Texas A&M University Global Engagement
New F-1s and J-1s must submit evidence of financial resources to get an I-20 or DS-2019 from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Current F-1s and J-1s may also be required to submit updated proof of financial resources as part of certain requests submitted to ISSS.

If you are applying for a U.S. visa, ISSS recommends you bring financial documents dated within the past 6 months to your visa interview.

If you are submitting an application to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), ISSS recommends you use financial documents dated within the past 3 months for your application to USCIS.

Costs for Scholars and Interns

You are required to show sufficient funds for the entire duration of your J-1 program. While you may use personal funds or funds from friends and family as evidence, you must submit other types of funding if you’re requesting a DS-2019 longer than 12 months.

If you plan on using funds from friends and family as evidence, you are required to fill out the Declaration of Financial Support Form.

The amounts you must show are as follows:
  • Proof of finances for applications submitted before 10/01/2025.
    • J-1 scholar or student intern: $2000 per month
    • J-2 spouse: $550 per month
    • J-2 child: $300 per month for each child
  • Proof of finances for applications submitted on or after 10/01/2025.
    • J-1 scholar or student intern: $2000 per month
    • J-2 spouse: $700 per month
    • J-2 child: $700 per month for each child

Costs for Students

F-1s: You must show at least one year’s worth of funding for the estimated cost of your program. If you have dependents, you must also show enough funding for each dependent.

J-1s: The length of your DS-2019 is based on the amount of funding you show. If a J-1 student is unable to show sufficient funding for the full-length of the program, they can show funding for their first year and then request an extension of their DS-2019 later.

Costs for F-2 and J-2 Dependents will depend on the length of time left in your program.

About ISSS Estimated Cost of Attendance
Solely for the purpose of I-20 and DS-2019 issuance, ISSS collects cost of attendance data from both Scholarships & Financial Aid as well as Student Business Services to calculate an estimated cost of attendance for all academic programs. The amounts listed on this webpage are ESTIMATES FOR I-20/DS-2019 ISSUANCE ONLY. Please note that your actual cost of attendance may be higher or lower than the estimated amounts for several reasons, including but not limited to, your course selections, specific program fees, and optional costs. ISSS estimated cost of attendance includes the nonresident rate for tuition and fees as well as both the ISSS fee and the health insurance fee. These estimates are subject to change without notice. 

Health Insurance 

All international students attending Texas A&M in F-1/J-1 status are required to be covered under the Texas A&M University System Student Health Insurance Plan (SSHIP) or have equivalent insurance coverage. The plan is automatically charged to each F-1 and J-1 international student’s tuition and fee statement. The estimated cost of attendance for one year includes the cost of insurance for 12 months. All new international students enrolling for Fall semester are charged a one-time ‘Mandatory First Time On Campus Arrival’ fee and all new international students enrolling for Summer term are charged a Summer term fee. These amounts are not included in all estimates provided below. For additional information about the health insurance costs and how to apply for a waiver, please visit the Health Insurance section of our website. 

F-2/J-2 Dependents 

The “Student Total” in the tables below DO NOT include the cost of F-2 and J-2 dependents. An additional amount must be added to the “Student Only” total for each F-2 or J-2 dependent that will accompany the F-1 or J-1 student. The amount that should be added for each F-2 or J-2 dependent is included on each of the Estimated Cost of Attendance Tables provided below.  
2026 Estimated Cost of Attendance Tables
Below you will find the 2026 Estimated Cost of Attendance for Students. Use these tables if the following applies to you: 
  • You are requesting an initial or transfer I-20 or DS-2019 for a 2026 term. 
  • You are requesting a change to your I-20 or DS-2019 that will be effective during 2026.
  • One Year Beginning Fall or Spring - Summer Enrollment NOT Required: Includes the estimated cost of tuition and fees for two major semesters (Fall & Spring) plus the estimated cost of health insurance and living expenses for one year – 12 months.
  • One Year Beginning Summer ‐ Summer Enrollment IS Required: This table is only applicable to students who are beginning a new academic program or a new F-1 or J-1 status in the Summer term. It includes the estimated cost of tuition and fees for Summer, Fall, and Spring plus the estimated cost of health insurance and living expenses for one year – 12 months.  
  • Two Major Semesters Only (Fall AND Spring) ‐ No Summer Included: Includes the estimated cost of tuition and fees for two major semesters (Fall & Spring) plus the estimated cost of health insurance and living expenses for two major semesters (Fall & Spring) – 9 months.  
  • One Major Semester (Fall OR Spring): Includes the estimated cost of tuition and fees for one major semester (Fall or Spring) plus the estimated cost of health insurance and living expenses for one major semester (Fall or Spring) – 4.5 months.  
  • One Summer Semester:  Includes the estimated cost of tuition and fees for one Summer term plus the estimated cost of health insurance and living expenses for one Summer term – 3 months.  
  • Exchange Students Only: These costs only apply to incoming F-1 and J-1 exchange students who are coming to TAMU through the Education Abroad office. 

