UMass Lowell International Students: Financial Documentation

For visa document issuance, you must show all sources of your financial support and ensure that the sum equals or exceeds the International Undergraduate Estimate of Expenses or the International Graduate Student Estimate of Expenses for yourself and any dependents.
All new F-1 international students are required to show proof that funds are guaranteed for the first year of study.
  • While you are only asked to present proof of one year of funding as per our Estimate of Expenses, you are required to be able to continue to fund your U.S. educational costs for the duration of your academic program. 
  • Any combination of funds is acceptable, provided that you can demonstrate how you can cover the full first year cost of the program.
All new J-1 international students are required to show proof that funds are guaranteed for the full length of the program.

Below are the requirements for each type of documentation. Keep in mind that although you are not required to submit original documents to UMass Lowell (UML), you may be required to show ORIGINAL financial documents at your visa appointment, at the port of entry, or to USCIS if you are submitting a Change of Status application.

Types of Fund

  • Bank statement, bank letter.
  • Bank statement or letter details:
    • Name of account holder must be present.
    • Must be dated within the last six months
    • Exact amount of money in the account must be listed -OR- letter must state that the holder has enough money in the account to cover the estimated costs (with cost listed).
    • Must be in English or include a certified English translation.
    • Type of account (e.g. savings, checking, time deposit) must be included
    • Type of currency must be included.
    • An original document is not required for I-20/DS-2019 issuance purposes but is strongly encouraged for the visa application.

  • Family's or sponsor's bank statement or bank letter dated within the last six months (refer to bank statement or letter documentation details above)
  • If providing proof of funding from a sponsor, students must also include a Declaration and Certification of Finances Form (pdf).
    • The Declaration and Certification of Finance (DCF) form is an attestation signed and dated by a student’s financial sponsor certifying that the sponsor has sufficient liquid funds to cover all expenses related to the costs of the student’s program of study.
    • By signing and submitting the DCF, the student’s financial sponsor is attesting that the financial support is available for the entire duration of the program of study.
    • Financial sponsor’s bank letter or statement must meet the Required Documentation Details indicated above.
    • The student’s and financial sponsor’s signatures must be originally hand signed and may not be typed.

  • Copy of the letter from department/university detailing your type of award. If the award does not cover the total expense listed in the Estimate of Expenses, you must show proof of funding that covers the remaining expenses.

  • Educational loans require a sanction letter from the provider.

Documentation Details

  • Must be on formal letterhead.
  • Must be dated within the last six months.
  • Name of award recipient must be present.
  • Must indicate the name of the UMass Lowell (UML) Degree being covered.
  • Must state the period of time covered by the award.
  • Must state the total amount of support for the given time.

Non-Acceptable Financial Documents:

  • Investment accounts
  • Salary confirmation
  • Pay statements
  • Retirement plans
  • Home equity
  • Tax returns
  • Proof of salary (not including Resident Assistantship/Teaching Assistantship (RA/TA) funding)

A Note on Financial Preparedness

On-campus jobs are scarce, and off-campus work authorization is restrictive for international students, so it is imperative that you have access to the funding needed to cover your expenses. Once on campus, students are not permitted to register for future semesters unless they have paid their previous semester’s bill. International students' valid status depends on the student being able to continue to register for a full-time course load. For questions about tuition/fees, please contact The Solution Center.