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F-1 Visa Student - Application Process

Below are the fees, documents, and information you need to submit for admission. All applications documents must be submitted together at one time.

  1. Complete the ELI online application.*
    ELI ONLINE APPLICATION
    *It is recommended that international students apply at least 60 days before the deadline to allow processing time. 
  2. Pay the non-refundable $375.00 application fee. We accept credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express).  
    • Three payment methods are accepted:
      • Pay your ELI application fee online at the time you submit your application. 
  3. A COLOR copy of your passport's biographical page. 
  4. Proof of financial resources. This can take the form of a bank statement or a bank letter. Bank letters must:
    • Be in English. 
    • Be on letterhead and have an official stamp, seal, and/or signature. 
    • Be dated within the past three months. 
    • Clearly show the account holder's name in English (the name of the account holder must match the name on the financial statement). 
    • Show a balance of at least $11,086 in U.S. dollars or include exchange rates. 
  5. Fill out the Financial Responsibility Form (PDF)
    • If you plan to support yourself, please fill out ONLY Part 1 of the Financial Responsibility Form.
    • If you have a sponsor, you and your sponsor must fill out Part 1 and Part 2.
    • If your government or organization will sponsor you, you must fill out Part 3.
  6. High School graduation required. Please note that you might be asked to provide proof of graduation.
  7. If you plan to bring dependents with you to the USA (your wife, husband, or children), please submit the following documents:
    • A COLOR copy of the passport's biographical page for each dependent. 
    • Add an additional $2,000 for each dependent to your bank statement balance.

How Can I Submit My Documents? 

You can scan and email your supporting documents. IMPORTANT! All application documents must be submitted together at one time. Please do not send incomplete forms, and do not send an application package that is missing any of the documents listed above. Please write your full name and application number on every page. 

When you are accepted you receive:

  • A letter of acceptance 
  • Immigration and Naturalization Service Form I-20 (for student visa [F-1] applicants only) 
  • Pre-Arrival Information 

Admission to the ELI is not the same as undergraduate full-time admission to the University of Utah.

After we receive all of the required documents and fees, it takes about 2-3 weeks to review the application and process the I-20. Due to COVID-19, SEVIS permits ELI to send digital I-20 documents directly to the student who will be attending:

  • We must have the personal email account of the student who will attend ELI, even if the student is working with an agent or someone assisting with the application process.

Please check your e-mail regularly for the status of your application.

Last Updated: 7/3/23