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Financial Documents For Issuance of I-20 or DS-2019

All students are required to demonstrate financial ability to pay for at least one year of academic and living expenses (to receive an I-20) or for the entire cost of your program of study (to receive a DS-2019). Additionally, a deposit is generally required before any immigration document can be issued. For more information on deposits, contact your admissions office.

Requirements and Steps 

  1. Determine the Cost of Your Program
    There are different costs for each AU program of study. To find the costs of the first year of your program of study please see our Cost Guides for International Students.
  2. Complete the Certification of Finances for International Students (CFIS)
    After you have determined the cost of your program of study, please fill out the Certification of Finances for International Students (CFIS) (PDF). If you have additional sources of funds, you may need to submit the Attachment to the Certification of Finances for International Students (PDF).

    *No typed names are acceptable for signatures on this document, only official digital signatures including a digital ID signature and scanned image of wet signature are acceptable. Alternatively, you may print, fill out, and sign the form with ink and scan for submission.
  3. Gather Supporting Financial Documents
    Valid financial documents must...
    • Show available funds (funds that can be liquidated (PDF) before the first day of classes) sufficient to cover the cost of your first year in your program of study (F-1) or full length of your program of study (J-1).
    • Be in English or be accompanied by a notarized English translation.
    • Be dated within the past 3 months.
    • Be on official bank letterhead with the bank's address and contact information, stamped and signed by a bank official with printed name title and contact information next to signature.

    Please keep copies of these financial documents as you will need them when you apply for your visa.

  4. Submit CFIS and Supporting Financial Documents to Your Admissions Office 
    Submit the completed CFIS Form and supporting financial documents to your Admissions Office at the time of your admission application. For questions on how to fill out the form(s), you can contact your admissions office or ISSS at (202) 885-3350/isssdocuments@american.edu

    If you are contacted by ISSS for insufficient financial documents, you must provide additional documents. 

Appropriate Financial Documents

Please see below description of appropriate financial documents and samples for your reference. You may submit multiple financial documents, but the total amount demonstrated must meet or exceed the Cost Guide for your program.

Bank documents must...

  • Be on bank letter head, stamped and signed by a bank official including contact information and bank address.
  • Specifies the date, account number, monetary currency (e.g. CNY, INR, NGN..etc), amount, and name of the account holder.
  • Specifies a liquid account type. Acceptable account types are checking, current, debit, deposit, cash, money market and saving accounts.
    • Documents for other account types must clearly state funds are available for immediate withdrawal. Otherwise, it must be accompanied by a letter from the bank which certifies funds are available for immediate withdrawal.

Example

  • American University scholarship or graduate merit award letter signed and accepted by the student.
  • Pay attention to the scholarship terms as only the amount provided in year 1 will be used on your I-20 funding calculation. This may mean only a partial amount of your total scholarship will be calculated for the I-20/DS-2019 issuance purpose. 

If you are sponsored by the U.S. Government, Home Government, International Organization, Company, or Employer, your funding organization must provide a formal letter on official letterhead with an authorized signature. The letter must specify the sponsorship amount, currency, dates, and terms, along with the organization's complete contact information. 

Government & International Organizations  

For sponsorship from the U.S. Government, home government, or international organizations, only the sponsorship letter is required. 

Private Companies/Organizations  

Private company or organization sponsorship requires two documents: 

  1. Sponsorship letter as described above 

  1. Bank documentation in the company/organization's name proving sufficient funds to cover the stated sponsorship amount. Bank document must meet the requirements outlined in the “Bank Document” section above. 

Example

If a U.S. citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident, or non-immigrant resident in the U.S. will provide you with room and board, they must complete the Form  I-134 Declaration of Financial Support Form (PDF). This type of sponsorship applies only when the sponsor will house and feed you during your studies.

Important Requirements

  • The sponsor must reside in the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia) area within driving distance from AU . 
  • When completing Form I-134, they must: 
    • Select “I intend” at Part 3, number 21, and specify their commitment (for example: “I will provide room and board for 2 years / for the duration of the beneficiary's study”)
    • Use Part 8 if additional space is needed
    • Also sign the CFIS form in the designated section.

Financial Documentation: 

  • If the sponsor provide room and board ONLY: Bank statement is NOT required . 
    • A signed Form I-134 covering room and board satisfies those expenses in the Cost Guide for I-20/DS-2019 issuance. However, you must still prove you can pay for all other expenses like tuition, fees, and health insurance. 
  • If they will sponsor with funds, a bank statement MUST accompany the signed CFIS form. I-134 is not used for proof of funds in this case.

 

For instructions on how to complete the I-134 Declaration of Financial Support, the sponsor should visit https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-134instr.pdf.

The individual should also sign the CFIS form in the appropriate section. Additionally, the sponsor should not provide a copy of their tax returns to ISSS. Students should not file the form directly with USCIS but rather submit the completed copy as a PDF to admissions office or ISSS. 

To be accepted for proof of financial support for immigration document issuance, loan documents must be a signed contract of agreement or signed confirmation letter that is not conditional upon any next steps. The contract or letter must state the exact amount that the student will be receiving and be signed by the lender and borrower.

For U.S.-based personal loans: if you are not able to receive a document that meet the above requirements, then the loan must be certified by the AU financial aid office before it can be used for the issuance of the immigration Form I-20/DS-2019. Please work closely with your lender to ensure that all their application requirements have been met so that the lender can send the certification request toAU's Office of Financial Aid. Once AU financial aid receives the certification request, they will check to ensure you are enrolled in courses for the upcoming term. Once the loan has been certified, you will receive e-mail confirmation. For more information about alternative credit-based loans, please see:  https://www.american.edu/financialaid/alternative-loans.cfm.