The ISSO wants to stress the importance of financial preparation when coming to the United States to begin an academic program. International students are required to present evidence of financial support before being issued a Form I-20/DS-2019. 

A note on financial solvency and limited U.S. work authorization:

We strongly discourage students from depending on on-campus work to assist with the costs of studying in the U.S. On-campus work opportunities are limited and international students are limited to a maximum of 20 hours of on-campus work per week. On-campus work should only be considered for supplementary spending money. It is not a guaranteed means to support daily living expenses or school tuition/fees. 

Off-campus work is not permitted for international students until they have successfully completed one full academic year of full-time registration (18 credits for graduate students and 24 credits for undergraduate students, independent of required pre-requisites). All off-campus work requires authorization from the ISSO and the issuance of a new Form I-20 or DS-2019.

Please check the Student Financial Services website on how to pay your first school bill and direct any questions you may have by email to: TheSolutionCenter@uml.edu.

In order to register for courses, your balance may not exceed $1,000. A registration hold is placed preventing registration for students with balances beyond $1,000. If you are not registered full-time by the end of the add/drop period you will be at risk of violating your international student status. It is crucial that you are financially prepared for your U.S. educational costs.