Required Funding & Estimated Expenses

UNDERGRADUATE & GRADUATE ESTIMATED EXPENSES – 2024-25*

SUMMARY OF REQUIRED FUNDING FOR ISSUANCE OF AN I-20 OR DS-2019

EXPENSE	FALL SEMESTER	SPRING SEMESTER	SUMMER	TOTAL
Tuition	$16,686	$16,686	‡	$33,372
International Fee	$100	$100	‡	$200
Course/College Fees**	$400	$400	‡	$800
Books & Supplies	$350	$350	‡	$700
Housing****	$3600	$3600	$2400	$9600
Meals †	$2060	$2060	$1490	$5610
Health Insurance***	$970	$1344	***	$2314
Personal Expenses ††	$450	$450	$300	$1200
TOTAL	$24,616	$24,990	$4190	$53,796

* The above cost estimates are required for the issuance of an I-20 or DS-2019. Official UA Cost of Attendance can be found here: http://financialaid.ua.edu/cost/. Tuition rates available at https://studentaccounts.ua.edu/tuition-rates/.

** College/Course Fees will vary depending on actual course enrollment – https://studentaccounts.ua.edu/cost/.

*** Health Insurance is $2314 per year and is paid in separate 5-month and 7-month installments, which covers all 12 months of insurance. The current annual cost for Blue Cross/Blue Shield Academic Healthplan coverage for an international student and their dependent spouse and child(ren) is $2314 USD per year each – https://shc.sa.ua.edu/billing/university-sponsored-health-insurance/.

**** Housing is based on an average rate of $800 per month for a single or studio off-campus apartment – https://offcampushousing.sa.ua.edu/. For fall and spring semesters, the rate of $800 is multiplied by 4.5 months, and for summer it is multiplied by 3 months. Please be aware that off-campus apartments and houses are rarely furnished, and most do not include utility services (electricity and water) in the price of rent. On-campus UA residence halls and apartments are furnished and do include utilities but availability is limited and can vary from $3200 to $6000 per semester – https://housing.sa.ua.edu/incoming-students/rates/.

† Meal cost reflects the Summer 2024 USDA guideline of an average of $380 per month in expenses for groceries for an individual plus $350 Dining Dollars per semester. For fall and spring semesters, the rate of $380 is multiplied by 4.5 months with the $350 Dining Dollars added, and for summer the rate of $380 is multiplied by 3 months with Dining Dollars added. All undergraduate students are charged $350 at registration each semester for Dining Dollars; Dining Dollars are not automatically charged to graduate students. Please note that students living on campus will have a higher rate for the full meal plan, which is estimated at $2308 + $350 Dining Dollars per semester, and approximately $2800 in the summer – http://bamadining.ua.edu/meals-plans/.

†† Personal expenses and travel are based on an average rate of $100 per month. For fall and spring semesters, the rate of $100 is multiplied by 4.5 months, and for summer it is multiplied by 3 months.

‡ Summer tuition, fees, books, and supplies are not included in the estimated annual costs for students beginning study in fall or spring semesters. However, if summer is your first semester of study on an initial I-20/DS-2019, you must enroll full-time in summer. Undergraduate and graduate students beginning study in summer will need to show a total of $70,158, which includes the additional $16,362 in funding for tuition ($15,575), fees ($400), and summer health insurance ($387). Summer tuition rates available at: https://studentaccounts.ua.edu/tuition-rates-summer/.

LAW ESTIMATED EXPENSES – 2024-25*

SUMMARY OF REQUIRED FUNDING FOR ISSUANCE OF AN I-20 OR DS-2019

EXPENSE	FALL SEMESTER	SPRING SEMESTER	SUMMER	TOTAL
Tuition	$23,350	$23,350	‡	$46,700
International Fee	$100	$100	‡	$200
Course/College Fees**	$400	$400	‡	$800
Books & Supplies	$350	$350	‡	$700
Housing****	$3600	$3600	$2400	$9600
Meals †	$2060	$2060	$1490	$5610
Health Insurance***	$970	$1344	***	$2314
Personal Expenses ††	$450	$450	$300	$1200
TOTAL	$31,280	$31,654	$4190	$67,124

** College/Course Fees will vary depending on actual course enrollment – https://studentaccounts.ua.edu/cost/.

‡ Summer tuition, fees, books, and supplies are not included in the estimated annual costs for students beginning study in fall or spring semesters. However, if summer is your first semester of study on an initial I-20/DS-2019, you must enroll full-time in summer. Law students beginning study in summer will need to show a total of $90,136, which includes the additional $23,012 in funding for summer tuition ($22,225 – 10 credit hours), fees ($400), and summer health insurance ($387). Summer tuition rates available at: https://studentaccounts.ua.edu/tuition-rates-summer/.

