The UC Merced International Students and Scholars Office (ISS) is required by law to verify that each student/scholar has sufficient funds to cover the period of their stay in the United States. In most cases, the documentation we require will also be required at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate when applying for the F-1 or J-1 visa (keep a copy for that purpose).
To obtain your I-20 or DS-2019 in a timely manner, follow the guidelines below when submitting your request:
Acceptable Proof of Funds
1. UC Merced Awards (scholarships, TA/GSR, grants etc):
Letter from the UC Merced sponsoring School/Department on official UC Merced letterhead signed by the sponsoring School/Department. The letter date must be issued within the last 6 months and state the amount, length, and type of funding. Note: summer funding is not included as part of the minimum required funding for students
Signature criteria: Handwritten or hand-drawn signatures using cursor or touch screen, Adobe signatures, or Docusign signatures
2. Personal funds:
Bank statements in your name showing balance of account (see below for criteria**)
3. Private sponsors: including parents (must include both of the following):
The sponsor's bank or other financial statements (see below for criteria**)
A Guarantee of Financial Support Form completed and signed by your sponsor
Signature criteria: Handwritten or hand-drawn signatures using cursor or touch screen, Adobe signatures, or Docusign signatures
4. Other institutional support/award letters:
Letter from an employer or another institution on official business letterhead, including the student/scholar’s full name, amount, and length of support, and an official signature.
Signature criteria: Handwritten or hand-drawn signatures using cursor or touch screen, Adobe signatures, or Docusign signatures. Letter must be dated within 6 months of submission
Salary statements are not accepted
5. Loan certificates/letters:
Proof of loans must indicate the student's full name, the amount and the disbursement period of approved loan (the disbursement period should overlap with the student’s program dates).
Must provide proof of acceptance of the loan offer (e.g. a signature of the applicant agreeing to the terms and conditions or a payment receipt of an origination fee).
Conditional loan approvals may be accepted only if the only condition is the receipt of your I-20 or DS-2019.
Loan applications are not accepted as proof of funding
**Bank/Financial Statement Criteria:
Should be a single page document showing the criteria below. DO NOT submit long statements that include transaction history
Showing bank/financial statements from multiple accounts is acceptable
Should have a stamp, signature, or on a letterhead issued by the financial institution
Indicate the financial institution's name
Indicate the account holder's name
Clearly show the account’s available balance
Be dated within 6 months of submission (older statements will be rejected)
Be translated into English (especially names), unofficial translations are accepted
Clearly show the type of currency
Be from statements that show liquid assets that can be immediately converted to cash
IMPORTANT: The following types of funding are NOT accepted:
Documents older than 6 months from the date of submission
Bank statements with a maturity date that is after the program start date
Income or salary statements (except UC Merced TA/GSR positions)
Funds that are not immediately accessible
Transactional receipt
Assets that are not in liquidated form (house, car, etc.)
Life insurance policy statements
Pension funds, unless it is clearly stated that funds can be withdrawn at any time
Tax return forms or documents
Submitting/Resubmitting Documents
Make sure all supporting documents are included with your request before you submit them to our office. Missing or separate documents will only slow down the process. Your Certificate of Eligibility (I-20/DS-2019) documents cannot be processed until all proof of funding documents are received.
For J-1 Scholars Only (Does not apply to students)
Scholars are required to document at least $1,800 per month, plus $600/month for a spouse, and $400/month per child. For more detailed information on J Scholar Financial Requirements, please see J Scholar Financial Requirements.
