How to use this calculator
- Take the first-year total from page 1 of your I-20 — that is the number the visa officer works from
- Deduct tuition already paid and any scholarship printed on the I-20 or award letter
- Add up only liquid, documented money: bank balances, signed sponsor letters, loan sanction letters
- Look at the shortfall — if it is negative, you have a surplus, which is a good sign, not a problem
- Build at least a 10-15% buffer before your interview date; officers often ask how you will fund year two
Unlike the UK, Canada or Australia, the United States publishes no fixed funds threshold for the F-1 visa. The requirement is functional: your financial documents must cover the estimated cost of attendance that your university prints on the I-20 form — tuition, fees, living expenses, books and supplies for the first year. A $55,000 I-20 needs roughly $55,000 of documented money minus anything already paid or scholarship-covered.
The documentation quality matters as much as the total. Bank statements should be liquid: savings and checking accounts in your name or an immediate relative's. Fixed deposits need a bank letter confirming release; property valuations, stock portfolios and crypto holdings are routinely dismissed. Sponsor letters must come with the sponsor's own bank evidence and income proof — a bare promise on letterhead carries no weight.
The second-year question is the most common interview trap. Your I-20 covers a multi-year program, and officers know the visa may span all of it. Be ready with a one-sentence answer: a parent's income, a continuing loan arrangement, or a named sponsor for each year. You do not need to document it fully upfront, but you need a credible story.
Timing rules are practical, not official: money that appeared last week looks borrowed. Season your largest deposits for at least a few months where possible, and keep the paper trail for every large credit — sale records, loan disbursement, gift deeds.
What counts as liquid at a US consular interview
Accepted: savings/checking statements (typically last 3-6 months), fixed-deposit letters from the bank confirming convertibility, approved education-loan sanction letters, scholarship letters on university letterhead. Rejected or heavily discounted: credit-card limits, overdraft facilities, real estate, gold, stocks (varies by post), and any money whose origin cannot be explained.
SEVIS fee and visa fee (for budgeting)
Budget separately for the I-901 SEVIS fee ($350) and the MRV visa application fee ($185). Both are paid before the interview and neither is refundable if the visa is refused.