Requirements for Proof of Funding

U.S. federal law requires all F-1 students to prove they have enough financial support to cover tuition and living expenses in the United States. Minnesota State University, Mankato cannot issue your I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant Student Status) until we receive and approve these documents.

Supplemental Information for Student Sponsors

To speed the review of financial documentation, we request that documents are not merged. Each document should be uploaded separately. Merged documents will not be accepted.

Please Note: University costs usually increase by 3% to 6% every year. You should plan for your expenses to go up each year you are in school.

Funding Document Requirements

• Documents must be in English or translated into English with original documents
• Financial documents must be less than 6 months old
• Must be original, printed on bank letterhead and display the institution’s name, address and contact information
• Must include the account type (savings, checking)
• Must include the currency type and when possible, the currency conversion
• Business Sponsorship: Requires a signed letter on official company letterhead from an authorized representative, along with the company’s financial documents.
• U.S. Bank Accounts: If your sponsor uses a bank in the United States, they must also submit the Form I-134. We cannot accept U.S. bank statements without it.

NEW! Financial Affidavit of Support for I-20

• The required amount of financial support required is listed in your International Portal. Provide this amount to your sponsor to list in the form. 
• Upload Instructions:
1. Complete the Financial Affidavit of Support for I-20.
2. Save the file to your computer.
3. Upload the saved file to the International Portal and complete all information items.
4. After submitting your request, all communication will be sent to your MavMAIL.
• Who Must Sign:

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Multiple Sponsors: If you have more than one person supporting you, each person must complete a separate form.
• Joint Accounts: If a bank account is owned by more than one person, every account holder must submit their own signed affidavit.
• Dependent Support: If you plan to bring your dependents on an F-2 visa, you must demonstrate an additional $15,000 for the first dependent and $10,000 for each additional dependent.

Bank Statements vs. Transaction Logs

Bank Statements Defined: A bank statement is an official, monthly summary issued by the bank.

• Purpose: It acts as a formal "snapshot" of the account at a specific point in time.
• Key Details: It includes the bank's letterhead, the account holder's full name, the account number, the opening/closing balance, and the statement period dates.

Transaction Log or History Defined: A transaction log is a real-time list of individual bank activities.

• Purpose: It shows every deposit and withdrawal as they happen.
• Key Details: It usually focuses on the activity (e.g., "$50 spent at a grocery store") rather than the official status of the account holder. It often lacks the formal branding or the account holder's full address.