Welcome to the Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Seymour & Esther Padnos College of Engineering & Computing (PCEC)!

We're delighted that you've chosen to pursue a computing, engineering, occupational safety & health management, or professional science masters program degree at Grand Valley State University! With campuses in Grand Rapids and Allendale, Michigan, United States, the Padnos College of Engineering & Computing offers international students a unique blend of high-quality practical education, modest tuition, reasonable cost of living, a highly supportive educational environment, and real-world experiential industry-based education that help them to thrive at GVSU and graduate prepared to enter the workforce or pursue a graduate education.

All international students are eligible to receive in-state tuition via the in-state tuition scholarship.

If you have applied, or are considering applying, to PCEC as an international student this website can help answer your questions.

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1. All Padnos College of Engineering & Computing (PCEC) students gain valuable work experience through paid industry internship or co-op experiences, which are a required component of all PCEC programs.

2. PCEC students get started solving real industry problems right away. Project-based learning begins in students' first year.

3. Grand Valley State University (GVSU) is a big school with a small school feel. We offer small class sizes, personalized attention, and opportunities to work closely with faculty even at the undergraduate level.

4. GVSU faculty love to teach and are focused on student success. Our classes are taught by full-time faculty, not graduate teaching assistants.

5. Alumni of PCEC programs are in high demand and have nearly a 100% employment rate upon graduation. Many receive job offers as a result of their internship or co-op experiences.

6. Grand Valley State University tuition is modest compared to other institutions and the cost of living in Grand Rapids is much more affordable than larger U.S. cities. Graduate-level international tuition is the same as in-state tuition.

7. Padnos College of Engineering & Computing students have 24/7 access to state-of-the-art facilities including a wide variety of project spaces, laboratories, and equipment.

8. Staff in the GVSU Padnos International Center are passionate about international education. They provide advocacy, support, community, and resources to ensure international students' success.

9. Grand Valley State University is a very internationally-friendly institution. We rank 6th nationally for the number of students who study abroad, and we are a top producer of Fulbright scholars.

10. All PCEC programs are in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields and, in the U.S., students in STEM fields qualify for up to three years of work experience after graduation.

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PCEC Alumni Outcomes

Abdelrahman Elsayed

M.S.E. in Product Design & Manufacturing Engineering Student

Home Country: Egypt

"The methodology of learning which relates what we learn in class to solve real-life problems concerned with business and industry was the most valuable component to me. I most appreciated the experience I had through my program which allowed me not only to design creative and innovative prototypes but to actually use the hands-on skills gained through the program to manufacture such prototypes. Actually, I would like to thank my professors who were supportive through my educational experience both professionally and also on the personal side. They helped me as an international student to adapt with the American educational system and culture and never hesitated to help me whenever I needed."

Shahan Khan

B.S.E. in Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering Student

Home Country: Bangladesh

"I always wanted to see myself helping people with my engineering and technological expertise. GVSU helped me to learn the best practice of product design and manufacturing, and the internship program was a great opportunity to apply the knowledge instantly. GVSU immensely helped me to be process-oriented and made me someone who loves to jump ahead to solve any problem. No institution will teach you how to do the job, but a good engineering institution will build a problem-solving mindset in you which will help you to figure out the solution for any kind of problem. I think GVSU does this very well."

Priscila Ontiveros Chucatiny

B.S. in Computer Science Student

Home Country: Bolivia

"It was very important for me to have a strong foundation in STEM courses and the curriculum offered by GVSU was the perfect fit. It is a great balance between theory and the hands-on experience. I love how the faculty at GVSU teach you not how to solve problems but how to create solutions. If I could take a class again for fun, it would be Calculus 3. It was absolutely the best class I have ever had in my entire life! The professor gave excellent lectures and made calculus super interesting. I truly loved how I could apply the concepts I learned to real-life scenarios."

Aziz Gram Sarhan, Jr.

B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering Student

Home Country: England

“What drew me to Grand Valley was the hands-on aspect of the engineering program. I need that tangible feedback for me to feel like I can grow in my field. My favorite aspect about Grand Valley is the classroom size. It has allowed me to stop my professors in real time to ask questions. The professors really do want to help, and those relationships have definitely allowed me to grow. The labs at Grand Valley are preparing us for what we will be taking on in the future. Being here at any time, and enjoying what I’m doing, helps me know that I’m going into the right field."

Nicoline Saw

M.S.E. in Electrical and Computer Engineering Student

Home Country: Malaysia

"I chose to attend GVSU because the curriculum is very relevant to the industry today. The hands-on experience gained from doing the numerous projects, assignments, and labs has improved my troubleshooting skills and critical thinking. It has trained me to be resourceful and solve problems independently. Such useful skills have made me relevant in the job market. In addition, the location of the university is safe. Grand Rapids is not a busy city, so it was nice for me to study peacefully and experience the American culture. I also had the opportunity to be involved in mentoring girls from schools in Grand Rapids. I learned how to engage with and inspire young girls to pursue their dreams in engineering. This mentoring experience has greatly enriched my life."

MM Suvro Shahriar

M.S.E. in Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering Student

Home Country: Bangladesh

"The most valuable component of my GVSU education has been getting to work on really interesting class projects that expanded my learning beyond the textbook knowledge. The hands-on approach is undoubtedly the best part of this learning process. What most surprised me about GVSU is the helpfulness of all the faculty. Coming from a culture where the educational disbursement is mostly one-directional (from teacher to student), this was good change of pace. I have published research work in a conference which was elected as the best its category. I am still a student, so undoubtedly the future will bring about a greater Laker effect!"

Kushal Shrestha

M.S.E. in Electrical Engineering Student

Home Country: Nepal

"The choice was easy when it came to deciding to attend GVSU because of the available courses here. Moreover, the practical approach to every course is an added advantage for students like me who find it difficult to learn from just theories. Studying outside of the home country is really something. One begins to appreciate the little things in life and that is something priceless."

Pratik Shrestha

M.S. in Computer Science Student

Home Country: Nepal

"I spent 3 years at GVSU and I just love the vibe of being here. GVSU has a very good program on computer science with very well experienced faculty. Apart from the course program, I really like the location where it is situated. I always wanted to work in the field of Hardware Programming. I had the opportunity to work as a Firmware Engineering Intern at SoundOff Signal. I got the chance to put my academic and theoretical knowledge into industry and learned how things are done in professional world. As an enthusiastic, curious student who loves to understand how things work, this turned out to be one my most valuable experiences at GVSU and also became a foundational pillar to my future career."

Chit Zin Win

M.S. in Data Science and Analytics Student

Home Country: Myanmar

"Affordability makes GVSU so attractive to international students. The range of on-campus resources a student can benefit from surprised me the most. The faculty of Computer Science department are always welcoming and helpful when it comes to the course materials or enrollment. Professionally, the internship helped me not only land my first job, but also understand that continuous learning is the key for career progress."

View More PCEC Student & Alumni Spotlights

Computing Programs

Engineering Programs

Occupational Safety & Health Program

Computing Masters Programs

Engineering Masters Programs

Professional Science Masters Programs