For visa document issuance, you must show all sources of your financial support and ensure that the sum equals or exceeds the International Undergraduate Estimate of Expenses or the International Graduate Student Estimate of Expenses for yourself and any dependents.
All financial documentation must be in English (or certified English translations must be included) and must be dated within the past 6 months.
Financial documentation must be liquid funding, meaning that the money is readily available to you, such as the following:
- Bank statement (checking or savings accounts)
- If providing proof of funding from a sponsor, students must also include a Declaration and Certification of Finances Form (pdf).
- Educational loan
- Scholarships
- Research or Teaching Assistantship offer letters
The following examples of financial documentation are NOT acceptable:
- Investment accounts
- Home equity
- Tax returns
- Proof of salary (not including Resident Assistantship / Teaching Assistantship (RA/TA) funding)
- Retirement plans
A Note on Financial Preparedness
Although you are only asked to present proof of one year of funding as per our Estimate of Expenses, you are legally expected to be able to continue to fund your U.S. educational costs for the duration of your academic program. On-campus jobs are scarce and off-campus work authorization is very restrictive for international students, so it is imperative that you have access to the needed funding in order to cover your expenses. Once on campus, students are not permitted to register for future semesters unless they have paid their previous semester’s bill. International students' legal status depends on the student being able to continue to register for a full-time course load. For questions about tuition/fees, please contact The Solution Center.