Estimate of Expenses: Graduate Programs in Arts and Sciences (GSAS), Engineering (SOE), and SMFA

Updated: March 6, 2024

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

For students admitted to graduate (master's and doctoral degree) programs in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GSAS), School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts requesting F-1 or J-1 student visa sponsorship from Tufts University. To qualify for a Form I-20 (for the F-1 student visa) or Form DS-2019 (for the J-1 Exchange Visitor visa) from Tufts, you are required to provide financial documents that show you have sufficient financial resources to meet the required tuition, fees, health insurance, and living expenses for at least the first academic year (two semesters) of your program, or the entire program amount, if your US-based program time will be less than one year. Your documents must show that your resources meet or exceed the total amount listed in the Estimate of Expenses (EOE) table listed below for your degree program.

Before starting, read through these steps:

1. Review the list of acceptable financial documents that can be submitted when requesting a visa certificate from Tufts. Submitting non-accepted documents may delay processing of your visa certificate.
2. The figures on the Estimate of Expenses (EOE) tables below reflect minimum estimated costs for full-time study for a nine-month academic year (September-May). For 12-month (full calendar year programs), the EOE will reflect a 12-month estimate. While you are only required to show funding documents that cover the figures on the EOE, please keep in mind the following:
   • The EOE is an estimate constructed for visa issuance purposes only. Your actual costs may be higher depending on your individual needs, the number of courses you take, and your program's tuition rates and calculation methods.
   • The EOE does not refer to total program costs, but to the estimated cost of attendance for one academic year.
   • Only the estimated costs for the first year must be documented in order to qualify for F-1 or J-1 visa certification. However, you should carefully consider how you will finance your education for additional years beyond the first year.
   • The EOE does NOT include the cost of travel (including travel for initial arrival, winter and summer vacations, etc.) or summer expenses, if you plan to remain in the US during the summer
   • If you are receiving financial aid through Tufts, your financial aid will not cover vacation travel or summer living expenses.
   • You must document the anticipated cost of the Tufts student health insurance plan, even if you later obtain a waiver of the Tufts student health insurance plan. A waiver is only granted for a single year, and you should prepare to have adequate financial resources to meet the Tufts plan for future years in the event a waiver for future years is not granted.
   • All Tufts tuition and fee charges are estimates subject to approval by the Tufts Board of Trustees in May 2023.
3. The funding documents you provide must reflect financial resources that will be available to you upon your arrival at Tufts. The funding documents you show should reflect resources that you will have access to when you start your program at Tufts. Presenting funding documents for resources that are not actually available to you may lead to termination of your status.
4. While you are required to provide funding documents only for your first year of study, you should develop a realistic financial plan for your entire program of study. Keep in mind the following and plan carefully, as any interruption of studies due to loss of funding may impact your ability to remain the US :
   • International students are required to study on a full-time basis every fall and spring semester, and have only limited options for getting financial resources through work.
   • On-campus work is restricted to part-time (not to exceed 20 hours per week) and the number of available on-campus jobs is limited. Off-campus work is not permitted for the first year of full-time study in the US.