The page explains how to submit the required documentation in order to be issued a form DS-2019 or form I-20 from the University of West Florida. For help with this process, please contact International Programs at international@uwf.edu. |
After being admitted into a degree program or being accepted into a student exchange, there are several documents required before the university can issue immigration documents. The documents required are a copy of a valid passport and a certification of your financial support.
In order to submit this documentation, you must have access to MyUWF. If you have not already activated your account, you can do so following the instructions at Activating your MyUWF/ArgoNet Account.
Search for "Proof of Identity and Financial Support for Immigration" in MyUWF. Then, click on the app.
Once you have clicked the app, a page opens asking you to complete the form. Click "Complete Form."
After clicking "Complete Form," you are taken to the start of the form. Your name. date of birth, student email, and UWF ID should automatically load. If it does not, please contact international@uwf.edu for help.
Select your student type using the guidelines below:
Exchange Student (this is for students participating in a partner exchange with the University of West Florida)
Graduate Students (this is for degree and non-degree seeking students who have been admitted to a Masters, Specialist, or Doctoral program)
Intensive English Program Student (this is for students who are study English at the Intensive English Program including students who have Undergraduate Conditional Admission)
Transatlantik Institut Student (this is for cohort students participating in the Transatlantik Institut MBA cohort)
Undergraduate Student (this is for degree and non-degree seeking students who have been admitted to an Undergraduate program)
After you select your student type, you will see the required proof of financial support. The amount is different depending on the type of student you are.
Next, you select if you have any dependents. Adding dependents increases the amount of financial support required.
Dependents only need to be added if they are going to be attached to your visa status.
To show proof of support, you first select the type of support you have using the guidelines below. (See FAQs below for guidance on documents that can and cannot be accepted as financial proof.)
Athletic Scholarship (use this for scholarships from UWF athletics teams)
Friends/ Family (use this for support that is from friends or family; this support required a completed Certification of Financial Resources)
Scholarship (use this for support that is from a scholarship outside UWF)
Self (use this for support you are providing; this support required a completed Certification of Financial Resources)
University of West Florida (use this for scholarships and support from UWF that is not related to athletics)
After choosing the type of support, enter the requested information.
Support that is from friends, family, or yourself requires a Certification of Financial Resources. The form can be downloaded below or downloaded from the app.
The Certification of Financial Resources is completed and signed by the sponsor (or yourself if it is self support), and then, taken to your bank for approval. The bank should sign and stamp the form.
Below is an example of a correctly completed Certification of Financial Resources.
After the form has been signed by all parties and stamped by the bank, upload the completed form.
It is very common to have multiple sources of support. If you need another source of support, click the check box label "I have another source of support" and additional sources will appear. Each additional source of support must have its own Certification of Financial Resources.
Once you have added all of your sources of financial support, click "next." This will take you to the passport upload page.
Upload a scanned copy of your passport, and click "next." This will take you to the signature page. After you sign, the form will automatically be sent to International Programs for approval.
Most financial institutions will complete the form. However, if your institution will not, please contact international@uwf.edu. It is possible to accept certain types of bank letters in place of the signature or stamp. You must include a completed CFR form. The CFR form is the "Certification of Financial Resources" and is required for before receiving an I-20 form because the CFR explains who is providing the money for your education & living expenses.
Bank Statements are not required. UWF suggests requesting a bank letter which includes the above listed information rather than submitting a full bank statement. |
If your financial institution will only do one or the other, we will accept a signature without a stamp or a stamp without a signature. Everything else on the form must be correct. |
Financial Support must meet documentation standards to be accepted as financial proof. See the listed examples of acceptable documents for each types of support student may submit. Athletic Scholarship - Students may upload a scholarship letter from their team coach or the Athletic Grant in Aid Form that lists the award semester(s) and the US Dollar amount of the scholarship. Friends/ Family (use this for support that is from friends or family; this support required a completed Certification of Financial Resources) - Preferred to be submitted as a completed Certification of Financial Resources (CFR) signed by the Sponsor and signed/stamped by the bank. May be submitted as a CFR signed by the sponsor with an accompanying bank letter which meets requirements for Financial Institution Alternative Documentation. See the FAQ "What if my Bank will not complete the Certification of Financial Resources?" for examples of acceptable CFR documentation. Financial Support documents must be less than six months old. Scholarship (use this for support that is from a scholarship outside UWF) - Use this option to upload scholarship letters or documents that you have been awarded from a source outside of UWF that you can use to cover your cost of study at UWF. . This includes scholarships from your home country, private scholarships, or other scholarships for which you have been awarded. Self (use this for support you are providing; this support required a completed Certification of Financial Resources) - Preferred to be submitted as a completed Certification of Financial Resources (CFR) signed by the student and signed/stamped by the bank. May be submitted as a CFR signed by the student with an accompanying bank letter which meets requirements for Financial Institution Alternative Documentation. See See the FAQ "What if my Bank will not complete the Certification of Financial Resources?" for examples of acceptable CFR documentation. Financial Support documents must be less than six months old. University of West Florida (use this for scholarships and support from UWF that is not related to athletics) - Students may upload scholarship award letters, Graduate Assistantship award letters, tuition waiver letters, or other financial support letters issued by a UWF department or college. |
UWF is unable to accept the following document types as proof of financial support: Employment documents such as proof of employment, documents showing salary, paystubs, bank statements showing salary deposits. These documents are not accepted for proof of funds for a student or a sponsor. Bank statements showing a final balance lower than the amount on the Certification of Financial Resources. Bank Statements are not required. UWF suggests students request a bank letter which confirms balance or available funds rather than submitting a full bank statement. Letters of support from a sponsor - UWF cannot accept a letter from a sponsor who will provide a portion of the student's cost of study. Example, A letter from sponsor who says they will provide Room and Board at no cost is not accepted. Financial support must be shown as available funds. |
