ELLC Application
Application Materials
- Online Application Form (GovState Application in English or ApplyESL Application in your own language)
- Scanned Copy of Passport Identity Page or Copy of Identification written in English
- Financial Document and/or Affidavit of Support for I-20 to be submitted to Office of International Services (ois@govst.edu)
- Permanent residents and naturalized citizens, please submit the scanned copy of permanent residency card or American passport.
How to Apply
- Submit ELLC Application through GovState (in English) HERE
Deferred Enrollment
Deferred enrollment is not automatic. If you are an admitted student and are unable to begin your language course after it has started, you must contact the English Language and Learning Center (ELLC) office to request a deferral to a future semester. Upon approval, the ELLC will issue an updated I-20 and/or admission letter reflecting your new start date.
Do not wait — contact the ELLC office as soon as possible to avoid any disruption to your admission status.
English Proficiency Requirements for International Graduate Students: GovState welcomes international students to its full-time graduate programs and is committed to setting you up for success from day one. To enroll in a full-time graduate program at GovState, international students must demonstrate English proficiency through one of the following:
- Completion of an approved ESL program
- Submission of qualifying scores from one of the following accepted exams:
- IELTS
- PTE
- TOEFL
For minimum score requirements and additional information, contact the Office of International Students at ois@govst.edu.
Once you have applied to the English Language Learning Center, you can begin the process of obtaining your student visa.
To obtain your visa, you must first submit the following items to our office:
- A copy of the first page of your government issued passport
- A copy of a bank statement that indicates the equivalent of $28,550USD (This is 11 months tuition and living expenses that we need to see to issue I-20 document for F-1 student visa). This bank statement must not be dated later than 6 months from the time of the application.
- If the bank statement is in another person’s name, such as a parent’s name, then you must also submit an Affidavit of Support.
The documents can be emailed to esl@govst.edu.
Once these items are sent to our office, we will create an I-20 for you to use to obtain your student visa. You can find more information and instructions about the student visa process here at our Office of International Services website.
Some students may already have a student visa, and would like to transfer their SEVIS information over to Governors State University. For more information about transferring your SEVIS, please see this page on our Office of International Services website.
We provide airport pick up service for students who will live in Governors State University's Residence Hall. If you are in need of transportation from the airport to our school upon your arrival, please notify the English Language Learning Center, esl@govst.edu, and we will arrange a pick-up for you.
If you are in need of housing during your attendance to our program, we offer living arrangements through our University Housing page.
Contact Information
- Dr. Akiko Ota, Director, English Language Learning and Educational Partnerships
- 708-534-3143
- aota@govst.edu