The following information is for graduate program personnel. Please do not direct students to this IGARC site. Where appropriate, you may copy-and-paste Financial Form links into your department web sites or direct students to the International Admissions web site: www.buffalo.edu/intadmit

Click here for 2009-10 Estimated International Student Budget.

Click here for UB 2009-10 Financial Forms.to be used by international applicants. (You may need to refresh your browser if you do not see 2009-10 forms listed.)

Financial Documentation: Minimum Requirements

International graduate applicants must document their ability to pay for all costs incurred while studying in the U.S. All financial forms and supporting documentation must be originals with original signatures except as noted below. All financial forms and supporting documentation must be dated within one year of the time the applicant intends to enroll at UB.

No action will be taken on dossiers of applicants who indicate no financial support. Funds must be liquid. Possession of property (real estate, precious metals, jewelry, etc.) and retirement accounts are not proof of availability of funds in the immediate future. Salary statements are not acceptable either. Additional amounts must be indicated on the form for a spouse and each dependent to accompany the student. Funds from countries with severe restrictions on currency exchange or undergoing internal disruptions will be scrutinized carefully, particularly when already enrolled students from that country exhibit an inability to meet their expenses.

Documentation Required:

Source of Funds	Financial Form Required?	Support Needed
Personal Savings	Yes	Bank Statement
Family / Relative Sponsor	Yes	Bank Statement
UB Assistantship and Tuition Scholarship	No	Letter of Support (see note "a" below)
Scholarship (not from UB)	Yes	Letter of Support (see note "b" below)
Loan	Yes	Letter of Support (see note "c" below)
Government	No	Letter of Support/Award (see note "d" below)
Employer or Other Sponsor	Yes	(1)    If company: Letter of Support (see note "e" below) (2)    If person: Bank Statement

DOCUMENTATION of SUPPORT

Bank Statements

Proof of the availability of funds equal to the amount required on the financial form, for at least the first year of study, must be formally documented with original bank account statements. The funds should be translated into U.S. dollars. Use this currency converter to convert foreign currencies.

Letters of Support

(a) Letter of Support for UB Assistantship and/or UB Tuition Scholarship. Please see section below, Graduate Assistants.

(b) Letter of Support for Non-UB Scholarship. The official scholarship award letter must be an original printed on letterhead paper from the institution awarding the scholarship. The award letter must contain the name of the applicant, the amount of money available for each year of study, the duration of the award (including beginning and ending dates), the degree and major field of study for which the award is tenable, and the name of University at Buffalo as the institution to which the award is applicable.

(c) Letter of Support for a Loan. An official letter (original printed on letterhead paper from the institution) must be issued by the credit institution indicating approval of the loan, the amount of the loan, and the duration of the loan (including beginning and ending dates). Letters stating that applicants are eligible for loans may not be used.

(d) Letter of Support / Award from a Government Agency. The official award letter must be an original printed on letterhead paper from the government office / agency making the award. The award letter must contain the name of the applicant, the amount of money available for each year of study, the duration of the award, the degree and major field of study for which the award is tenable, and the name of University at Buffalo as the institution to which the award is applicable.

(e) Letter of Support from a Company. If the financial support will come from the company (and not a specific person associated with the company), the letter must be an original printed on official company letterhead paper. The letter must contain the name of the applicant, the amount of money available for each year of study, the duration of the award, the degree and major field of study for which the award is tenable, and the name of University at Buffalo as the institution to which the award is applicable. If the financial support will come from an individual person(s) (associated or not with the company), then a bank statement is required from that individual.

Spring Admission Funding
Applicants admitted for the spring semester must also document sufficient funds for one full year (that is, spring semester and fall semester). Spring semester admits do not document funds for just the remainder of that academic year (that is, half a year).

Graduate Assistants

Financial documentation (i.e., financial form and bank statements) from the student is not necessary if the student is awarded departmental support which equals or exceeds (stipend and tuition scholarship together) the per annum cost. Instead, just complete the GDA Finance section in GrAdMIT and then attach the department letter(s) awarding the tuition scholarship and/or stipend. Please be sure that the award letters are printed on UB letterhead (since U.S. Consulates will be examining these support letters). Please be sure that the award letters state the specific amount of the stipend and the specific amount of the tuition scholarship (or specify the number of credit hours or, if for 12 hours or more, state "Full Tuition Scholarship.") If departmental support does not meet the minimum amount required or if departmental support does not cover the amount required due to dependent accompaniment of the student, then additional financial documentation from the student must be included in the dossier when transmitted to International Admissions.

Minimum required funds for graduate students are detailed above in the PDF links.

Please refer to this website's "Communicating with International Students: G.A. Appointment Letters" for samples of ideal letters.

Financial Forms.

The UB International Applicant Financial Form is accepted in two formats:

1. The paper forms. The paper versions of the Financial Form are available as PDF documents (http://wings.buffalo.edu/intadmit/formgraduate.htm) The signed form must clearly indicate the amount available for each year of intended study. Blank forms, incomplete forms and improperly completed forms will not be accepted.

2. The UB Gradmit Electronic Form. While the paper form is preferred, the UB Gradmit online electronic version may be used under the following conditions:

   (a) Departments must be able to print out the International Financial Information section of the electronic application including the instructions as a stand-alone document (it must be a stand alone document because it will be attached to the I-20 and presented by the student to the U.S. Consulate).
   (b) Departments must verify that applicants have properly completed the section just below the instructions (about length of program, certification, understanding penalties of falsified or untrue information, and most importantly that the student has typed his/her name as an electronic signature).
   (c) Departments must verify that applicants have properly completed the electronic version of the FF. Be sure applicants have selected and completed the appropriate "Source of Funds" section and included the appropriate amounts and names of account holders.

   If all of the above is properly completed by the applicant and properly printed by the department, then it can be used instead of the paper version.