Applying for the I-20 and F-1 Student Visa

Your funding will always match the cost of attendance. For example, if your yearly cost of attendance is $50,000 USD, your funding will also be listed as $50,000 USD, even if your sponsor is promising more than that. The Department of Homeland Security regulations state that a student only has to show proof of funding for the length of a single academic year. If you have multiple sponsors, the total amount that each sponsor is promising must EQUAL your total cost of attendance. Any excess funding will not be listed on the I-20.

Student’s must secure their funding before they can apply for the Form I-20. Once issued, we will not make changes to the funding section of the I-20. This includes but is not limited to, adding personal funds, increasing the amount of funding a current sponsor is promising, or adding an additional sponsor when the current sponsor’s funding is sufficient.

We will only issue updated I-20s for one of the following reasons:
● Errors in the personal information section (incorrect spelling, mistakes in date of birth, etc.)
● Scholarship or Graduate Assistantships approved after initial I-20 has been issued

We will not update the funding section because of visa denial.

If you are receiving a student loan, we will list the amount under “other funding” as “Education Loan.” We do not list student loans as personal funds. If you are planning to use your own funds or familial/sponsor funds in addition to your student loan, you must submit all of this documentation when you initially apply for the I-20. Again, we will not update the funding section of the I-20 once it has been issued.

Incoming students CANNOT be sponsored by a current F-1 student from Montclair. We also do not accept affidavits of free room and board that are completed by other F-1 students.

If you are planning to bring a dependent, you must include their information on your I-20 application, along with their passport information and any necessary funding information. We will not add dependents once the initial I-20 has been issued so please plan for your dependents accordingly.

Students outside the U.S. should submit the I-20 application and financial documentation as soon as possible. The deadline for submission of the application and all supporting documents is:

Fall semester: July 15
Spring semester: December 15

Note: SEVIS transfer students inside the U.S. may submit this documentation later than the published deadlines.

You must complete and submit the ENTIRE Application for Form I-20 and the Affidavit of Support. We cannot issue any official documents until we have received the entire signed I-20 application and affidavit. The affidavit must be signed by BOTH the sponsor and the student.

• DO NOT HANDWRITE – Only the signatures can be handwritten (note: an electronic signature can be used in lieu of a “wet” signature). All other fields must be typed. 
• Access your Undergraduate Student Admissions Portal or Graduate Student Admissions Portal and upload documents to the corresponding checklist items: 
  • Passport: Upload a copy of the face-page of your passport. 
  • Visa: If you already have a valid visa (F-1 or otherwise) please upload a copy of it with your passport to the portal.
  • Application for I-20 and Affidavit of Support: Download the fillable application form.
  • Financial Documents: See sources of funding instructions below.
  • If living off-campus for free with a friend or family member, you must also upload the Affidavit of Free Room and Board form and supporting documentation under the “Application for Form I-20 or DS-2019/Affidavit of Support” label in the admissions portal. 

IMPORTANT: Ensure that you are uploading these documents to the checklist items with the corresponding names. If uploaded correctly, a green check-mark will appear next to each item within 24 hours. If any red “x’s” remain, there is a problem and you must re-submit the missing item(s).

Any combination of funds is acceptable as long as you demonstrate that you can cover the full cost for one year. Please note that all costs are estimated for immigration purposes and subject to change. Your accurate cost of attendance will be reflected on your tuition bill. Only submit financial documentation once your source of funding has been finalized. Documents should only be submitted for sponsors that you want to appear on your I-20. 

Any questions about funding can be directed to I-20@liashapiro.com.

Support Documentation Guidelines

• Must be dated within the last three months 
• Must have the name of account owner clearly listed 
• Must be in English (or translated into English)
• Must state the account type (i.e. savings, checking, etc.)
• Must state the type of currency

Unacceptable Documents 

• We do not accept investments, real estate, insurance policies, or pension funds 
• Income tax forms, pay stubs, W2 forms
• Letters/solvency certificates saying ‘enough’ or ‘sufficient’ funds are available, or that ‘the holder is capable of supporting the student’. The bank certification letter MUST state the amount available in the account.

