INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF FINANCES
Before Ohio Wesleyan can issue a certificate of eligibility (Form I-20), we must have authoritative documentation of a student’s financial support. This procedure is required of universities by U.S. law. Students should be aware that providing false information may jeopardize their status as non immigrants in the United States as well as their status as students at Ohio Wesleyan University. In addition, Ohio Wesleyan wishes to ensure that all our students have adequate support for their education. It would be a tragedy for a student to begin his or her studies only to have to leave after one or two years because of lack of support. Ohio Wesleyan takes this certification of finances very seriously. We hope to receive your financial certification as soon as possible so that we can issue SEVIS Form I-20. Once we receive your financial certification and relevant documentation, it should take us no more than a few days to issue the I-20. Slight delays may occur during periods when our office is closed. Students requesting special express mail or courier service must pay for the extra charges in advance. (Please see the I-20 Issuance Form.) The following information is required and must be provided. Improperly completed forms will be returned. Students can use the College Board form or submit other documents, if appropriate. Original-not faxed--documentation must be received before I-20 issuance. Students, parents, and sponsors are encouraged to contact us if they have any questions or concerns.
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Names of all sources--persons or agencies--contributing to the student’s financial support. The amount of funding provided by each source for each year of study. Official documentation of the specific amount of funds from each source--the signature of a bank official on the form or a separate bank letter, an official employer letter documenting salary, or whatever would be appropriate for each source. Signatures--of the student, parents, and other sponsors, and of a bank official or other appropriate authority. Assured support for the first year of study. Funds for the first year must be absolutely guaranteed. First-year support must equal the difference between total expenses and any Ohio Wesleyan award. Projected support for all other years of study. Students cannot begin a degree program without projected support for the entire program. Projected support for other years must take into account the expected four percent (or more) annual increase in expenses. See the section on the other side on FIGURING THE AMOUNT TO BE CERTIFIED. Expected earnings from student on-campus employment or from any other student employment in the United States cannot be included as a source of support.
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FIGURING THE AMOUNT TO BE CERTIFIED The amount that you must certify for the first year is $46,448 (total expenses for 2009-2010 which includes University fees, books, estimated health insurance, estimated personal and vacation living expenses) minus the amount of any financial assistance from Ohio Wesleyan. As an example (see below), a student receiving an award of $12,000 would need to certify $34,448 for the first year. For the remaining years, because of the annual increases in expenses, you must add $1,400 each year. (This amount is only an estimate.) EXAMPLE
(In this example, the student receives a $12,000 scholarship.)
Academic Year Total Expenses* Scholarship Amount Certified
2009-10 $46,448 12,000 $34,448
2010-11 $47,848 12,000 $35,848
2011-12 $49,248 12,000 $37,248
*Total expenses are fixed for 2009-10. Expenses are only estimated for the other two years.
COMMON PROBLEMS Delays in issuing the I-20 may occur because of the following common problems, especially the first: Failure to account for the annual increase in fees and to use the correct amounts. Failure to submit documentation with the Certification of Finances. Failure to obtain the required signatures on the form or documentation. In such cases, the I-20 will not be issued and the student will be contacted to make corrections on the form. If there are unexpected delays, as described above, students sometimes request that we send the I-20 by courier. To request courier service, you must pay $45 in advance--please see the I-20 Issuance Form. Occasionally, we are unable to fulfill the student’s request for courier service because we do not have an acceptable mailing address. Couriers do not deliver to P.O. boxes; they require a street address. Students sometimes realize only later that it is to their advantage to receive the I-20 early. Students who receive the I-20 close to the beginning of a new term often find that the lines are much longer at the U.S. consulate and that they are unable to make appropriate travel arrangements. A sense of urgency develops which could have been avoided. I encourage you to submit the financial certification as early as you can!
Grace Poling, Associate Dean, Director of International Recruitment, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH 43015, USA Tel. (740) 368-3029 Fax (740) 368-3314 E-Mail: ggpoling@owu.edu