ELI COST PER SESSION

EXPENSE	FALL/SPRING SESSIONS (8 WEEKS)	SUMMER SESSIONS (6 WEEKS)
Tuition	$2316	$2316
University Student Fee	$684	$504
Medical/Health Insurance‡‡	$440	$350
On-Campus Housing††	$1650	$1730
Meals (estimate)	$1119	$1119*
Books (estimate)	$170	$170
TOTAL	$6,379	$6,189

†† Housing charges vary according to assignment. Off-campus housing is not factored into the housing estimate due to the extreme range of off-campus rent.

‡‡ Health insurance is required-unless student provides proof of acceptable coverage. An insurance waiver form must be completed by the student’s insurance company and submitted for consideration prior to registration.

*University meal plans are not available in the summer.

For a complete explanation of current, please see ELI rates.

ACCEPTABLE TYPES OF FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS AS PROOF OF FUNDING IN SUPPORT OF AN I-20 OR DS-2019

All financial documents MUST	be written in English or accompanied by an official translation clearly state the currency of funds show liquid assets that can be readily converted into cash if needed show the date of issuance and be less than 6 months old at the time the I-20 or DS-2019 is issued
1. UA Funding	Must be an official assistantship, scholarship, or fellowship award letter from UA.
2. Certification of Financial Resources, Bank Certification Letters, Bank Statements	Must include name of bank account holder Total available balance must be highlighted/clearly noted Bank Certification Letters must be on official letterhead Bank official’s signature or stamp must be included Maturity date must be before the start of the semester if applicable
3. Loan Letter	Must show student is approved or pre-approved for the loan Must clearly state the total approved/pre-approved amount
4. Other Awards/ Grants/ Scholarships/ Financial Guarantees/ Employer Sponsor Letters	Must clearly state what the award/ grant/ scholarship/ sponsorship includes, such as tuition, fees, books, insurance, living expenses. If it includes stipend, it must state the value of the stipend per month or year. Must contain billing instructions specifying how the scholarship or loan organization intends to pay your tuition and fee bills. Third Party Billing information.

NOT ACCEPTABLE:

The following types of evidence are not considered liquid assets and cannot be used as proof of funding in support of an I-20 or DS-2019.

X Employment Letter	X Life Insurance Statement
X Salary Statement	X Stock Market Statement
X Credit Card Statement	X Valuation Statement
X Real Estate Statement	X Tax Return Document

EXPLANATION OF ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 2024-2025

Tuition and Fees: Actual tuition and fee charges will vary depending on the number and type of courses a student takes each term. Tuition and fees for Summer School (Interim, Summer 1, Summer 2) are NOT included in the estimate of tuition and fees incurred annually. Tuition rates available at the Student Accounts Site for Fall and Spring Semester Rates and for Summer Rates.

Books and Supplies: Estimates may be somewhat low for students in the fields of biological sciences and engineering. Estimates do NOT include books and supplies for study during the summer. Expect at least US $350 in expenses for books and supplies for a full course load (12 hours undergraduate; 9 hours graduate) during summer. Costs may be higher for some programs.

Housing: Housing is based on an average rate of $800 per month for a single or studio off-campus apartment – https://offcampushousing.sa.ua.edu/. For fall and spring semesters, the rate of $800 is multiplied by 4.5 months, and for summer it is multiplied by 3 months. Please be aware that of f-campus a partments and houses are rarely furnished, and most do not include utility services (electricity and water) in the price of rent. On-campus UA residence halls and apartments are furnished and do include utilities but availability is limited and can vary from $3200 to $6000 per semester – https://housing.sa.ua.edu/incoming-students/rates/.

Food: Meal cost reflects the USDA guideline of an average of $380 per month in expenses for groceries for an individual plus $350 Dining Dollars per semester. For fall and spring semesters, the USDA-estimated rate of $380 is multiplied by 4.5 months with the $350 Dining Dollars added, and for summer the rate of $380 is multiplied by 3 months with $350 Dining Dollars added. All undergraduate students are charged $350 at registration each semester for Dining Dollars; Dining Dollars are not automatically charged to graduate students. Please note that students living on campus will have a higher rate for the full meal plan, which is estimated at $2308 + $350 Dining Dollars per semester, and approximately $2800 in the summer – http://bamadining.ua.edu/meals-plans/.

Students who often eat in restaurants will likely incur greater costs than those estimated. Students who prepare most meals in their apartments will likely be able to stay within the estimated cost. This also applies to undergraduate students who supplement meals purchased with their UA Dining Dollars account with meals prepared themselves. On-campus dining rates available on Bama Dining Website.

