diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/__init__.py b/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/__init__.py
index e69de29bb2..cf9ef2ad15 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/__init__.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+"""
+Student Identity Verification App
+"""
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/apps.py b/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/apps.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d07692b14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/apps.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+"""
+Student Identity Verification Application Configuration
+"""
+
+from django.apps import AppConfig
+
+
+class VerifyStudentConfig(AppConfig):
+    """
+    Application Configuration for verify_student.
+    """
+    name = 'lms.djangoapps.verify_student'
+    verbose_name = 'Student Identity Verification'
+
+    def ready(self):
+        """
+        Connect signal handlers.
+        """
+        from . import signals  # pylint: disable=unused-variable
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/startup.py b/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/startup.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 8045c5f972..0000000000
--- a/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/startup.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Setup the signals on startup.
-"""
-import lms.djangoapps.verify_student.signals  # pylint: disable=unused-import
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 656a7a02a3..9d84f3f64a 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -2129,7 +2129,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = [
     'bulk_enroll',
 
     # Student Identity Verification
-    'lms.djangoapps.verify_student',
+    'lms.djangoapps.verify_student.apps.VerifyStudentConfig',
 
     # Dark-launching languages
     'openedx.core.djangoapps.dark_lang',
diff --git a/lms/envs/test_with_mysql.py b/lms/envs/test_with_mysql.py
index 65ed10a56b..aad9b6ec8a 100644
--- a/lms/envs/test_with_mysql.py
+++ b/lms/envs/test_with_mysql.py
@@ -11,5 +11,5 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = [
     'django.contrib.auth',
     'django.contrib.contenttypes',
 
-    'lms.djangoapps.verify_student',
+    'lms.djangoapps.verify_student.apps.VerifyStudentConfig',
 ]