English Language Proficiency Requirements

You must demonstrate that you or your sponsor have the available finances to meet the educational and living expenses while you are a student at Illinois Tech.

Please note: the minimum dollar amount may vary based on any merit-based scholarships awarded.

To fulfill this requirement, you must

• Complete the Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form.
• Submit Proof of Funds which may be in the form of a bank letter bearing the bank’s seal and signature or a bank statement of financial transactions stating that funds are readily available. 

It is important to remember the following things when submitting your Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form:

• Acceptable sources of funding may include checking and savings accounts, loan letters, government sponsorship, fixed deposits, investment portfolio or stocks with liquid funds, bonds with a maturity date before the start of the semester, and business accounts (additional documentation of business registration). Unacceptable sources include salary verification letters, pay stubs, tax return forms, insurance policies and real estate or property holdings. Any financial document that does not show a currently available balance (liquid funds) will not be acceptable.
• If you are submitting proof of financing in an account that is not in your own name, you will need to have your sponsor complete the Sponsor Certification Section of the Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form.
• You may submit bank statements from two or more sponsors. However, each sponsor must complete the Sponsor Certification Section of the Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form.
• The bank statement you provide must clearly show the currency of the funds in the account.
• The Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form and Proof of Funds is not needed for admission review purposes and will be sent in after you receive your admission decision and pay the enrollment deposit fee.
• If you have been admitted and received a scholarship, you may deduct your scholarship amount from the total amount of funds you are asked to demonstrate for the Form I-20 or DS-2019 expenses.

Your Financial Affidavit of Responsibility Form and Proof of Funds will be uploaded within the ISSS Portal once you have received your admission decision and paid your enrollment deposit fee 

Please note: This information is required to issue the Immigration and Customs Enforcement form I-20 or DS-2019, which you will use to obtain an F1 or J-1 visa.
 

Most international students who wish to enter the United States for educational purposes will need to apply for a student visa. Degree-seeking international students at Illinois Tech will receive a Form I-20 to apply for an F-1 student visa, whereas non-degree seeking international students (visiting and exchange students) will receive a Form DS-2019 to apply for a J-1 student visa.

Students must complete the following steps to receive their immigration documents and receive a visa to study at Illinois Tech.

Please note: Canadian citizens have a different process outlined below.

1. Submit Required Documentation
All students must submit a copy of their passport, Proof of Funds and a Financial Affidavit of Responsibility  Form in order to receive an I-20 or DS-2019. You may upload a copy of your passport and financial documentation in the ISSS Portal. Upon admission and submission of required documents, I-20s and DS-2019’s are generally processed within five business days.

Students who are currently studying in the United States will need to request a SEVIS transfer release from their current institution before we are able to issue an I-20. SEVIS records can only be available to one school at a time, so students must end their studies at their current institution or end their OPT/STEM OPT time before being eligible to transfer their SEVIS record and receive an I-20 from Illinois Tech.

2. Obtain a Form I-20/Form DS-2019
Please make sure that your name, biographical information, and program information are all listed correctly on your I-20 or DS-2019, as this information will be used for the visa stamp in your passport.

3. Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee
All new students must pay a SEVIS fee before the United States Department of State will issue a visa. We recommend paying this fee as soon as you receive your immigration documents to allow sufficient time for the fee payment to be updated in your SEVIS record. Upon payment, you will be issued a receipt that you must bring to your visa appointment.

4. Schedule a Visa Interview
We recommend applying for your visa as early as possible, as interview appointments and visa processing wait times vary by country. The steps of applying for a visa and scheduling an interview vary based on the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.

You will need the following information to schedule your interview:

Full university name: Illinois Institute of Technology
University address: 10 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60616
School Code (for I-20’s): CHI214F00379000
Program Number (for DS-2019’s): P-1-00266

5. Attend Visa Interview
The documents you are required to bring to your visa interview will depend on your location, so you should confirm with your local embassy or consulate what documentation is required. In general, you should prepare to bring the following documents:

• Passport valid for at least six months into the future
• Original Illinois Tech I-20 or DS-2019
• Official Illinois Tech admission letter (included in your I-20 or DS-2019 package)
• Completed and signed visa application forms
• Photograph(s) in the required format
• Receipt of SEVIS I-901 fee payment
• Proof of funding sufficient to cover your tuition and living expenses during the first year of your program. You may demonstrate this by providing the original versions of the financial documentation  you submitted to receive your immigration documents.

For more visa tips, please visit NAFSA for points to remember when applying for a student visa.

6. Arrive in the United States
You are allowed to enter the U.S. up to 30 days prior to the start date listed on your I-20 or DS-2019. Make sure to carry your immigration documents (passport with visa, I-20 or DS-2019, financial documents) with you in your carry-on luggage. You are required  to complete the new International Student Check-In process with Illinois Tech’s Office of Global Services  within two days of arriving in Chicago. If you have an F-1 visa, you will have a “grace period” of 60 days following your program end date to leave the U.S. If you are a J-1 student, you will be required to leave the U.S. within 30 days of your program completion date.

CANADIAN CITIZENS

Canadian citizens do not need student visas to study in the U.S.; however, you do need to obtain an I-20 or DS-2019 from Illinois Tech. As soon as you receive your immigration documents you should pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.

When you cross the border to study in the U.S. you will need to provide the officer at the port of entry:

• Valid passport
• Original Illinois Tech I-20 or DS-2019
• Receipt of SEVIS I-901 fee payment
• Proof of funding sufficient to cover your tuition and living expenses during the first year of your program; you may demonstrate this by providing the original versions of the Financial Affidavit of Support Form and bank statement you submitted to receive your immigration documents.
• Proof of your ties to Canada

For additional information, please contact the Illinois Tech Office of Global Services at global@iit.edu.