A certificate of eligibility is required to obtain a visa and enter the United States with the correct international student status: Form I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1.)
Following the acceptance of your admissions offer, ISSP will send you an email from iGlobal with information on how to log in to the iGlobal system and submit your I-20 or DS-2019 request.
I-20/DS-2019 Request Process:
- ISSP will invite you to complete an I-20/DS-2019 Request within iGlobal.
- Exchange, Frosh, and Transfer Students – You will need your CruzID and Gold Password to access iGlobal.
- Once in iGlobal, you will see the I-20/DS-2019 Request Form and instructions. Complete all sections and upload all required documentation (e.g. passport bio page, financial documentation, etc.).
- Your I-20/DS-2019 Request will be reviewed by the ISSP office and you will be notified if it is complete to process, or incomplete and requires your further attention.
- Once accepted, ISSP will issue and mail or email the appropriate document to you in 15-20 business days.
- You will receive an email with your SEVIS ID#, School/Program Code, and next-step instructions to pay the SEVIS Fee and arrange a visa appointment at a U.S. embassy/consulate after your I-20/DS-2019 is issued.
Required documentation for the I-20/DS-2019 Request
- A copy of the biographical page(s) in your passport (the pages with your picture, name, and date of birth). While in F-1/J-1 status, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months into the future.
- Proof of sufficient funds to cover the estimated expenses for the first academic year of study at UC Santa Cruz. See the charts below under ‘Estimated Cost of Attendance’.
- Please only submit summary statements and not all pages of accounts.
- Copy of your letter of admission to UC Santa Cruz (this can be the PDF you received via email).
I-20/DS-2019 Request Estimated Cost of Attendance
- Estimated cost of attendance for the first year of studies varies by program, is set for each program, and cannot be altered for personal circumstances. Take note of the Total Estimated Cost of Attendance.
- Undergraduate and Graduate Cost of Attendance
- Professional Graduate MA/MS and Summer Session Cost of Attendance Chart
- Affidavit of Financial Support Form
- The estimated cost of attendance is an estimate for immigration purposes only. Your actual costs will vary.
- Living Expenses
- U.S. visa regulations require that you document financial support for your first academic year.
- Your costs may be more or less than the estimates.
- Health Insurance Requirement
- You may either enroll in the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) or certify that you have comparable medical coverage from another source. For more visit the UC SHIP Information page.
- U.S. visa regulations require medical insurance for J-1 students and for their J-2 dependents, and the University strongly recommends it for all dependents. There is no national health plan in the U.S. and medical care is very expensive.
- Dependents
- If dependents will be accompanying you to the U.S., your budget must include funds for their living expenses.
- You will be required to show funding of $1,200 per month for each adult dependent ($700 per month for each child) that will accompany you.
- International Student Fee
- $400 for new international freshmen.
- $200 for new international transfers.
- $50 for one quarter / $100 for two or more quarters – new incoming UCSC Exchange Program students.
- This fee helps support the services we provide in ISSP, including international student advising (which includes immigration advising), and programming to help with all aspects of life at UC Santa Cruz.