Basic Requirements for All Financial Documents

ISSS will accept any combination of the types of funding outlined on this webpage: Personal Funding, Third-Party Funding, Texas A&M University Funding, and/or Sponsored Funding. The submitted documents cannot contain a Social Security Number (SSN).

All documents submitted must be official/legitimate and scanned copies must be clear and legible.

Basic Requirements

  • Dated within the last 6 months from the date the document is reviewed by ISSS
  • Printed on official company letterhead or stationery - This requirement applies to Texas A&M University funding as well.
  • Must clearly identify the document source (i.e. a monthly mailed statement, an online statement, a statement by request, etc.)
  • Must be liquid assets
  • Type of currency must be clearly stated
    • Currency doesn’t have to be in USD
    • ISSS will use the XE converter for foreign currencies
  • Must contain the following information in English
    • Name of the Account Holder(s)
    • Current Balance (within the last 6 months) including type of currency 
    • Name of the Financial institution 

Please be advised that if the above minimum requirements are not met, ISSS will not accept the financial document.

Other Requirements per Type of Funding

All of these documents must comply with the Basic Requirements for financial documents listed above.
Personal Funds
Personal Funding means the F-1 or J-1 is the primary account holder or a joint account holder. Financial support from personal funds can come from inside or outside the United States.

If the F-1/J-1 is listed on the financial document as an account holder, then they only need to submit financial documentation that complies with the “ISSS Basic Requirements for Funding Documents”. No additional documentation is needed from the other account holders.
   
If the funding is part of a family business account AND the F-1/J-1 is listed as an account holder, then they only need to submit financial documentation that complies with the “ISSS Basic Requirements for Funding Documents”. No additional documentation is needed from the other account holders.
   
If the F-1/J-1 is not listed as an account holder (i.e. bank statement of family member or friend) then these funds will be considered Third-Party Funding.
Third-Party Funds
Third-Party Funding means the F-1 or J-1 is NOT one of the individual account holders. The account holders may be family members, friends, a family business, or any other individuals WHO ARE NOT government agencies, major corporations, or other sponsoring organizations.

Third-party funding documents must be accompanied by either an ISSS Declaration of Financial Support Form completed and signed by one of the account holders or a signed letter from one of the account holders stating that the F-1 or J-1 may use the funds from the submitted financial document(s) for their program expenses.

Note for Business Accounts: If the name of the account holder who is identified on the financial support form or letter submitted to ISSS is NOT listed on the financial document for the business account, then ISSS will also need to receive a letter from the business/company on official letterhead to confirm that they are willing to sponsor the F-1 or J-1.
Texas A&M University Funding
Texas A&M University Funding includes various forms of funding provided by the University to the F-1 or J-1, both directly and indirectly. The most common types of University funding received by international students are graduate assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, and grants. For J-1 scholars and interns, the funding is most often included in your invitation letter or job offer. Funding documents from these sources must explicitly state the amount of funding the student or visitor will receive.

The financial offer letter must be printed on department letterhead and must include the following:

  • Name of the F-1 or J-1 holder
  • Date of issuance of the offer letter 
  • Contact information for the employing or hosting department/office
  • The specific dollar amount(s) being offered and the frequency it will be distributed (once, each semester, monthly, bi-weekly, etc.)
  • The benefits (i.e. insurance), if any, that accompany the financial offer (If the letter does not specify insurance or any other benefit, ISSS cannot assume they are included.)

Additional requirements for students only - Letter must include:

  • The effective academic term(s) of the offer. 
    • New students: Term must match the student's term of admission.
    • Current students: Term must be current or future terms.
  • Any waivers or contributions toward the cost of the student's tuition and/or fees.  It is best to very specific with wording in the letter. Some examples include.
    • The student is receiving a waiver of the out-of-state tuition only and they can pay tuition at the in-state rate
    • The student's tuition is being paid but they are still responsible for fees
    • All the student's tuition and fees will be paid
  • Students who receive funding assistance from Texas A&M University are urged to work with their departments to better understand their aid package. In some cases, aid packages from departments do not cover all necessary expenses for ISSS to issue the Form I-20/DS-2019. If Texas A&M University funding does not fully cover the student's estimated cost of attendance for at least 1 year, the student will be required to show additional financial resources to make up the difference. This could include personal funding, third-party funding, or sponsored student funding.
Sponsored Funding
Sponsored Funding includes sources outside of personal, family, or Texas A&M funding such as sponsoring government agencies, major corporations, or other sponsoring organizations.  If the sponsor funding does not fully cover the estimated cost, the F-1 or J-1 will be required to show additional financial resources to make up the difference. This could include personal funding, third-party funding, or Texas A&M University funding.

