How Much Bank Balance is Required for US Student Visa?
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How Much Bank Balance is Required for US Student Visa?

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Aishwarya
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert
Updated on Aug 12, 2024 13:44 IST

International students who get through the elaborated admission process in US universities have to submit details of financial funding next. OISS (Office for International Students & Scholars) helps international students navigate through the immigration laws of the US which are further helpful in understanding the funding options the students have and consequently applying for a student visa in USA. 

how much bank balance is required for us student visa

OISS assesses the applicant’s funding for the first year only. This financial assessment is done once the student returns his or her Statement of Intent to Return (SIR) as referred to in some US universities. Once the OISS approves that the student has enough bank balance to study in the US and support education for the first year, they are granted their I-20 form after which the student visa application process begins.  

But to get an F-1 visa, the applicants will have to show funding sources and their bank balance too. Check out the following article for more details on the bank balance required for student visa applicants in the USA

How much bank balance is required for a US student visa? 

There is no hard and fast rule to have a minimum bank balance while applying for an F-1 visa in the USA. but it is usually recommended to have at least USD 18,000 (₹15,00,000 approx) - USD 24,000 (₹20,00,000 approx) in your bank account which must also be reflected in the previous 6-9 months of statements. This amount excludes the SEVIS fee cost of USD 350 and the DS-160 form fee of USD 185 which is exclusively for F-1 visa applicants. However, the exact bank balance for a student visa in the US will still vary based on the following factors like:

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  • Applicant's school and program choice
  • The cost of living in the specific US state of study
  • Applicant's circumstances

The minimum bank balance for studying in USA is just to ensure that the applicant has sufficient amount to sustain and study in the USA for the first year of study. The bank balance is just a confirmation that the student is capable of funding his or her studies irrespective of the sources of financial aid in the USA. This includes: personal funding, sponsor funding, government or sponsoring agencies and US University-specific funding.








Check out more about F1 Visa: 

US F-1 Visa Interview Guide 

Reasons for Rejection of US Student Visa 

F1 Visa Interview Experience 

What is 221(g) under US Visa Refusals? 

  

Who can sponsor my education in the USA? 

Tuition rates vary significantly from one US university to another, even in the case of choosing a private university in the US or a public university in the USA. The cost of living is additional and increases the overall costs drastically. The annual tuition costs for international undergrads are around USD 40,000 while the cost of living in the USA ranges between USD 12,000 to USD 15,293 aprrox. 







In order to cater to these costs - the cost of studying in the USA specifically, there are four types of funding acceptable to study in the USA: 

Check: Sources of Financial Aid in the USA for International Students 

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Studying in USA - Funding Proof Requirements 

Apart from the above-given funding sources, some additional requirements must also be satisfied, based on the type of funding the student submits to the university as part of the financial documentation assessment to the US Immigration Department to grant an F-1 study visa to international students: 

Funding Sources Acceptable by OISS 

Minimum Requirements 

Type of Funding 

  • Recently issued 
  • Translated into English by an official (if in a language other than English) 
  • No life insurance, property papers, or other funds that are not liquid are acceptable 

Personal Funding Sources 

  • Have the student’s name as the financial account holder. 
  • Should show the account balance in the amount of funding that has been indicated for. 
  • The submitted account statement shouldn’t be more than 90 days old 
  • The account statement should be duly signed or stamped by the financial institution 

Sponsored Funds 

  • Should have the sponsor's name as the financial account holder 
  • Have an account balance in the amount of funding that has been indicated for or even more 
  • The account statement should not be older than 90 days. 
  • The account statement must be signed or stamped by the financial institution 

Government Or Sponsoring Agencies 

  • Must display the name of the sponsoring agency 
  • Should show that the awarded funds will be available for the applicant’s first year 
  • The award funding amount must be indicated 
  • Also, show that the funds were awarded to the applicant in question 

University-Specific Funding 

  • Must show that the awarded funds will be available to the awardee for the first year of education at the university 
  • Should indicate the type of support, such as: 
    • Teaching assistantship 
    • Research assistantship 
    • Fellowship or, 
    • Other  

It can be concluded that, though for one year’s tuition fee coverage in the USA, the I-20 form is granted for getting a student visa in the USA multiple forms of funding sources can be shown and the minimum bank balance would also be taken into consideration. Thus, applicants should prepare themselves and their funding proofs accordingly. Also, read about FAFSA for Indian Students

For admission and application-related queries get in touch with us below in the comments or reach out to our counsellors for free counselling by signing up here - https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply

How Much Bank Balance is Required for US Student Visa FAQs

Q. How much bank balance is required for a US study visa?

A. There is no set amount declared by US government for international students, but it is recommended to have minimum USD 18,000 in their accounts. This is because, the US Immigration is assured that the applicant can complete one year of study easily in the US. Thus, in total the bank balance will depend on the applicant's course, school, funding they are eligible for and also based on their personal circumstances. 

Q. How much should be in bank statement for US student visa?

A. The bank statement for US student visa should include sufficient funding for international students for one year of study and living. For those who prove this funding are usually granted their US student visa unless their are any other discrepancies. Applicants should also mention about their sponsors, and how and when they will help the applicant with funding. This is mandatory for applicants as this is one major aspect of getting a US student visa. 

