I-20 Information and Financial Requirements

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What’s an I-20?

A Form I-20 is the immigration document required to apply for an F-1 student visa. It is issued by an individual school in the U.S., and includes a summary of all relevant information for the school and student, including the dates you are anticipated to be enrolled in the degree program at that school and how you will cover the costs of your education in the U.S.

A few important notes about your I-20:

  • OISS will work with all admitted graduate and undergraduate international students for I-20 issuance.
  • Students outside the U.S. will receive a new I-20, and students already in the U.S. will work with OISS to transfer their existing I-20 (SEVIS record) to UMBC.
  • You will need to activate your myUMBC account and use that login to access the ISSS Portal.  Visit my.umbc.edu/account to activate your account.
  • All I-20s are issued electronically by our office.
  • Your I-20 has a program start date that must reflect the first semester you will be PHYSICALLY on UMBC’s campus.  If you have been issued an I-20 for a previous semester, but then deferred your admission, you will need to submit a new “New F-1 Student Request” through the ISSS portal to receive an updated document. Your I-20 is not automatically updated.
    • Note: You must request that your admission deferment before requesting an updated I-20.


Financial Requirements and Documents for I-20 Processing

To make a Form I-20 for you, OISS must verify that you have been admitted, that your personal information is correct, and that you have adequate funding to cover the costs of your education in the U.S. F-1 regulations require admitted students to show proof of funding for the cost of living and studying in the US for one year.

We will need:

  • A copy of the bio (picture) page of your passport (with more than 6 months of future validity)
  • Financial documentation (see below)
  • A letter of financial support (if financially supported by another person)
Fall 2026 Financial Requirements

The following student expenses are approximate and will vary based on the choices you make; they may not reflect all potential expenses, such as cost of books and materials, computers, and general cost of living. These estimates represent the cost of living and studying at UMBC for one year.

You must provide proof of available funding for at least the amount listed next to TOTAL for your degree level.

UNDERGRADUATE GRADUATE
Full-Time Tuition and Mandatory Fees** $32,735* $27,378
Living Expenses (lowest estimate)*** $14,948 $20,394
Health Insurance $2,439 $2,439
Other Costs $1,600 $800
TOTAL (per year) $51,722 $51,011
Additional Dependent Expenses**** (for each dependent (spouse or child), if applicable) $5,225 $5,225

*Academically competitive first-year undergraduate international applicants can receive a merit-based scholarship of up to $20,000 USD. Apply by November 1 for best consideration.

**All students are responsible for paying mandatory fees. Tuition rates are set by Student Business Services (SBS) and are subject to change. The Form I-20 is not a bill.

***The living expenses figure for undergraduate students reflects on-campus costs; the living expenses figure for graduate students reflects average off-campus costs. More information is available here.

****Dependent expenses reflect the cost of health insurance, food, additional rent for a larger space, and general costs of living.

 Spring 2027 Financial Requirements

The following student expenses are approximate and will vary based on the choices you make; they may not reflect all potential expenses, such as cost of books and materials, computers, and general cost of living. These estimates represent the cost of living and studying at UMBC for one year.

You must provide proof of available funding for at least the amount listed next to TOTAL for your degree level.

UNDERGRADUATE GRADUATE
Full-Time Tuition and Mandatory Fees** $34,604 $29,010
Living Expenses (lowest estimate)*** $15,254 $20,394
Health Insurance $2,439 $2,439
Other Costs $1,600 $800
TOTAL (per year) $53,897 $52,643
Additional Dependent Expenses**** (for each dependent (spouse or child), if applicable) $5,225 $5,225

**All students are responsible for paying mandatory fees. Tuition and fee rates are projected and are subject to change and USM BOR approval. The Form I-20 is not a bill. 

***The living expenses estimate for undergraduate students reflects average on-campus costs; the estimate for graduate students reflects average off-campus costs. More information is available here.

****Dependent expenses reflect the cost of health insurance, food, additional rent for a larger space, and general cost of living expenses.

Acceptable sources of funding include: 

  • Bank statements for savings or checking/demand accounts showing a current balance
  • Fixed deposit accounts as long as the bank notes that the funds can be withdrawn at any time without penalty.
  • Approved loan documents
  • Graduate Assistantship (GA) awards- Please upload the offer letter or contract received from your UMBC academic department showing:
    • Amount of funding offered (including stipend, tuition remission, etc.)
    • Dates of the GA contract as your financial documentation.
  • ​Merit scholarship awarded by the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, please upload the offer letter along with your other financial documentation.

All documents must be dated less than 6 months old and represent “liquid funds.”

Financial Support Letter: If any of your financial documents are in someone’s name other than yours (even if it is your parent), a signed Financial Support Letter must accompany the documents. The letter must include: the name of the sponsor, the sponsor’s relationship to you and a statement attesting that they expect to support all your expenses for the duration of your program (see Financial Support Letter Template).

You will also need to take this financial documentation at your visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy.

Unacceptable sources include:

Real estate holdings, stocks, bonds, investments, salary verification letters, retirement funds, property, life insurance policies and unapproved loan documents. These are not accepted because they are not readily available to you, or because the value can change.

Requesting an I-20 in the ISSS Portal

Once you have gathered your documents, you are ready to request your Form I-20 in the ISSS Portal.

  1. Create and activate your myUMBC Account – please allow a minimum of 24 hours after account creation to log in to the ISSS Portal
  2. Log in to the ISSS Portal Homepage using your myUMBC single sign-on
  3. Click the “Search Forms” button
  4. On the forms page, select “New F-1 Student Request”
  5. Select your term and click “Create” Your term is listed in your UMBC admission letter
    • Fall = August Start Date
    • Spring = January Start Date
    • Summer = June or July Start Date
  6. Review the “Instructions” section for required documents to submit
  7. Upload required documents in the “Attached Documents” section
    ** If you have a scholarship or graduate assistantship, be sure to upload relevant documentation in this section. Your I-20 only will reflect the funding that you submit with your request!
  8. Complete the “Dependent Request” and “Student: Immigration Information” forms in the “Questionnaires” section.
  9. Transfer students ONLY: If you are already in the U.S. on an F-1 visa, complete the “Recommendations” section
  10. Click the “Submit” button at the top of the page. Your application status will change from “Pending” to “Submitted – Under Review” if submitted correctly.
  11. Please allow 5-7 business days for review. We will contact you via email when your Form I-20 is ready or if we need to request additional information.
  12. Download, review, print, and sign your Form I-20.  If your I-20 requires any changes, please submit a help ticket and let us know.

 

Keep your I-20 safe!

This document contains your personal information and shows your eligibility to study in the U.S.

You will need it at your visa interview, every time you travel, and for future employment authorizations!

You are now ready to apply for your F-1 visa. Review the next steps here.