Chosen twelve years in a row as one of the top public comprehensive colleges in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report, VCSU welcomes students from around the world to our friendly, technology-enriched campus of just over 1000 students.

Take a look at our website and you will see that we offer excellent advantages to a student wanting to study in the United States, including: 13:1 student to faculty ratio; over 35 academic majors from which to choose; a laptop computer provided every student with replacement every two years; numerous student organizations to involve yourself in the campus, and much more.

If you are a international transfer student from a non-U.S. school, you may be wondering if any of your previous work will apply to your VCSU degree. They just may! In order for us to evaluate your previous coursework, VCSU requires students seeking to have credits transfer use the Worldwide Education Services (WES) organization to have the course descriptions interpreted. The Registrar's Office will then receive the information to better evaluate what credits will transfer.

Canadian students do not need to use the evaluation service, however, you must have an official transcript sent to VCSU directly from the university attended.

To find out more about this service, click on either hyperlink to WES. If you have any questions, email us today!

On the left-hand column are links to information about VCSU, including the steps to being admitted and acquiring the Form I-20. For a complete guide to regulations set forth by the United States Student Exchange Visitor Program, which provide tips and requirements for entry and maintenance of the student visa status, go to the SEVP website.

VCSU welcomes numerous Canadian students to our campus each year. To assist in making your travels across the border and to campus as smooth as possible, we have created a quick link to the official information produced by our embassy in Ottawa. Much of the information is general in nature, but you should pay close attention to the first couple of links on this site. Be advised that you must present the VCSU-issued I-20 each time you cross the border. Also, be sure to pay the SEVIS fee prior to crossing the border.

If you have any questions, please contact us using the directory information on the right hand side of our website.

Cultural Items: When you start to pack remember to pack some pictures from home. These pictures will help you feel not so far from your family and friends. Pictures are also a great conversation starter with your roommates, classmates, faculty and staff. If you have any other cultural items that can travel easily, bring those too! Also be sure to pack your toothbrush, tooth paste and other hygiene products.

Clothes:Bring a good selection of clothes that can be easily adjust to climate changes. During the spring, summer and fall months, students wear a lot of shorts. In the winter you will experience "layers". Layering your clothes help keep your body heat in and the cold wind out. For example students may layer by wearing a t-shirt or long sleeve shirt under a sweater. The winter months can be chilly, so wearing a hat, gloves, and boots is a great idea. If you don't have some of these items, they can be inexpensively purchased at one of our thrift stores located close to campus.

Weather: The climate in North Dakota is one of the most varied in the United States. Because of our position on the continent and our latitudinal position on earth, we experience a wide variety of weather phenomena. The temperature averages range for the year is 84.5 degrees Fahrenheit (to convert to degrees Celsius, first subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit temperature, then multiply times five and divide by 9). Extremes can be as high as 105-110 degrees down to 30 to 40 degrees below zero for a low.

Money: You will need to have some spending cash when you arrive into the United States. Your travel itinerary may have you waiting in airports hours and you would be able to purchase some food and beverages.

Communication: You are provided with a telephone in their dorm room. You can purchase long distance (including international) calling cards that allow you to phone home. You are also provided a laptop computer to use while you are enrolled in classes. Email is a great way to keep in touch with families, especially when the time difference can be 7+ hours apart.

If you would like to learn more about Valley City, North Dakota, go to: www.hellovalley.com

If you have any other questions related to VCSU or Valley City, contact the Enrollment Services Office by emailing: enrollment.services@vcsu.edu

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