Q. How many months of bank statement is required for US visa?

A. International applicants applying for a US student visa, have to submit their bank statements. The bank statements should be 6-9 months old which should reflect that the amount the applicant would need for studying in USA has been maintained. This is important to assure the US Immigration that the applicants will be able to meet their financial needs while studying and living in the USA. 

Q:   What GPA is needed to go to Ohio State?

A:

There is no minimum GPA score for UG admission at Ohio State. However, International students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale or equivalent) for graduate admission. Applicants may submit a standardized test score (GRE or GMAT) if their cumulative GPA is below 3.0 for the last degree.

Q:   Is MIT costly for Indians?

A:

MIT is not costly for Indian students. Applicants can study BTech program at affordable tuition fees as compared to other BTech colleges in the USA. The MIT BTech fees is around INR 50 L to INR 52 L.

Q:   What GPA is required for the University of South Dakota?

A:

The University of South Dakota expects a GPA score of 2.5 from undergraduates and 3 from postgraduates on the 4-pointer scale. Along with the GPA scores, undergraduates must meet the basic eligibility and submit an ACT score of 21 or higher and an SAT score of 1070 or higher. In addition, they must submit the required documents, such as academic history, transcripts, letters of recommendation, English language scores, and more.

Q:   What are the requirements for admission into Purdue?

A:

Purdue University application must have the following components:

Undergraduate Admissions

  • The application itself
  • Purdue-specific questions from the application
  • Self-reported high-school grades
  • Self-reported SAT or ACT scores (if applicable)
  • Application fee

Steps to apply for Purdue University Undergraduate Courses

  • First of all, complete and submit a Common application as per the Purdue University application deadlines
  • Make sure that Purdue University receives all material required to complete the application  

Graduate Admissions Steps

  • Firstly, check Purdue University entry requirements
  • Then, create an application account to start the application
  • Choose the campus and course as per the preference
  • Then, submit the results of the tests needed for the graduate program
  • Prepare the additional documents based on the graduate program
  • Lastly, pay the non-refundable application fee to submit the application. Purdue University graduate application fee is USD 75 for international applicants

Read: College / University Application Process for USA

Q:   Which is better, UIC (University of Illinois Chicago) or NIU (Northern Illinois University)?

A:

As per an unofficial source, the University of Illinois Chicago ranked at #80 among national universities which is better than the NIU ranking at #273 position. The UIC is also exceeding in terms of graduation rates and easier selection than NIU. However, the tuition cost is more affordable at Northern Illinois University as compared to UIC. Students can get more clarity from the comparison table given below:

Particulars

University of Illinois Chicago

Northern Illinois University

US News National Rankings 2024

#80

#273

Acceptance Rate

79%

70%

Graduation Rate

40%

33%

Tuition Cost

UG: INR 22L-INR 49L

PG: INR 13L-INR 37L

UG: INR 10L-INR 16.5L

PG: INR 8L-INR 45L

Student-faculty ratio

17:1

14:1

Q:   What is the decent score required on the ACT test to get a good university in the USA?

A:

The definition of a good ACT score varies from university to country. However, to get into the top 100 universities, you must aim for a score higher than 31 on the ACT.

Q:   What GPA do I need to get into Northwest Missouri state?

A:

Northwest Missouri State University expects a cumulative GPA of 2 for UG programs and 3 for PG programs on a scale of 4. GPA is one of the top factors when considering students for university admissions. Along with GPA, the university expects a student to provide high school transcripts from previously attended university or school, standardized test scores, English language proficiency test scores, and more. In addition, students with relevant experience in the chosen field are preferred over the studious students.

Q:   How much does it cost to attend the University of South Dakota?

A:

The USD provides over 200 undergraduates and 80 master's programs in specializations such as Business Analytics, Business Administration, Accountancy, Computer Science, Mathematics, and more. The University of South Dakota tuition fees for international students range between INR 6L and INR 21L for graduates and around INR 10L for undergraduates. Students can check the table below for the tuition cost of the popular courses at the university:

Courses

1st Year Tuition Fees

MBA/PGDM (4 courses)

INR 10 L - 12 L

MS (10 courses)

INR 9 L - 18 L

BSN (1 course)

INR 11 L

MIM (3 courses)

INR 10 L - 12 L

BSc (30 courses)

INR 11 L

BBA (14 courses)

INR 11 L

BA (18 courses)

INR 11 L

BE / BTech (4 courses)

INR 11 L

MA (19 courses)

INR 10 L - 21 L

PG Certificate (10 courses)

INR 7 L

About the Author
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Written by
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert

Aishwarya is a professional Writer currently working as a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. She has over 5 years of experience and is skilled at creating Online Content with leveraged knowledge i... Read Full Bio

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Kalyani
MBA Course in the US

Having Worked as an Academic Manager in Experiential Marketing earlier, Kalyani made her move to the study abroad vertical in 2017.Passionate about education and wanting to make a difference, Kalyani holds a B.Com d... Read Full Bio

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Comments

(1)

Bank loan sanctioned for full MS course .How much bank balance to be shown?

Reply to BharathSomisetty

A

a year ago

Hello! For I-20 - one year of Tuition + Living must be covered, but for Visa - the entire duration of studying cost must be covered with a combination of funds like loans, savings, income assets, etc. Hope this helps! Good luck!