Browse programs
GVSU is happy to offer Non-GVSU students an opportunity to participate in GVSU faculty-led programs as Guest Students.
 
Browse programs that are open to Non-GVSU Students.  When using the program search tool to search for programs be sure to select the Program Type box labeled "Only show me programs open to Non-GVSU students" to get an accurate list of available programs.  As long as you meet all other listed requirements, such as GPA and class status, you are welcome to apply. 
 
Talk to an advisor
Visit your home institution's study abroad office to receive guidance as you plan your experience abroad.  If at any time during the planning stages you or your study abroad office have further questions, please feel free to contact our Faculty-Led Program Coordinator, Kirsten Bartels, at (616) 331-3898 or by email at [email protected]
 
Become a Guest Student at GVSU
Before starting your study abroad application through our Study Abroad Application System(Via TRM), you must be temporarily admitted to GVSU as a Guest Student. As long as you meet the following criteria, the Padnos International Center (PIC) welcomes you to submit an undergraduate or graduate guest application to GVSU:

• You are a full time student at a U.S. college or university
• You have completed your freshman year
• You are in good academic standing with at least a 2.5 GPA (3.0 graduate)
• You have no outstanding or ongoing disciplinary, judicial or academic actions 

Undergraduate guest application to GVSU

Graduate guest application to GVSU

Graduate students: For additional information and resources click here

After you have filled out the student portion of the application, take the form to your Registrar’s Office (or the office at your school that processes applications) where they will complete and sign it. The completed guest application must then be sent from your home institution to the Admission's Office at GVSU by email: [email protected] or fax: (616) 331-2000. 
 
You will remain a Guest Student for the duration of the study abroad program. 
 
Activate your GVSU student accounts
Once you have been accepted as a Guest Student, you will receive important student account information including: a G-number (G00xxxxxx), a GVSU network login (i.e. smithj), and a GVSU email account (i.e. [email protected]).
 
It is your responsibility to activate your GVSU student accounts following the instructions you receive in your acceptance materials.  All emails and correspondence regarding your acceptance, bill, course registration, enrollment, and study abroad materials will be delivered to your GVSU email account. To familiarize yourself with our student accounts and information click here.
 
If you have questions regarding initializing your student account, confidentiality requirements, cancellation policies, or other concerns, please visit the GVSU student accounts webpage.  If you continue to experience any trouble logging in or accessing your account information please contact the PIC, and we will work with you to resolve the problem.
 
Apply for study abroad
Now that you have activated your GVSU student accounts, you are ready to create and submit your study abroad application.  Completed applications must be submitted prior to 11:59 p.m. on February 1st.  Click the “Apply Now” link at the top of the PIC homepage or begin your application here.
You will be directed to the Study Abroad Application Portal (Via TRM).  Use your GVSU network login and password.  Your first step is to complete your profile information.  Submit, and continue to the application.

Essay Questions – Your essays will be read by PIC and the appointed faculty director.  You are advised to write your responses to the essay prompts in a Word document, and then copy and paste them into the application fields. 

Release of Information -  You will be asked if you would like to give PIC permission to speak with a parent or other contact person(s).  If you provide a contact person, we will be happy to speak with that individual if questions arise.  Due to confidentiality laws, there is limited information that can be provided to your family without this written consent.

Faculty Recommendations – You are required to provide two faculty emails for recommendations. Please verify that the email addresses are correctly entered in the appropriate fields. After finalizing your application an electronic request for recommendation will be sent through Via TRM to the faculty members you specify. It is your responsibility to follow up with the specified professors to ensure your recommendations are completed by the deadline (11:59 p.m. February 1). YOUR APPLICATION IS NOT CONSIDERED COMPLETE UNTIL BOTH RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED.

$105 Deposit - All study abroad applicants pay a non-refundable deposit at the time of application. If you continue with your plans for study abroad, you will see this $105 credited towards your program fee.   If you choose to withdraw your study abroad application after being accepted to the program, you will forfeit your $105 deposit and will be responsible for any additional non-recoverable costs. Please read our cancellation policy carefully before making your deposit and submitting your application.

*A few of our programs have limited space.  If capacity is reached, priority will be given to degree-seeking GVSU students.

Post Acceptance/ Pre-departure

After the February 1st deadline, your acceptance will be finalized by the PIC.  Once you receive your acceptance letter, you should begin completing the required post acceptance forms.  They are as follows:

Expense Form – An itemized expense form will already be filled in for you.  However, you must complete the submission in order for it to appear on your student accounts.

Passport – You must upload a copy of the signed identification page of your passport to your Study Abroad Application Portal (Via TRM). 

Medical Insurance – Provide proof of medical insurance that covers you in your study abroad destination by entering your policy number and other requested insurance provider information.  If you are unsure whether your insurance will cover you overseas or not, contact your provider directly.

Health Information – Fill in the questionnaire as completely as possible.  The information you provide is confidential and only reviewed by approved staff in the event of a medical emergency.

View our complete Faculty-Led Program Pre-departure Checklist.

Cancellation
You will be assessed a portion of the program fee if you cancel your GVSU study abroad program at any time after you have been accepted by the Padnos International Center. Refer to the Cancellation Policy prior to making any decisions to withdraw from your program.

Communication
The Padnos International Center helps coordinate GVSU faculty-led summer programs and provides additional support. Once you have been accepted, most of your communication will be turned over to the professor or faculty director who is leading your study abroad program.   Be sure to check your email frequently for updates and any pre-departure tasks or responsibilities you may be assigned.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Padnos International Center to speak with one of our advisors if you have any questions or concerns throughout the pre-departure process: (616) 331-3898.

Enroll in your study abroad course(s)
Your faculty director will contact you and send you all of the necessary information for registering for your study abroad program’s course(s).   You must enroll in the program's designated course(s) through MyBanner by GVSU's spring/summer registration deadline.  Log in with your GVSU G-number and follow the steps provided for registering for courses.

Funding your journey

 

Guest Students pay GVSU in-state tuition for study abroad plus an additional $25 per credit. View the GVSU Tuition Rate 

Students typically pay for study abroad through a combination of financial aid, scholarships, grants, personal funds and alternative loans. With research and early planning, study abroad can be affordable.  Unfortunately, Guest Students admitted for study abroad are not eligible for any financial aid from GVSU, to apply for PIC-sponsored scholarships, or to use payment/ installment plans to pay the bill.  

Contact both the study abroad and financial aid offices at your home institution to discuss your eligibility for aid and other finance options.  If your bill is not paid in full by the posted payment deadline, your registration will be canceled and you will be dropped from the class. To avoid this, be sure to:

• Complete the necessary steps to maintain your degree-seeking status at your home institution and get your GVSU study abroad program approved.
• Check your GVSU email for important billing emails.
• Pay bills in full and on time, online through your GVSU student account.

View GVSU’s General Billing and Registration Guidelines 
 
Upon your return
All faculty-led study abroad participants receive GVSU credit for their program course(s). Courses are recorded on an official GVSU transcript unless your home institution has requested an exception.

GVSU provides one official transcript per student upon completion of a study abroad program. All Non-GVSU participants must complete a Transcript Request Form, to indicate the official office at your home institution to which the transcript should be sent. You will not receive a personal copy of your transcript.  Additional transcripts can be requested from the Registrar’s Office. You will need to use the downloadable PDF form and submit it via mail or fax to GVSU's Registrar's Office.