Financial Verification

International applicants are required to complete the International Applicant Confidential Financial Statement section as part of the Graduate online application. This section will provide total required fees, required proof of living expense, and dependent proof of support for the 9-month academic year. Any  dependent's (spouse or child) requiring an I-20 form from UC Riverside will require you to provide additional verification of support if you are admitted and accept. You will also be required to provide the type of sponsorship you have on this form. This section also provides guidelines regarding the types of verification of support UC Riverside accepts.

As fellowships are merit-based, indicating that you have a sponsor will not exclude you from consideration of a fellowship.

If you are admitted, details regarding verification of support will be specified in your electronic offer package. During the application process, only those with an external sponsor such as your government, organization/agency, or employer, should provide an award letter outlining the terms of your sponsorship to the graduate program you are applying to. Those with personal (self-support), family, or individual support, will be prompted on how to provide that support after an offer is made and accepted. 

Please note that fellowships are typically not provided to Master's students, unless noted on the programs website. Unless you have been officially notified in writing of an award from the Dean of the Graduate Division, you should not expect any financial support from UCR. Teaching and research assistantships, fellowships and stipends, as well as tuition fellowships, are not guaranteed for the full academic year or for subsequent years of study unless stated in writing.
 

Required Verification of Support Amounts

Total required fees and expenses are estimated at US$51,858.68 per academic calendar year (this figure is subject to change). This amount is for the student alone. This estimate includes $32,940.68 for fees for three quarters and an updated $18,918.00 for basic living expenses for the nine month academic year only. All fees are subject to change without notice. Married students must verify an additional US$5,400 if accompanied by a spouse and another US$3,600 for each child that requires a visa to enter the US. Opportunities for university financial assistance are limited. The University will NOT issue a certificate of eligibility (Form I-20 or DS2019) unless you provide evidence of your ability to pay all required fees and expenses for the duration of your program. In some cases, American embassies and consulates will not grant you a student visa unless you can provide proof of adequate funding for the entire stay.

For those applicants interested in our professional graduate programs, please see the below table for total required fees and expenses for the student alone. Additional dependents will follow the above noted dependent expenses.

Visa Procedures & Visa Types Issued

U.S. Immigration law requires that international applicants, if admitted, show documented evidence that sufficient funds to cover all fees, transportation, and living expenses are available for the first year of their study at UCR and that a sponsor is committed to their financial support beyond this date. This must be proved before a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS2019) for a visa can be issued by the International Students and Scholars office.  The I-20 form is issued to admitted applicants who are qualified, for an F-1 (student) visa. The DS2019 form is issued to admitted applicants who are qualified for a J-1 visa. J-1 (exchange visitor) status is appropriate for students whose programs of study are substantially funded by the U.S. government, their home government, and international or nonprofit organization, or UCR.

A student on a student visa cannot accept off-campus employment at any time during the first year in the U.S. Spouses of F-1 visa holders (F-2) are not allowed to work under any circumstances.