I-20/DS-2019 FAQs

No. Many of our students enter the U.S. on different kinds of visas.  You are not required to submit an I-20/DS-2019 request or apply for a student visa if you will have another immigration status that permits you to study. However, certain visa types (such as visitor waiver status or B-2 tourists) are not permitted to study. If you plan to study at TC on a non-student visa, please let us know what your immigration status will be while you are at TC.

Over 90% of our students are F-1 students. J-1 students receive their primary source of funding from an institutional source, such as a home-government scholarship, university funding, etc. Students whose primary source of funding is personal or family funds must apply for an I-20 for F-1 student status.

Yes. TC is required by U.S. immigration regulations to verify that you have adequate financial resources to meet the tuition, fees, and estimated living expenses for a full course of study.

We accept the following documents:

A. Official bank statements issued within the past three months.

• The bank statements can come from you, your parents, or an individual financial sponsor. If your bank statements are coming from someone other than yourself, they must each provide their own certified or signed Affidavit of Support
• First year funds must reflect readily available cash reserves, such as checking, savings, or time deposits. If the bank letters or bank statements are not in English, you must provide a certified or notarized copy in English

Please make sure that all the following required information is clear on all bank document(s):

• Name of the individual account holder (business accounts may be accepted with appropriate supporting documentation)
• Type of account (checking, savings, or time deposits) or the bank must clearly state that the funds are liquid funds from a checking, savings, or time deposit account
• Bank contact information
• Date that the bank letter or bank statement was issued
• If the bank letters or bank statements are not in English, you must provide a certified or notarized copy in English

B. Scholarship/Assistantship Offer Letter

•  Copy of award letter from TC and/or other sponsoring institution, including home government and/or university awards detailing the exact monetary amount that you have been awarded and the exact expenses that this monetary amount will cover

C. Loan Approval Letter/Document

• Documents verifying that you have been approved for funds equivalent to the minimum amount needed to cover your educational and personal expenses.

You can find more information on the Financial Documentation form via TC-Compass.

The I-20/DS-2019 Request is available via TC-Compass. Please click the “New Student Services” tab to find the forms.

The OISS takes about 14 business days to process a completed I-20/DS-2019 request, although we make every effort to process your request as quickly as possible. Please note that the Office of Admission must also receive your enrollment deposit before the OISS can process your request.  

Processing may be delayed if your request is incomplete, or if you are currently in the U.S. as an F-1 or J-1 student at another institution. In the latter case, we may be unable to process your request immediately, depending on when your current institution transfers your records to us.

For F-1 students, we will send an electronically signed Form I-20 to you via email. For J-1 students, you will need the hard copy of Form DS-2019 for formal processing such as a visa application or entry into the U.S. As part of your application process, you will be able to provide a prepaid shipping label to OISS via eShip Global. 

The estimated time-to-completion indicated on the I-20 reflects a reasonable estimate of how long it would take a full-time student to complete the requirements for a particular course of study. It does not prevent you from completing in less time, if you are able.  If you require more time, you will need to apply for a program extension after you have arrived.

The major field of study indicated on the I-20 reflects the "closest match" between your TC major and a pre-set list used by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Yes. The Form I-20 is supposed to reflect up-to-date, accurate information about a student's personal, academic, and financial information. Please email us at tcintl@tc.columbia.edu with your specific questions. We will determine whether the I-20 needs to be corrected, updated, or changed.

The expiration of the DS-2019, unlike the I-20, is based on verified funding. For example, if you received a DS-2019 based on a one-year scholarship, your DS-2019 is will be valid for only that year. Your DS-2019 will need to be renewed as your funding for future years is confirmed.