Study in the U.S. is expensive, especially in D.C. The exact cost of living and studying here varies considerably from person to person and from one degree program to another.

Please be aware that the University requires all students to have medical insurance while they study at The Catholic University of America. Catholic University will automatically enroll any student in the university's student health insurance plan unless the student can demonstrate that they have acquired comparable coverage through another U.S. insurance company.

Documenting Ability to Pay

If you will be coming to the U.S. to study at The Catholic University of America and need to be sponsored by the University for F-1 or J-1 status, you must be able to establish your ability to cover the costs associated with your studies.

International students have limited ability to work in the U.S. and cannot rely on working outside the school to meet their financial needs. Before the University can issue immigration documents, applicants must supply documentation showing proof of funds for the first academic year of study and carry the of covering their living costs and health insurance. The estimates for these figures change annually.

Catholic University uses the following currency conversion source when calculating whether the amount of money documented is sufficient: www.xe.com.

Funding Source	Acceptable Documentation	Affidavit of Support Required?
Personal	Bank statements showing at least 3 consecutive months of activity. Document must display student name and must have been issued within the past 6 months.	No
Family or another personal sponsor	Bank statements showing at least 3 consecutive months of activity. Document must display sponsor’s name and must have been issued within the past 6 months.	Yes
Employer, Government, Archdiocese, or Religious Order	Business registration and bank statement required if sponsored by an employer. If sponsored by a government body, religious order, or Archdiocese, a Financial Guarantee will suffice.	If sponsored by an employer, an Affidavit of Support is required. Not required if sponsored by a governing body, religious order, or archdiocese.
Loan	Loan confirmation letter with the loan term listed.	If the loan is co-signed, an Affidavit of Support is required. If not, an Affidavit is not required.
Scholarships	Award letter with the scholarship terms listed.	No

 

Note: Catholic University will not issue any immigration documents unless a student can provide the required financial resources. Money - or more precisely the lack of it - is one of the primary stressors faced by international students.