20:
As part of the I-20 process, all international students must have enough financial support to cover the estimated costs of academic and living expenses for one academic year. 

What are acceptable financial documents?

• Personal bank statements with the minimum amount of financial support required in liquid asset form.
  • Cash deposits, certificates of deposit, savings accounts, term deposits, investment accounts, and checking accounts are acceptable.
• Business accounts are not accepted.
• Graduate assistantship award letter
• Athletic scholarship letter from a GVSU athletic team
• Government funding
  • Letter must have contact information for the organization providing funding.
• Education loan confirmation letter

What information does my bank statement need to have? 

• All financial documents must have at least three months of transaction history or proof that the account has been active for more than three months.
• All certificate of deposit and term deposit statements must include the maturity date.
• All financial documents must be in English, or include an official English translation.
• All financial documents must be printed on official bank letterhead and must be signed by the appropriate bank official. Only original financial documents or scanned documents in PDF format will be accepted. 
• We are not able to accept screenshots, photographs of bank statements, or bank statements scanned with smartphone apps.
• All bank statements need to include the account holder's information.

Your GVSU Student Number, Username, and Password

Every student enrolled or accepted at Grand Valley State University receives a network account which you can access using your user name and password. Your network account allows you access to GVSU computer labs, your GVSU email account, Library resources, Blackboard coursework, your student information in Banner Self-Service, and network disk space. In other words, all these systems require your GVSU username and password. Your network account remains active while you are enrolled as a student at Grand Valley. All of these resources are available in every GVSU computer lab and from personal devices on or off campus.

To set up your GVSU username and password, visit your Laker Portal (linked below). There, you'll find your assigned username and G-number (student ID number), as well as instructions to activate your GVSU network account. 
Undergraduate Applicant Laker Portal
Graduate Applicant Portal

Orientation and Course Registration

Freshman Students:
Freshman students will need to schedule an Orientation session. At this session, you will meet with an academic advisor to discuss your program and select your courses. Virtual Orientation sessions are available, however, students currently in the United States may choose an in-person session. There is no cost for the course registration session. If you have questions about Orientation and course registration, contact us at [email protected]. 

Transfer Students:
Transfer students will need to schedule an Orientation session. At this session, you will meet with an academic advisor to discuss your program and select your courses. Virtual Orientation sessions are available, however, students currently in the United States may choose an in-person session. There is no cost for the course registration session. If you have questions about Orientation and course registration, contact us at [email protected]. In order to give transfer credit for your previous coursework, GVSU will need your most recent official transcript, course descriptions or course syllabi (translated into English). The documents can be emailed to [email protected].

Graduate Students:
Graduate students will need to contact their program director to get more information about the program curriculum and course registration process. The name of the program director is in your Graduate Applicant Portal and on your acceptance letter. If you are unable to find your program director, you can contact us at [email protected].  

Arrival Information

All international students should fly into Grand Rapids, Michigan via the Gerald R. Ford International Airport – airport code GRR. You will receive an emergency contact number that you may call if there are any emergencies throughout your travel time. We strongly suggest that you NOT attempt to take the train from Chicago to Grand Rapids. Please book connecting flights that will bring you to the Gerald R. Ford International airport. Visit grr.org for more information about the airport.