Required Financial Documentation

Boston University is required by U.S. government regulation to verify adequate funding for tuition, fees, and living expenses to issue an I-20 or DS-2019 to assist new students to apply for a student visa. Therefore, we require new students to submit documentation demonstrating sufficient financial support for the first academic year of the program (or for the duration of the program if less than one year).

Every year the university publishes an estimate of the tuition, fees, and living expenses to be used in the review of financial documentation before issuing immigration documents.  Your immigration document will reflect an estimated figure and will not reflect the exact amount you are billed tuition and fees.

Undergraduate students: New incoming undergraduate students: Refer to Undergraduate Admissions for documentation for financial support. For program extension and return from a leave of absence: Refer to the Estimate of Expenses for minimum funding requirements for undergraduate students.

Graduate students: Refer to the Estimate of Expenses for the minimum funding requirements for programs at the Charles River Campus and Medical Campus.

Summer Term students: Contact Summer Term at sumintl@bu.edu or check the How to Register section of their website.

All declarations of financial support must:

1. Reflect the minimum amount of support in U.S. dollars
2. Include a date and be no more than one year old from the intended date of enrollment
3. Be written in English
4. Reflect funds that are readily available for tuition payments (i.e., checking or savings accounts). Certain investment accounts such as stocks, salary documents, property holdings, etc. do not reflect available funds and will not be accepted

Students can demonstrate their proof of funding from one or from a few funding sources:

• Personal Funds:  Funds accounts in the student’s own name
• Family Funds:  Funds in accounts of any relative of the student
• Private Sponsor:  Funds in an account of non-relative sponsor, employment related sponsor, or scholarship from an outside organization
• Home Government:  Funding that comes from the student’s home country
• Student Loan: Funding secured by the student from a loan company
• Funds from the School:  Scholarships or Stipends from Boston University

While Boston University will accept scanned copies of financial documents, it is recommended that students secure an original copy to provide to the consular officer during the visa application interview and to an immigration officer at the U.S. Port of Entry (if requested).

Additional Information

Although regulations only require Boston University to verify one year of financial support, the consular officer at your visa interview may ask you to clarify your funding plan for subsequent years of study. Therefore, you should be able to explain your funding plans for your entire program and you are encouraged to bring supplement financial documentation if possible.