Personal Expenses: These expenses vary greatly from student to student. The amount listed in this estimate is an approximation of funds that may be needed to supplement living expenses.

Dependents: An accompanying dependent (spouse/child) who is not a student will require additional funds or support. The estimate of $5000 per year/per dependent meets the U.S. Government Health and Human Services Poverty Level yearly estimate. Please be aware that actual dependent costs may be much higher due to additional medical insurance expenses, food, clothing, and daycare for children.

Medical Insurance: The University of Alabama requires all international students in F-1 and J-1 status to have continuous medical insurance coverage. The U.S. Department of State also requires all visitors in J-1 or J-2 to maintain medical insurance coverage for the duration of their stay in the U.S.

The estimate of health insurance costs is the annual premium for United Healthcare and is for the student only. UA encourages students with families to obtain medical insurance coverage for all family members in the U.S.

The current annual cost for Blue Cross/Blue Shield Academic Healthplan coverage for an international student and their dependent spouse and child(ren) is $2314 USD per year each.

Enrollment forms and policy information available at Student Health Center site.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Students and their financial sponsors should plan to meet the estimated expenses for the duration of the student’s studies. Immigration regulations generally prohibit off-campus employment during a student’s first year of study in the U.S. Even if you may be eligible for off-campus employment, it is difficult to find a job. Lawful authorization to take a job may also take several months to receive. On-campus jobs are few in number and difficult to obtain. Students and their financial sponsors should not plan to meet any costs through on-campus or off-campus employment.
It is unlikely that an international student can study at The University of Alabama for less than the estimated costs.
All estimates are in United States currency ($US dollars).
All estimates are subject to change without notice. This document reflects estimated costs for academic students for the 2024-2025 academic year which ends in July 2025.

FORMS NEEDED TO ISSUE AN I-20 OR DS-2019
To obtain an F-1 I-20 or J-1 DS-2019 from The University of Alabama, a student must:

apply and be admitted to a program of study;
submit the following to the ISSS Secure Upload Portal using your myBama credentials (for myBama set up, see OIT Page for new students and information on Duo two-factor authentication):
1. admission Letter;
2. I-20/DS-2019 Request Form ;
3. proof of funding (e.g. scholarship letter, fellowship letter, assistantship letter, financial guarantee, or personal funds);
4. passport; and
5. current visa/visa document (if inside the U.S.).

INITIAL LIVING EXPENSES – DEPOSITS AND START-UP COSTS

While the estimates outlined above are based on average tuition, fees, and living expenses for 1 year, students should be aware that the greatest expenses will be incurred during their first weeks in the United States.

ON-CAMPUS HOUSING AND MEALS INITIAL EXPENSES
Students living on-campus in a residence hall or in an on-campus apartment must be prepared to pay the full amount of their full semester on-campus housing and meal plan with dining dollars at the start of each semester.

On-campus housing and meal plans are billed for the full semester and cannot be billed monthly.

OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING AND INITIAL LIVING EXPENSES
Students planning to live off-campus in an apartment or house should make a budget and prepare to bring money to cover their start-up expenses they will have upon arrival.

Also, before you sign any lease, please make sure to review UA’s Off-Campus Housing Resources and Before You Sign Info.

Your expenses at the time you sign your lease and during the first week in your apartment or house may be equal to 3 months of your monthly budget for the year. We recommend students to bring or have available $2000 – $4000 for start up expenses during your first weeks.

Even those who are on scholarship or will receive stipends must keep in mind that your first stipend payment may not come until several weeks after the start of the semester.

Off-campus housing and initial start-up expenses include:

Rental fees and deposits for off-campus apartments
- First and Last month of rent paid at time of move-in (i.e. 2 months of rent).
- Security deposits may also be required and can be equal to 1 – 6 months of rent depending on whether or not you have a co-signer or have established credit in the U.S.
- Most apartments require other fees, including application fees, cleaning fees, and pet fees if you have a dog or cat.
Utility deposits may be required for services that are not included with your property rental. Check with your apartment to see what services are included with your rental and which services you will need to set up separately. These utility services may include:
- electricity,
- water & sewer (Tuscaloosa or Northport),
- gas,
- internet,
- garbage & recycling (Tuscaloosa or Northport),
- and other services.
Small purchases for bedding, utensils, cookware, etc.
Large purchases such as furniture, computer, tv, etc.
Initial groceries, toiletries, and supplies
Transportation (whether purchasing a car, using public transportation, or using rideshares such as Uber or Lyft)