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New Student Intake Forms: Proof of Financial Support

If you are not fully funded by the University, you will need to provide evidence of your financial support via the New Student Intake Forms (NSIF). Documentation is required to cover estimated expenses for at least one full year of study.

The ISO revises estimated expenses for each academic program annually, in March/April. We cannot issue your I-20 or DS-2019 for the upcoming academic year until those figures are finalized. ISO's estimated expenses include tuition and fees associated with your program of study, basic costs of living, and support for any dependent family members who may accompany you. Keep in mind these figures are estimates of anticipated expenses and may not fully reflect all charges billed by the University. Please contact your admitting department or Admissions Office for detailed information regarding program costs.

Living Expenses: For immigration purposes, the ISO is required to identify the average cost of living for international students, including: housing, meals, local transportation, personal costs, and academic books and supplies. For students living off-campus, this total currently averages up to $1725 per month, over 9 to 12 months in the academic year. This figure is an ESTIMATE only, made in consultation with the Financial Aid Office. Many students find that their actual costs will vary, either higher or lower, from this amount. For undergraduates expected to live on-campus, standard room and board fees will be used instead of a monthly calculation. Additionally, these estimates do NOT include international travel costs, optional services, or other professional costs that you may incur here.

Dependent Expenses: For each dependent family member accompanying you to UR, you will be required to show documented financial support for an additional $7000 annually, per person.

 

Documenting Financial Support

Original documentation will be required when you apply for your visa or travel to the United States to begin your program. When completing the NSIF, you will be prompted to upload an electronic copy of your funding document(s) for ISO review. Proof of available funds should only include liquid assets that are easily accessible: cash, stocks or bonds, money market accounts, mutual funds, or similar. Other assets that represent future, past or estimated values are NOT sufficient, such as retirement accounts, annual salary statements, tax documents and property/land holdings.

Acceptable Documentation: Plan ahead to request and update required funding documents with your financial institution, as needed. Please consider the following guidelines:

  • Proof of financial support must include the bank or financial institution, name of the account holder(s), account number, type of account, current balance and currency, and statement date.
  • Documents must be unaltered and recently issued, not more than 4-6 months prior to the date of your visa interview or entry to the country.
  • Statements printed in a language other than English will require a written translation. Be sure to include this when uploading documentation to the NSIF as well.
  • A bank letter may be issued in lieu of a current account statement, provided the bank official attests to the availability of sufficient funds and provides an original signature or other certification.
  • Support from an outside scholarship, home institution, employer, or other organization can be documented by the official award letter. Similarly, University funding should be documented via your UR award letter during your visa interview and travel. 

Family or Sponsor Funds: If you are being funded by a relative, friend or other private sponsor, you must have documentation that they intend to support your education at the University of Rochester. In addition to their bank statement showing available funds, they must provide a brief statement indicating their relationship to you and explaining that the documented funding is available for your studies. Your sponsor may use the template provided as a Statement of Financial Support, or they may prepare a similar letter on your behalf. Note: This letter is not necessary when your name is officially listed on the financial account, as these will be considered personal funds for immigration purposes.

Subject to ISO Review: Document files must be clear and readable after upload to the NSIF. Incomplete or insufficient proof of funding will result in delays to issue your I-20 or DS-2019. If documentation provided does not appear to be authentic or may not satisfy official review at the US Consulate, we will request additional evidence for evaluation.

 

Return to additional instructions for the New Student Intake Forms.