Obtaining an Initial Document

International Students wishing to attend Governors State University must first complete an online application. The application process will require all of the documentation that domestic applicants must submit, based on their program, in addition to the following materials:

  • Detailed Course-by-Course Credential Evaluation from a NACES- or AICE-member institution. [Applicable if your previous degree or diploma was obtained at an institution outside the United States.]
  • English Proficiency Requirement (Qualifying test score or Completion of the 112 level through ELS Education Services Inc.'s Language Centers.) [if your previous degree was from an institution where English is not the foundational language.]
    • TOEFL 
      • Graduate Students: minimum 20 in each category with at least an overall 80)
      • Undergraduate Students: minimum 19 reading, 16 writing, 18 listening, and 15 speaking 
       
    • IELTS
      • overall 6.0 (all degree levels) 
       
    • PTE 
      • Graduate Students: minimum 53 in each section
      • Undergraduate Students:  minimum 51 reading, 43 writing, 48 listening, and 40 Speaking  
       
     
  • Financial Statement Covering the Estimated Expenses for your Program [F-1 & J-1 students only]

If you have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of International Services.

Once you have been admitted to the university, then you will work with the Office of International Services to obtain your I-20 (F-1 Students) or DS-2019 (J-1 Students). We cannot issue your immigration document until you have been accepted by the university and we have been notified of your acceptance. Once your document is created, it will be emailed to your GSU email account ONLY.