Free tool · Updated November 1, 2026
F-1 proof of funds calculator: how much bank balance to show for your I-20
There's no fixed minimum bank balance for an F-1 visa. Show at least the first-year amount on your Form I-20, which your school sets, plus what it adds for an F-2 spouse or children. State Department guidance tells officers to look for enough readily available money for the first year and a reliable source for each later year. Enter your I-20 figure to see your total.
In US dollars, the total from your I-20 or your school's estimate.
Type your I-20 amount to see what to show. Published I-20 estimates from 7 schools are below.
The officer will ask who pays and how much. Practice the funding questions out loud
More on sponsors, loans and large deposits: F-1 visa proof of funds.
Published I-20 estimates at 7 schools
Examples only, each the school's published I-20 estimate, checked November 1, 2026 on the school's own page. Your own I-20 is the amount that counts, and it can differ by program.
Boston University from $105,566
School's published I-20 estimate, 2026-27, checked November 1, 2026
- Undergraduate (9 months): $105,666Use this
- Graduate, Charles River Campus (most programs) (9 months): $105,566Use this
- F-2 dependents: $12,563 for one dependent, $22,735 for two, and $7,388 for each one after that (9 months).
- Some graduate schools use lower tuition. Medical Campus programs use a separate page.
Cornell University from $103,826
School's published I-20 estimate, 2027-28, checked November 1, 2026
- Undergraduate (first-year and transfer) (academic year): $103,826Use this
- Undergraduate only. Excludes travel.
Northeastern University from $59,711
School's published I-20 estimate, 2026-27, checked November 1, 2026
- Undergraduate, Boston (academic year): $97,153Use this
- Engineering master's and graduate certificates (Boston and other US campuses) (academic year): $59,711Use this
- F-2 dependents: $10,000 for a spouse and $6,000 for each child (added to the program's estimate).
- Totals vary by program and campus. Find your program on the school's page.
San Jose State University from $48,162
School's published I-20 estimate, 2026-27, checked November 1, 2026
Texas A&M University from $46,138
School's published I-20 estimate, 2027, checked November 1, 2026
University of North Texas from $42,067
School's published I-20 estimate, 2026-27, checked November 1, 2026
University of Washington from $63,279
School's published I-20 estimate, 2026-27, checked November 1, 2026
The rules behind the number
- The I-20 amount is the target
- The regulations ask for evidence of financial support in the amount on your Form I-20, and your school sets that amount. (ecfr.gov, studyinthestates.dhs.gov)
- First year in hand
- Officers look for enough readily available funds to meet all expenses for the first year of study. (fam.state.gov)
- Later years from a reliable source
- For each later year, the officer must be satisfied the money will be there, from the same or another specifically identified source. (fam.state.gov)
- Who can pay
- You, your family, a sponsor, a scholarship or assistantship, or an existing loan. A loan you only plan to get doesn't count. (studyinthestates.dhs.gov, fam.state.gov)
How it works
- Type the estimated first-year costs from your I-20 or your school's estimate. The examples below can fill it in for 7 schools.
- Add a spouse or children if they're coming on F-2, with the amount your school adds for each.
- The answer is the first-year total to show. For example, a $60,000 I-20 for a 2-year master's means showing $60,000 for year one and a reliable source for year two.
- The rules below come from the State Department's guidance to officers and the regulations.
Frequently asked questions
How much bank balance do I need for an F-1 visa?
There's no fixed minimum. You need evidence of financial support in the amount on your Form I-20, and officers look for enough readily available funds for the first year. A bank balance is one way to show it. Sponsors, scholarships and existing loans count too. (ecfr.gov, fam.state.gov)
Do I need to show money for all years of study?
No. You show first-year funds in hand, and the officer must be satisfied that money will be there for each later year, from the same or another specifically identified, reliable source. (fam.state.gov)
Where does the I-20 amount come from?
Your school. Study in the States says the I-20 should list average tuition, fees and living expenses for the program, one academic year or 12 months, whichever is shortest. So it's your school's estimate, not a government number. (studyinthestates.dhs.gov, studyinthestates.dhs.gov)
Can my parents or a relative sponsor my F-1 visa?
Yes. The funds can be yours or a sponsor's. The officer must resolve any doubt that the sponsor can pay and will, so know the sponsor's job, income and reason for paying. See F-1 proof of funds. (studyinthestates.dhs.gov, fam.state.gov)
How much extra for an F-2 spouse or child?
Your school sets it. Each F-2 needs their own I-20, and many schools add a fixed amount per dependent. In the published examples below, the first dependent adds $5,000 to $12,563. (fam.state.gov)
Does an education loan count as proof of funds?
An existing loan can, with the amount, the lender and how you'll repay it. The Foreign Affairs Manual says the mere intention to get a loan isn't enough. (fam.state.gov)
Related guides
Sources 6 pages
Every answer in this tool comes from these pages.
- Student Visa, travel.state.gov, checked October 28, 2026
- 9 FAM 402.5, Students and Exchange Visitors, fam.state.gov, checked October 28, 2026
- 8 CFR 214.2(f), ecfr.gov, checked October 28, 2026
- Financial Ability, Study in the States (DHS), checked October 28, 2026
- What Financial Information Should Be Included on the Form I-20?, Study in the States (DHS), checked October 28, 2026
- Students and the Form I-20, Study in the States (DHS), checked October 28, 2026
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This tool explains what State Department and US embassy pages say. It isn't legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with the U.S. government or the Department of State.
