Grand Valley State University educates students to shape their lives, their professions and their societies. The university contributes to the enrichment of society through excellent teaching, active scholarship and public service. At Grand Valley State University, we value effective teaching, liberal education, scholarship, university and community, and service.
Grand Valley State University Distance Learning Courses
L. William Seidman, widely recognized as “the father of Grand Valley State University,” was interviewed for GVSU’s 50th Anniversary Video History Project shortly before his death in May of 2009. The Grand Rapids businessman, who became an economic advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, chair of the FDIC and head of the Resolution Trust Corp.
Education
Grand Valley features a rich academic environment focusing on excellent faculty, outstanding students, hands-on research opportunities and nationally ranked graduate programs. Grand Valley offers over 200 areas of study, including 87 undergraduate majors and 36 graduate programs.
Research
Independent research and scholarship can be a daunting undertaking. To support students in their pursuit of research and scholarship, GVSU and OURS offer a number of resources to help with the research and creative process, submitting conference proposals and presentations, drafting publications and grant proposals, and doing formal presentations.
Career
Find employment opportunities on campus by visiting the Student Employment Office at 103 Student Services Building in person or looking at their website.
Grand Valley State UniversityKey Statistics & Highlights
#1501Ranking
33 Courses
1,386Academic Staff
21,482Students
215Students (int'l)
13,104Students (female)
Public Institution Type
Student services
Student Life wants to help you Become More than just another student. We have resources, programs, services, and organizations of every kind that will help you become who you want to be during college.
Housing services
If you plan on studying at Grand Valley for more than one year, we recommend you apply for a Resident Assistant ( RA) position. The application to become an RA will be due in November for the following fall and winter.
Library services
Grand Valley State University Libraries was the proud recipient of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) 2012 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. The University Libraries purposefully collect, teach, display, discover, disseminate and preserve information, in all its forms, to support the university curriculum and fuel the intellectual life of the university.
Medical services
The Metro Health GVSU Campus Health Center is a full-service, on-campus health center focused on providing convenient and high-quality care for Grand Valley students and faculty. Our medical staff, including physicians and mid-level providers, offers a variety of health services, including treatment for injuries, infections and illness; women’s health; allergy shots; physicals and more.
Campus life
Living on campus gives you opportunities and advantages that can make your college experience more memorable, more enjoyable, and more successful. And because students who live on campus get better grades and are more likely to graduate than those who don't, you realize that living on campus is really about more than a lifestyle - it's about your life.
Sports facilities
Baseball
Bowling
Cricket
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Roller Hockey
Rugby
Rowing
Soccer
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
Wrestling
Archery
Backpacking
Boxing
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Capoeira Mandinga
European Martial Arts
Fencing
Just Tennis
Kung Fu
Table Tennis
Taekwondo
Vertical Earth
Women's Basketball
Yoga
Bass Anglers
Cycling
Dodgeball
Equestrian
Golf
Gymnastics
Quidditch
Running
Sailing
Shooting
Ski and Snowboard
Strength
Swim
Tennis
Triathlon
Water Ski & Wakeboard
Student clubs
We are home to 32 inter/national fraternity and sorority organizations, representing about 7% of the GVSU student community.
Grand Valley Fraternity & Sorority Life goes toe-to-toe as they battle to be the winner of Greek Week! LipSync is the highlight event of Greek Week where students show off their best dance moves in an effort to win the crown.
Accreditation
Grand Valley as an institution is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.[71] Grand Valley also has baccalaureate program accreditation with AACSB, ABET, APTA, CSWE, NASAD, NASM, NCATE, and NLN.
Grand Valley State UniversityOverview
Grand Valley State UniversityRankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 17.5%United States
Top 26.5%Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
World University Rankings
1501
By Times Higher Education
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
2024
2025
2026
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1501
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Grand Valley State UniversityStudent Reviews & Awards
4.3
Based on 29 reviews
5 Star
15 Reviews
4 Star
11 Reviews
3 Star
1 Review
2 Star
0 Reviews
1 Star
2 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
Student Teacher Interaction4.6
Student Diversity4.5
Admission Process4.5
Quality of Student Life4.1
Career Development4.7
5/5
An enriching and valuable learning experience
My university experience is very enriching both academically and personally. I have a solid knwoledge in many important areas in computer science, especially in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and software development. The courses were well-structured and helped me build strong theoretical knowledge as well as practical skills through projects and assignments.
I especially appreciated the hands-on work, which improved my teamwork and problem-solving abilities. The learning environment was motivating and helped me grow in confidence over time.
However,I think there is still potential for improvement, especially by increasing internship opportunities and real-world industry experience to better prepare students for professional careers.
Overall, it was a very positive and enriching experience that helped me develop important skills for my future career.
Posted bykodra fakraoui
Studied fromApr 2026 - Sep 2028
Posted onMay 2026
4/5
Up-to-Date Tech & Polyvalent Learning
ESILV is a great school�modern, up-to-date, and very accessible, especially for students coming from a "classe pr�pa."
While the Paris campus is impressive, I have one warning regarding student associations: they are a major focus of the school�s promotion, but getting accepted into one can be quite difficult due to the sheer number of students. The exception to this is usually the technical associations, which are more accessible if you are ready to put down the work. Another downside to note is that the English proficiency of some professors can make their lectures difficult to follow.
However, there are significant upsides, particularly regarding the Nantes campus:
Community & Access: The Nantes campus is much smaller, making it significantly easier to join associations and get involved.
Personalized Learning: In Nantes, the professors actually know you personally, which isn't usually the case in Paris. Depending on your learning style, this can be a huge advantage.
Practical Application: Especially within the majors�but true since the first year�there is a heavy emphasis on projects and the real-world application of what you learn.
The LIA Major: My major (Software Engineering & AI) is incredibly versatile. It allows you to stay "polyvalent," exploring a wide range of subjects and learning various new technologies without being pigeonholed too early.
Posted byAnonymous
Studied fromUnknown
Posted onAug 2026
4/5
what next
What I appreciated most about my study experience was the opportunity to gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The programme provided a solid academic foundation, and many of the courses were relevant to real world challenges in technology. I particularly enjoyed the collaborative learning environment, where discussions, group projects, and interactions with lecturers helped deepen my understanding of complex topics. Access to digital learning resources and supportive instructors also contributed positively to my learning experience.
Another aspect I valued was the diversity of perspectives among students. Working with people from different backgrounds encouraged critical thinking and helped me develop communication and teamwork skills that are essential in professional environments.
However, there are areas that could be improved. One improvement could be increasing the number of practical projects, internships, or industry collaborations. This would allow students to apply theoretical knowledge more directly to real world situations. Additionally, more updated laboratory resources and industry guest lectures could further enhance the learning experience by exposing students to current trends and innovations.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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