The Kahlert School of Computing is not your best resource when it comes to I-20, visa, or other international specific policies. We encourage students to contact the International Center or the International Admission Office with your questions.
- International Center: international@utah.edu
- International Admission Office: iao@utah.edu
Names: Make sure your First and Last Names are on all the documents and that the names are also what you use as your name in the application.
English Proficiency: Please follow instructions provided by the University of Utah International Admissions Office here.
The Kahlert School of Computing prefers higher English proficiency scores than the minimal university requirement for admission. However, should you have a lower score, as long as your score is above the university minimum, your application will be considered fully.
| Test | University Minimum | School of Computing Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL (ibt) | 80 | 105 |
| TOEFL (speaking) | (none) | 25 |
| IELTS | 6.5 | 7.5 |
| DUOLINGO | 105 | 125 |
Test scores are valid for two years.
Students requesting an I-20 must provide the following documents: (Also, please see How to Avoid Delays in I-20 issuance, below)
Financial Statement
Please e-mail all your financial support documents and the bio-page of your passport in one e-mail to iao@sa.utah.edu. (Hard copies will not be needed.)
Your application will be considered for financial aid if you select this in the application, however, all students not funded will need to provide these financial documents, and to avoid delays in issuing visas, it’s advisable to have these documents in place early.
- A financial statement showing a minimum. The funds should be liquid (available within very short notice), and the account must have been in the applicant’s name (or in the support person’s name who is signing the affidavit of support) for at least six months. Do take currency fluctuations into account. (Costs are subject to change.) Read an estimate of Graduate expenses. The financial documents can only be six months old by the time of the I-20 issuance.
- A signed statement from any sponsor providing financial support for the student, declaring the sponsor’s intent to financially support the student for an entire year of tuition and living expenses. Download the Affidavit. Applicants being sponsored by their embassy, government, or educational agency need only submit a letter of sponsorship from the appropriate authority.
- Upload a copy of the bio-pages of a current passport into the application system under “International.” We highly encourage all students to upload copies at the time of applying to avoid delays in processing.
- Students currently on an I-20 from another U.S. school will need to complete a transfer form, which will be mailed to the student after acceptance.
How to avoid delays in your I-20 issuance
I-20s will be issued after completion of document verification, including financial support documents, for authenticity by the International Admissions office. Meaning, your I-20 may not be issued until after you have received your official acceptance into the University of Utah by the Office of Admissions.
Parts of the verification process take place after that you notify us that you accept our offer. Your patience is appreciated as the time that it takes to evaluate all docs, and the issuing of the I-20, varies from applicant to applicant. Following the instructions in these points will speed up the process.
- Surname on Passport – Ensure that your passport accurately reflects your name. If you don’t have a surname, or given name, be aware that the SEVIS system requires a family name/surname, so please address this issue early. If you posses a passport without a surname your I-20 will be issued with your given name(s) listed as your surname. The first name field on the I-20 will be entered as FNU (First Name Unknown). An alternative is to contact your government’s passport agency to see if it is possible to apply for a name correction/adjustment to your passport by means of adding an addendum or possibly by re-issuing your passport.
- Name(s) Must Match – The name on the Affidavit of Support needs to exactly match the name on the bank statements, and please note that the affidavit must be completely filled out. So, whomever is on the bank statement has to sign the affidavit of support. If there are two people on the bank statement, or different bank statements are needed with different names, then a separate affidavit of support is needed for each supporter’s name.
- Support Documents – Financial support documents should be no older than 6 months old. These documents should include funds that can be made available at a moments notice at the time of the I-20 issuance.
- Account for Currency Fluctuations – Please make sure that you have enough money available in your accounts as the currency conversion rate can go down and affect your account balance at the time of I-20 issuance. Extra funds in the account provide a margin against potential fluctuations or additional financial docs may be needed before I-20 can be issued.
- Submit What’s Needed & No More – Only submit support documents that are requested. Note that the more documents you submit for financial support, the more time it takes to verify them.
- E-mail Financial Documents to – Please e-mail all your financial support documents and the bio-page of your passport in one e-mail to iao@sa.utah.edu. Hard copies will not be needed.
- Check Your E-mail – Actively check your e-mails so you can find out if we need additional information from you.