International Graduate Student Services
Financial Requirements

International students who are or will be in F-1 or J-1 visa status are required to show proof of adequate funding for at least one year before an I-20 or DS-2019 form can be issued. Financial requirements are calculated on the basis of tuition and fees for two semesters, living expenses, and miscellaneous expenses. An additional $5,000 will be added for accompanying spouses and $2,000 for each child. Students must submit the Immigration Information Form along with appropriate attachments.

Our minimum requirements for one year (2013-14) are as follows:

* All amounts are subject to change.
^ MBA students are required to pay a $3,900 fee every year in addition to the tuition and fee costs. Amount subject to change. Engineering students are required to pay a $792 fee every year in addition to the tuition and fee costs. Amount subject to change.
Architecture, Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture students are required to pay a $716 fee every year in addition to the tuition and fee costs. Amount subject to change.
Master of Public Health students are required to pay a $500 fee every year in addition to the tuition and fee costs. Amount subject to change.

Virgina-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine international student immigration paperwork for DVM students is being handled through the Graduate School. The minimum funding requirements are shown below:

If you need further information about tuition and fees, on campus housing and dining costs, please contact the Bursar's Office .

Financial assistance for international students is available in the form of graduate assistantships . Assistantships are awarded by academic departments based on the students' academic merit, experience, and availability of funds. Some departments are able to offer more assistantships, others don't have any at all. Please contact the individual academic departments to find out their policy for awarding assistantships.

Assistantships come with a tuition scholarship that is at least proportional to the assistantship, and an out of state fee waiver if the student makes at least $4,000 during the academic year on graduate stipend. The minimum requirement for students with assistantship does not include the out-of-state fee since it will be waived. Generally, a full assistantship will cover our minimum requirement, and thus no further financial certification is necessary.

A limited number of on-campus hourly wage jobs are available for students. International students are limited to 20 hours of work per week by immigration regulations. Students may apply for these jobs after arrival. Please note that off-campus work is not permitted to students in F-1 visa status for the first 9 months after their arrival to the United States.

The following documents are accepted as financial certification:

• A current (less than six months old) original bank statement or certification from other legal financial institution, along with an original official letter (affidavit of support) from the sponsor. The letter should include the student's name, sponsor's name, his/her relationship to the student (parent, sister, friend, etc.), the amount of support and the time period for which it will be provided, and a stated willingness to cover the student's expenses.
• Original written confirmation from the sponsoring institution or government agency of a scholarship, fellowship, or other type of funding. NOTE: copies of external funding also MUST be provided by the student to the University Bursar's Office so they can set up billing to these agencies.
• For assistantships, a copy of the assistantship agreement signed by the department is required.
• In case of personal funds, an original bank statement or statement from any legal financial institution that includes the student's name, and the amount available. If you only receive a web statement, you must print a copy, and write on the bottom of the copy, "I verify that this is a true copy of my bank statement." Sign and date the copy.

Please note that photocopies and statements older than six months are not acceptable.

Provide a copy of your passport ID page, which shows your picture and name.

Immigration Information Forms have to reach the Graduate School by the posted deadline, which is June 1 for the Fall semester and November 1for the Spring semester. If you have questions about the availability of assistantships, please contact the appropriate department

If students will be or are receiving funding from their government or an agency or institution other than Virginia Tech, they MUST provide a copy of the funding document to the University Bursar's Office. The Bursar has to set up a billing account with the agency or institution so that tuition and fees can be paid in a timely manner.