If a F-1 or J-1 is being financially supported by a sponsoring government agency, major corporation, or other sponsoring agency, ISSS needs to receive an offer letter that describes the financial support in detail:

  • Name of the F-1 or J-1 holder
  • Date of issuance of the offer letter (must be dated within the last 6 months from the date the document is being reviewed by ISSS)
  • Contact information for the sponsor
  • The specific amount of funding contributed and the frequency it will be distributed(once, yearly, monthly, etc.)
    • Funding does not have to be in USD, but the type of currency must be stated.
  • The benefits (i.e. insurance), if any, that accompany the financial offer (If the letter does not specify insurance or any other benefit, ISSS cannot assume they are included.)
  • If the sponsor wants the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 to be issued for a specific period of time.
    • If a specific period is not needed, then ISSS will refer to our other policies to determine the length of I-20 or DS-2019 to issue

  • Students Only: Letters for students must also include:
    • The student's academic program
    • The applicable date(s) or academic term(s) of the offer. The offer must apply to current or future dates/terms.
    • Any contributions toward the cost of the student's tuition and/or fees.  It is best to very specific with wording in the letter. Some examples include.
      • The student's tuition is being paid but they are still responsible for fees
      • All the student's tuition and fees will be paid
    • Does the sponsor require the student to be in F-1 or J-1 status?
      • If the sponsor requires that the student be in J-1 status, they must provide the majority of the student's funding (i.e. 50.1% or more) for a minimum of 2 years (24 months)
    • How is the funding provided to the student?
      • For example, through third-party billing or directly to the student?
      • If your sponsor will be paying part or all of your tuition and fee bill directly to Texas A&M University, this is called third-party billing. The Specialized Student Billing unit within Student Business Services handles all third-party billing arrangements and questions. Please visit https://sbs.tamu.edu/info-for/sponsors/index.html for additional information and contact ssb@tamu.edu with any questions.
Investments and Loans

Investments

Investment accounts are only acceptable if you provide evidence the funds are liquid, such as a letter from the investment institution that states the amount of liquid funds.

Certificate of Deposits (CDs) and Fixed Deposits (FDs)

ISSS can accept CDs and FDs, but we will only accept the initial deposit amount listed on a Certificate of Deposit or a Fixed Deposit rather than the maturity amount.

 

Loans

Loans are only accepted for Texas A&M student requests. ISSS will only accept loan offers from the following companies

ISSS will not accept documentation for any other loans. If a student will receive a loan not included in the list below, they can submit it as evidence of personal funds after it has been received and deposited into the student's bank account.
Financial Documents NOT Accepted
Under no circumstances will ISSS accept the following types of documents as proof of financial resources:

  • Statements regarding property, jewelry, cars, or other non-liquid assets
  • Statements from Chartered Accountants
  • Pay Stubs
  • Trusts
  • Passbooks
  • Tax Returns
  • Retirement Accounts
  • Prepaid Cards
  • Credit Cards
  • Insurance Documents
  • Income earned through J-2 work authorization

ISSS typically cannot accept the following documents except in the specific situations described:

Income Letters for Students
Income letters cannot be used as a means of financial support for newly admitted students unless the student has an offer of employment from Texas A&M University that accompanies admission to a graduate-level academic department, like a graduate assistantship.
PPF/Provident Fund Accounts
PPF / Provident Fund Accounts cannot be used unless they are part of a bank letter. They will not be accepted in any other format, such as part of an employer letter.

ISSS Fees

ISSS will charge for different fees during your program and for certain applications
J-1 Scholar Operational Fee (not for enrolled students)
ISSS charges a $350 one-time operational fee to support the services our office provides to support J-1 exchange visitors who are employed, conducting research, and/or interning at Texas A&M University. This fee does not apply to enrolled international students. The J-1 Scholar Operational Fee is charged after the visitor completes their check-in with ISSS. Payment of the fee is the responsibility of the hosting department.
International Student Orientation Fee
This $70 one-time fee is charged to cover the cost of resources for newly admitted students who are not U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents.  This fee is added to the tuition and fee bill of newly admitted international students during their first semester of enrollment at Texas A&M. International students who were not enrolled for at least one major semester and resume studies at Texas A&M will be charged the fee again upon re-enrollment. International students in J-1 status who are attending Texas A&M for 1 or 2 semesters as part of an approved exchange program coordinated through Education Abroad are exempt from paying this $70 one-time fee. 
International Student Services Fee
This $150 per semester fee is required of all enrolled students who are not U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents to support the specialized services provided to international students by 3 Texas A&M University offices. Out of this $150 per semester fee, $124.50 goes to International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS), $18.00 goes to the Center for Teaching Excellence, and $7.50 goes to the University Writing Center. International students in J-1 status who are attending Texas A&M for 1 or 2 semesters as part of an approved exchange program coordinated through Education Abroad are exempt from paying this $150 per semester fee. 
International Student Administrative Fee
This $415 per semester fee is required of all enrolled sponsored students who are not U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents and whose tuition and fee payments are coordinated through Specialized Student Billing, unless this fee is waived as part of negotiated contractual agreements. This fee supports the added complexity of third-party billing and helps fund support services for international sponsored students. Out of this $415 per semester fee, $314.99 goes to International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) and $100.01 goes to Student Business Services (SBS).