• You may submit the  COE application and financial documentation before or after you are admitted. Your admissions application will proceed whether we have the application for a COE or not. 
• We suggest submitting the application as early as possible so that we are able to send the I-20 or DS-2019 as quickly as possible.  Early submission allows us to review the financial documentation and address any potential problems. If you do not submit the COE in a timely manner, you may not be able to enter the U.S. in a  F-1 or J-1 status. 

• An I-20 is the form you use to apply for an F-1 student visa and enter the U.S. in F-1 status 
• A DS-2019 is the form you use to apply for a J-1 student visa and enter the U.S. in J-1 status  
• For a detailed comparison of the two statuses, please see our chart here

• The application is available at the following link:  ISSS Student I-20 or DS-2019 New Student Application 
• A paper copy version of the application is available at http://www.temple.edu/isss/future-students/documents/I-20_application.pdf.

Please do not send the application as an attachment via e-mail.  Your application for a COE contains personal information about you that should not be submitted through a non-secure method such as email. Please use TUSafeSend if you cannot upload your application online.

• If you are entirely dependent upon an assistantship, you should wait until you hear from the Graduate School before submitting the application. 
• If you are admitted and are going to accept the admission with or without the assistantship, you can submit financial documentation now and we will begin to prepare the I-20. If your funding subsequently changes, we can update your I-20. 

• What kind of financial documentation is acceptable? 
  • Documentation should be issued within the last six months 
  • Documents must show that funds will be available to you when you need them. Any documentation that indicates that funds will not be available immediately will not be accepted.  
• Does the statement have to be in English? 
  • Bank statements in other languages can be accepted, however English is preferred. If we cannot translate the document, we will let you know.  
• Do the funds all have to be from one source? 
  • No. Students can submit several bank statements if they have several sponsors. Multiple accounts from sponsors are also acceptable (ex. a savings and checking account from a single sponsor). It must be clear, to Temple University and the U.S. Embassy, that you will have funds available to you to pay for school, housing, etc. 

• The COE application contains tuition, living expenses, and other fees. The expenses were determined using the tuition rates from the Bursar's Office and include:
  • Tuition and fees 
  • $15,000.00 estimated living expenses - Living expenses must be documented whether you live on or off-campus. If you will be provided room and board by a friend or relative in the U.S, they may complete an affidavit of support confirming that to be the case. 
  • International student fee of $186.00 per semester 
  • $4,000.00 in miscellaneous expenses (transportation, health insurance, etc.) 

I am already in the U.S. in F-1 or J-1 status; is the process the same? 

• Yes, you still have to submit all of the materials for the I-20, including the financial documentation. Please see SEVIS Transfer Students for detailed instructions 
• You must ask your current international student advisor to release your SEVIS record to Temple University so we can issue you an I-20 or DS-2019. 

You must be issued an I-20 or DS-2019 from Temple University within 15 days of the first day of classes of the semester for which you are admitted. 

• Yes, you must provide our office with the updated financial documentation and program information to receive your new I-20. 
• You must also complete a change of level. Please see  I-20 or DS-2019 Change of Academic Level 

• I am currently attending Temple University and was admitted to another degree program –or- I was attending Temple University, graduated and am currently on OPT. Is the process the same? 
  • Yes, you must provide our office with the updated financial documentation and program information to receive your new I-20. 
  • You must also complete a change of level. Please see I-20 or DS-2019 Change of Academic Level.
  • If you are returning to Temple University after graduating and having one or more years of OPT, your employment will end when you begin the new degree.

Aside from selecting your major, this is one of the biggest decisions you will make as a Temple student.  

• Information on on-campus housing can be found at Housing. 
• If you are not interested in living in Temple University housing, you will need to look for off-campus housing through Temple University’s Off-Campus Housing Listing service at Off-Campus Housing. 
• The Global Living Learning Community brings together domestic students and international students from all over the world to learn from one another through their differences as well as their similarities. Learn more about Global LLC at Temple and sign up by May 1st via the "My Housing" application on your TU Portal homepage. Looking for off-campus housing?