How to Complete the Affidavit of Financial Resources Form

Quick Steps

1. Submit the Affidavit of Financial Resources for Issuance of Form I-20. You will need to print, fill out, sign and send back by email to owuintl@owu.edu.
2. Amount to be certified is the difference between U.S. $71,475 and your award, if any.
3. Please submit an official original dated bank statement on bank letterhead.  If your source of funds will come from a loan, a sponsor who is not your parent(s), an outside scholarship, sale of property, investment account or other liquid asset, you will need to provide proof of those funds. The document(s) needs to be no older than six months. See the example bank statement that will allow us to process the I-20 more quickly.
4. Submit the I-20 Issuance Form.
5. Email to owuintl@owu.edu a copy of the bio page of your passport to ensure your name is correctly listed on the I-20 form.
6. All documents must be in English. If not, an English translation must accompany the original. Send all of the documents by email to owuintl@owu.edu. Keep your originals with you and bring to campus.

By U.S. law, we cannot issue the SEVIS Form I-20 until we receive authoritative documentation that you have adequate support for your education. This is for your benefit as well as ours. It would be unfortunate for you to have to interrupt your education because of a lack of financial support.

Once we receive your financial certification and relevant documentation, we can issue the I-20 form within a few days, although slight delays could occur during periods when our office is closed. It benefits you to send your financial information as soon as possible. The International and Off-Campus Programs Office will issue the I-20 and provide the SEVIS ID number by email to allow your payment of the SEVIS fee and to make an appointment. The I-20 document will also be sent by email.

It’s important that you know that Ohio Wesleyan takes this certification of finances very seriously. Providing false information can jeopardize your status as a non-immigrant as well as your status as a student at Ohio Wesleyan.

If your financial sponsor is a US citizen or legal permanent resident, they will need to submit a USCIS form I-134 with required documentation.

You, your parents, or your sponsor may contact us anytime to receive answers to questions and concerns.

Information Needed

• IMPORTANT:  List your name as it appears on your passport.  Ensure that your permanent address is where you live and not a company or relative's address.  
• Provide names of all sources—persons and agencies—that contribute to the student’s financial support and they must complete a separate Affidavit of Financial Resource form and provide official original dated bank statement(s).
• Expected earnings from on-campus employment or from any other employment in the United States cannot be included as a source of support.

Calculating the Amount to be Certified 

The amount that you must certify for the first year is $71,475 (total billed costs AND estimated expenses for 2022-2023, which includes University fees, books, estimated health insurance, estimated personal and vacation living expenses) minus the amount of any financial assistance from Ohio Wesleyan University. 

Note: Total expenses for 2022-23 are based on full tuition & average room and meal charges (personal choice can change these expenses). Additionally, the amount needed to be certified includes student-controlled expenses such as:  books and supplies ($1,240), personal expenses ($1,800), Health Insurance ($2,168) and transportation ($2,000) for each year.  These costs vary according to each student.  Please go to Cost & Fees for more details.

Common Problems

Delays may occur because of the following issues:

• Not submitting documentation with the Affidavit of Financial Resources form.
• Not submitting the required signatures on the form or documentation.
• If you receive your I-20 form close to the beginning of a new term, you may find the lines at the U.S. Consulate are much longer than usual and you may not be able to make appropriate travel arrangements.

Note: To avoid delays and leave time for paperwork corrections and to make travel arrangements, it’s important to submit all your financial documents as soon as possible.