Obtaining an I-20

What is an I-20 Form

An I-20 form is an official government document which certifies that a person is eligible to be an F-1 non-immigrant student at Hofstra. This form is not automatically generated for non-immigrants. It is created when students are accepted to a full-time program and show that they have enough financial resources to cover the full length of their studies. It is then sent to the student in order to be used to apply for an F-1 visa at a United States Embassy or Consulate in their home country.

Once you have been issued an I-20 form, you should only sign the I-20 for the school that you will be attending in the United States. Signing the I-20 means that you understand all the rules and regulations that you will have to follow once you are in the Unites States. You should read the regulations listed on the back of the I-20 before you sign it.

Once you are accepted to Hofstra, the Admissions Office will request the necessary information for creating an I-20 form for you. Then, that information will be forwarded to the Office of Multicultural and International Student Programs, who will create your I-20 document and send it to you. If you have already been accepted to Hofstra and need to check on the status of your I-20 form, you may contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (516) 463-4723 or via email.

Rules for Getting Your I-20 Form

1. You must be an Accepted student to a full-time program of study.
2. You are required to provide proof of financial support to cover your expenses in full for the first year in the amount of $35,647.00 ¹

• You are also required to provide the potential to pay the expenses for your second year.
• Carefully review Hofstra's “Sources of Financial Support”.

¹ This amount represents a modest average budget that does not include luxuries of any kind. We strongly recommend that you budget at least 10% more if possible. We highly recommend that students and their families look closely at the costs of living and studying in the U.S. and make careful plans to be sure your needs will be met.