International Costs & Scholarships
There are additional financial requirements for international students. Make sure you know what to include in your application.
Estimated Cost of Attendance
The estimated cost of attendance includes tuition and fees, housing and meals, health insurance, books, travel, and personal expenses. Learn more about undergraduate cost of attendance.
Certification of Finances
2026–2027 Certification of Finances: $90,481
If you’re intending to study on an F-1 or J-1 visa, you will be required to complete a USF Certification of Finances that shows your ability to pay for your first year at USF. The Certification of Finances is for immigration purposes and may not reflect your actual billed amount each academic year. This amount includes estimated tuition and fees, housing, meals, personal expenses, transportation, and health insurance (required for international students). Even if you believe that your actual expenses will be lower, we are still required to collect proof for immigration purposes.
Once you have applied to USF, please log in to your Dons Status Page to complete the USF Certification of Finances form and your supporting financial documents. Documents must be dated within 12 months from the program’s start date and English translations must be provided if the documents are not issued in English.
- Bank statement(s) must show money held in checking, savings, certificates of deposit, or money market accounts.
- Stock/investment/retirement accounts, lines of credit, and income/tax statements cannot be accepted as proof of available funding.
- Scholarships provided by your government or other agencies can be used for the Certification of Finances. Please include a scholarship document or letter provided by the government or agency.
If you are intending to study at USF on a different visa (e.g. E-2, H-4, R-2, etc.), please email a copy of your visa to appservices@usfca.edu instead of completing this form.
Merit Scholarships
Merit scholarships for first-year students are awarded based on your USF-calculated GPA in core academic subjects. Merit scholarships are renewable each year for up to four years, as long as you maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress toward your degree.
| USF GPA Range | Amount* |
|---|---|
| ≥ 4.01 | $38,000 |
| 3.95 - 4.00 | $33,000 |
| 3.85 - 3.94 | $31,000 |
| 3.7 - 3.84 | $29,000 |
| 3.45 - 3.69 | $27,000 |
| 3.0 - 3.44 | $25,000 |
*Students admitted through the Academic English for Multilingual Students (AEM) program or the Fresh Start program, or to the nursing major fall under an alternative merit award process and may not be eligible for the same amounts listed above.
| USF GPA Range | Amount per year |
|---|---|
| ≥ 3.75 | $20,000 |
| 3.50 - 3.74 | $18,000 |
| 3.20 - 3.49 | $16,000 |
| 2.90 - 3.19 | $14,000 |
USF automatically considers all transfer applicants for merit scholarships. These merit scholarships are determined by your transfer GPA at the time of application, which is a calculated cumulative GPA of all college courses you’ve taken.
Unfortunately, USF does not offer full tuition scholarships for international students, and international students are not eligible for need-based financial aid.
Financial Aid for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you are eligible to apply for financial aid.
Other categories of U.S. residents (Temporary Protected Status, refugee/asylee, immigration parolee) may be eligible for USF institutional aid. Please contact financialaid@usfca.edu for more information.
Institute of International Education Scholarship Directory
Funding for US Study Online is a database of scholarships, fellowships, and grants organized by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
International Admission
2800 Turk Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94118
Monday - Friday:
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Call (415) 422-6563
Text (415) 636-6272