International Student Resources
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Feel Supported in Valparaiso
Career Services and Alumni Network
The Valparaiso University Career & Alumni Network has a wide variety of information, tips, and resources which students can use as they prepare for their careers. Find dates for job & internship fairs at Valpo, ways to improve your resume, opportunities to attend practice interviews, and much more!
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT-SPECIFIC
Workshops & Panels
About the Panelists (April 18, 5PM CT)
- Kunle Oguneye – Cloud Consultant at Google
- B.S. Electrical Engineering, 1997
- Nana Frimpong – Chief Operating Officer at Social Impact
- M.S. International Commerce & Policy, 2005
- Wei Gao – Director, Pricing Analytics, Follett Higher Education
- M.S. International Commerce & Policy, 2009
About the Panelists (Feb 29, 5PM CT)
- Shreedhar Pandey – Fullstack Software Engineer – TikTok/Bytedance
- B.S. Computer Science & Mathematics, 2022
- Subhanga Ghimire – Process Engineer – Eli LIlly & Company
- B.E., Computer Engineering, 2022
- Muhammad Ahmed Naveed – Application Engineer – WestRock Company
- B.S., Electrical Engineering, 2020 – Minor in Computer Science
About the Panelists (April 6, 5:30PM CT)
- Chamindu Amarasinghe – Physics, 2018
- Xiaotong (Tonia) Xu – Civil Engineering, 2018
- Bharath Gade – Information Technology, 2016
- Junaid Ehsan – Information Technology, 2021
- Pradeep Dilli – Information Technology, 2016
About the Panelists (April 28th)
- Raghavendra Ponnam – 2017 Masters, Information Technology
- Kumar Gaurav – 2020 Bachelors, Health Civil Engineering
- Weiqi Wang – 2020 Bachelors, Finance
- Enxhi Uzeir – 2020 Bachelors, Finance
About the Panelists (April 28)
- Career Tips for International Students Workshop – March 30
- Valpo International Alumni Conversation Panels – April 19
- 2pm recording passcode – #2pmPanel
- 5pm recording passcode – #5pmPanel
- Navigating your first U.S. job offer (July 2019)
- Tips for applying for & securing H-1B work visas (April 2019)
- Ways international students can build “job-search muscle” (October 2018)
Health Services at Valpo
Valparaiso University requires all international students to carry health insurance for their protection while studying in the U.S. This coverage ensures access to affordable, quality medical care during your time at Valpo and is billed with your tuition each term.
Steps to Obtain a U.S. Driver’s License
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is an official English translation of license information and must be accompanied by the out-of-country license. The IDP is a document/card separate from your out-of-country license; simply having an out-of-country driver’s license is not enough.
This IDP is only valid for one year; after that time, you must obtain a full U.S. driver’s license. Please be aware that some police officers in the U.S. are not familiar with the IDP. Therefore, it is a good idea to get your U.S. driver’s license as soon as possible, even if you technically are allowed to drive with your IDP.
Your country’s driver’s license may be accepted as proof of driving experience, eliminating the learner’s permit requirement but not the driver’s license requirement. If the license is not in English, an English translation on a separate page on letterhead will be required. In some cases, the Office of International Programs can provide this translation for you, but this services is not always available. Check with them on this by emailing international@valpo.edu.
You must go to the local Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) to apply for the driver’s license.
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
1361 Morthland Drive, Suite G
Valparaiso, IN 46385
Off of Highway 30 near Harley Davidson Dealership
Contact: 219.462.4814
Bring the following documents:
- Latest I-20 or DS-2019
- Passport & Visa
- Current I-94
- 2 Proofs of Indiana Residency (for example, bank statement, electric bill, or apartment lease with your name on it)
You will have to take a written test, and may be required to schedule a driving test. The BMV will give you the exact details for how to receive a U.S. driver’s license.
Feel free to contact International Programs if you need help in understanding the driver’s license process.
If You Have an Out-of-state Driver’s License:
- You have 60 days to get an Indiana driver’s license if you have moved here from another state and are holding a license from that state.
Student Letters
There are certain situations for which we will provide students with verification letters signed by an office staff member and printed on official letterhead.
Please allow two to three business days for the processing of these letters; you will be notified by email when your letter has been completed.
You may pick up the completed letter at the front desk of the International Programs office.
While we definitely hope your family & friends can visit you, in almost all cases, the International Programs office does not provide invitation letters to students for their family/guests who are applying for B-2 visas, since International Programs is not the actual “inviter” of the guests (the student is the inviter).
Provided to students who have found an on-campus job and need to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). The student should go to iValpo and find the “Social Security Number (SSN) Letter Request” e-form under the F-1 Student Services tab and submit it. Allow three business days for processing from the time that your supervisor verifies your employment to the International Programs office. See this page for more details.