Financial Requirements

ESTIMATED EXPENSES AND FINANCIAL COSTS

Academic Year 2008 - 2009
 

The University of St. Thomas is required by the United States government to examine the financial documentation of F-1 and J-1 students to verify that the financial support is sufficient in order to issue an I-20 or DS 2019. An international student at UST will need to show official proof of sufficient funds to cover tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, health insurance, and personal expenses. Proof of funding cannot be more than 3 months old at time of application. The statements will need to show the amount listed for each program (Click for Estimated Fees for Graduate Programs) and needs to cover an entire academic year of funds.

• The funding can be from personal funds, funds from the student's family/sponsor, scholarships, fellowships or sponsoring agencies or governments.
  
  
• Funding needs to be in liquid assets only. Property is not an acceptable source of funding. Retirement funds will be reduced by 40% due to penalties and taxes for early withdrawal, if used before maturity.
  
  
• The funds need to be on original bank letterhead stationery with a signature of the bank official in ink or a photocopy of the bank statement will need to be stamped by the issuing bank in original stamp ink and have a signature of a bank official in ink. Faxes, scanned copies, notarized copies and photocopies (without the original stamp/signature) are not acceptable documentation. Bank statements can not be dated more than three months prior to the date of application.  Original documents will be returned with the decision letter to the student for visa appointment.
  
  
• An original letter from the sponsor indicating the amount he/she is willing to sponsor per year and the length of time the sponsorship will be available is required. The letter needs to be signed in ink and accompany the original bank statement.
  
  
• An English translation by an official translating agency and with the stamp and signature of the translating official, and contact information of translating agency is required for all statements not in English.
  
  
• As part of the application process all students must complete and return the Financial Certification Form.
  
  

Before obtaining a visa the student must have appropriate funds available in U.S. currency. The University requires all F-1 and J-1 students to purchase the University's health insurance plan. An additional $6,000 per year should be added to the proof of support for an accompanying spouse and $3,000 per year for each child. This amount does not include costs of round-trip travel expenses.