Acceptable Documents: 

Personal Funds

If you are self-sponsoring, you must provide financial support documentation your name. The closing amount in the bank account must equal or exceed the amount you are sponsoring. 

Family/Friends (Sponsor)

An Affidavit of Support must be completed by each sponsor. Each sponsor who completes an affidavit must provide financial support documentation. The closing amount in the bank account must equal or exceed the amount promised on the affidavit. 

Please note: If you are receiving funds from a business account (the bank account is listed under the business name, not an individual), you must provide the business registration, which states the name(s) of the business owner(s).The person who owns the business must complete and sign the Affidavit of Support.

Montclair State University Funds

Please note the amount of confirmed scholarship or graduate assistantship funding on the affidavit. If the assistantship or scholarship does not cover the total cost listed in cost estimate, you must show proof of funding that covers the remaining expenses.

Graduate/Doctoral Assistantship 

Graduate assistantships count toward financial support. Assistantships are offered for one year and are renewable later for another year (assistantships for doctoral  students are renewable for a maximum of three years). You must indicate the amount of CONFIRMED assistantship funding in the affidavit and must upload other financial documentation that shows your ability to cover any remaining balance after deducting the award amount.

PLEASE NOTE: On-campus employment CANNOT count towards proof of funding.

Other Sources of Support (Employer, Government, etc.)

Employer:

• If you are receiving funding from an employer, please provide a letter (on official company letterhead) which states the amount awarded to you and the duration of support.

• If you are receiving funds from a business account (the bank account is listed under the business name, not an individual), you must provide the business registration, which states the name(s) of the business owner(s).

• The person who owns the business must complete and sign the Affidavit of Support.

Government: 

• If you are receiving funding from a government or employer, please provide a letter from that source stating the amount awarded to you and the duration of support.

Education Loans

You must provide an official letter from credit institution indicating approval of loan and amount approved. This letter must include the following information:

• Period of time covered by the award 
• Indicate Montclair State University as the student’s institution 
• The total amount of support for the given time period

Free Room and Board Support

A person who is giving you free room and board may also be considered a sponsor. This sponsor must submit a the Affidavit of Free Room and Board. Free room and board reduces room and board expenses from the total amount indicated above for each program. The affidavit of Free Room and Board will not be accepted if the place to live is too far from Montclair State University.

The sponsor must provide proof of residence in the form of a lease, utility bill, etc. – submitted to your admissions portal along with the signed affidavit. Documents should be submitted under the “Application for Form I-20 or DS-2019/Affidavit of Support” label in the admissions portal. 

NOTE: Incoming students CANNOT be sponsored by a current F-1 student from Montclair. We also do not accept affidavits of free room and board that are completed by other F-1 students.

To change your status, you must choose one of two methods:

• Change of Status from Inside the U.S.
• Change of Status by Traveling Outside of and Re-Entering the U.S.

If you are changing your status by traveling outside of the U.S. and applying for the F-1 visa at a U.S. Embassy, you will apply for an initial I-20 by completing the I-20 application process outlined above.

Students who are changing their status from within the U.S. must also complete the I-20 application process. On page 1 of the I-20 application, you will list your current visa status and indicate that you will apply for the status adjustment from within the U.S. In addition to the I-20 application, please complete and submit the Change of Status Acknowledgement form to your admissions portal. Once your I-20 application and financial documents have been approved, we will issue you an I-20 that will allow you to apply for the change of status with USCIS. Montclair cannot assist with the change of status application process, we highly recommend that you work with an immigration lawyer.

The change of status application is unpredictable and often takes 5 to 10 months to be approved by USCIS. Please schedule an appointment with OGE to discuss your study options while your application is pending. Certain visa types are permitted to begin studying while their change of status application is pending. B1/2 visa holders are NOT permitted to study until their status has been adjusted to F-1.

Students are responsible for their own change of status applications. Once you have submitted your application with USCIS, you must send OGE your receipt number. Once the change has been approved, please notify OGE and send us your official approval notice as soon as you receive it.