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  2. Admissions
  3. International Applicants
  4. I-20 Requirements

I-20 Requirements

If you've been admitted to a graduate program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and plan to study on an F-1 student visa, you'll need a Form I-20 before you can apply for your visa or enter the United States.

The I-20 is issued by the University once you've submitted the required documentation showing you're academically and financially prepared for graduate study.

Because visa processing can take several weeks to a few months, timing is just as important as completeness. 

I-20 Deadlines 

The following deadlines have been set to ensure that new students have the necessary time to schedule VISA appointments and arrive at UL Lafayette. 

An initial I-20 will not be issued if required documents have not been received and approved (and admission has not been granted) by these dates. 

Transfer I-20s will continue to be considered and, as approved, issued after these dates. 

Semester 

I-20 Deadline 

Fall 

June 30 

Spring 

November 15 

I-20s are rarely issued for a first term of study in the summer semester. Full-time enrollment is required for international students on an F-1 visa, and most graduate programs have limited course offerings during the summer.  Most graduate programs welcome new graduate students in the Fall semester. Learn more about individual program application deadlines and start dates. 

You will be notified by email when the I-20 has been issued.  

To receive or transfer an I-20, you must:

While we cannot provide an I-20 until you have been admitted (without any conditions) to one of our master’s or doctoral programs, we recommend that you do not wait until you are admitted to provide required documents. Waiting until you have been admitted can significantly delay issuance or transfer of an I-20. 

The Graduate School must receive final official transcripts and proof of degree(s) directly from each institution before an I-20 will be issued or transferred. Review our transcript requirements.

Your financial documentation must be combined and uploaded to the application portal as one PDF. 

Complete the International Confidential Financial Information Form to certify that you have enough funds for all tuition, fees, and personal expenses for at least one year of study at UL Lafayette. 

Use the International Graduate Student Cost Estimate below to determine your estimated total financial responsibility. 

___________________________________________

Tuition and Fees (non-resident, international)$26,840
Living Expenses                                               $9,960
Books and Supplies                                         $1385
Mandatory International Health Insurance      $2050
TOTAL                                                              $40,235
___________________________________________  

Your total minimum expected financial responsibility is $40,235. This includes your tuition and fees, living expenses, books and supplies, and mandatory international health insurance.  

Add $2,000 for a dependent spouse and $1,000 for each dependent child. For example, if you plan to bring your spouse and one child as dependents, you will need to document $40,235 + $3,000 = $43,235. 

These estimated expenses are for graduate-level students for the 2026-2027 year (based on a 9-hour graduate enrollment in the Fall and Spring semesters). This estimate is based on the fall and spring semesters ONLY.  

In the event of an increase in tuition and/or fees, students are responsible for added costs. We recommend documenting 10-15% more funds than the minimum required.  

Last updated 3/6/2026 

Include supporting documentation that proves you have enough funds for a year of graduate study. Most often, this means providing a copy of a certified bank statement in your name showing the total amount available in U.S. dollars. If the account represented on the bank statement is in the name of another person, then a notarized affidavit of support from that person is also required. 

If you received an assistantship or fellowship to pay for your tuition and living expenses, list the amount under “University Funds.” If you receive funding that does not cover the total expenses for one year of graduate studies, then you must provide documentation for the remaining amount.  The graduate program (or individual faculty member) will provide the Graduate School with confirmation of funding. 

Faculty members and graduate programs do not have access to your financial documents, and they make admission and funding decisions based on merit alone. Assistantships and fellowships are awarded competitively to the most academically qualified students. 

To ensure proper issuance of the I-20, you must upload a copy of your passport (from your home country) or your current visa to the application portal as a PDF. This information is not shared with faculty members or the graduate program to which you are applying. 

Prior to issuance of the I-20 and scheduling of classes, Student Health Services must approve the proof of immunization compliance form. Complete the Official University Immunization Form and upload it as a PDF to the application portal. This information is not shared with faculty members or the graduate program to which you are applying.