Study abroad at Valparaiso

Valparaiso, Indiana (affectionately celebrated as 'Valpo' and consistently ranked among the safest and most welcoming college towns in the Midwest) is a vibrant, safe, and academically prestigious collegiate city situated in Northwest Indiana, located just 15 miles south of Lake Michigan (Indiana Dunes National Park) and 50 miles (1 hour) southeast of Downtown Chicago (with direct South Shore Line commuter train connections straight to Millennium Station in Chicago) and home to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and Midway (MDW) airports. Celebrated for its historic Downtown Valparaiso Central Park Plaza, the iconic Chapel of the Resurrection (the second largest collegiate chapel in the United States and a national architectural landmark), the Brauer Museum of Art, and its thriving regional economy in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and engineering. Valparaiso is the home of one of the Midwest's top-ranked private universities: Valparaiso University (Valpo - founded in 1859, independent doctoral/professional university enrolling over 3,200 students on a beautiful 350-acre parkland campus). Valpo is globally acclaimed for the College of Engineering (ABET-accredited, ranked Top 25 in the United States for Undergraduate Engineering), College of Business (AACSB-accredited), College of Nursing and Health Professions, and College of Arts and Sciences (Meteorology, Computer Science, and Data Science). Degrees are taught 100% in English with prestigious US accreditations. International students benefit from an exceptionally safe community, generous Valparaiso University International Merit Scholarships ($15,000 to $30,000/year), V-Line bus transit, and direct US F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support with 3-year STEM OPT work extensions.

Tuition fees in Valparaiso for international undergraduate students at Valparaiso University (Valpo) range between $45,500 and $47,800 per academic year for College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Business. Crucially, Valparaiso University awards generous automatic International Academic Merit Scholarships (International Presidential and Beacon Awards) discounting $15,000 to $30,000/year from tuition for qualified applicants based on high school GPA (bringing net annual tuition down to approx. $17,500–$32,500/year). Modern on-campus university student residences (Valpo: Beacon Hall, Brandt Hall, Guild/Memorial Hall, Wehrenberg Hall, Promenade Apartments - fully furnished student suites with high-speed Wi-Fi, utilities, and dining meal plans) cost between $650 and $1,100 per month (inclusive of meal plans and utilities), while off-campus student apartments in Valparaiso range from $450 to $750 per month for shared apartments. General monthly living expenses range between $680 and $1,100.

International students require a US F-1 Student Visa. Upon academic admission and verification of financial documentation (bank statement certifying first-year tuition and living expenses minus scholarship awards approx. $24,000), the International Programs Office (Valpo IPO) issues the official Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, completes the DS-160 online visa application, and attends the F-1 visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. STEM graduates qualify for a 24-month OPT extension (total 36 months of US employment authorization across Chicago engineering/tech corridors and nationwide).