Required Funding Documentation

Funding Categories

Funding Requirements

UC Berkeley Awards

(Scholarship, GSI/GSR appointments, fellowships, grants, etc.) 

You must submit ONE of the following:

• A Guarantee of Financial Support - Academic Departments (GFS) form, OR
• An official departmental funding letter

Requirements for GFS forms

• Sponsor’s signature must be in one of the following formats:
  • Handwritten or hand-drawn signature using cursor or touch screen
  • Adobe signature
  • Docusign signature

Requirements for departmental funding letters:

• Printed on official UC Berkeley letterhead
• Signed by the sponsoring department
• Issued in the last 6 months
• Clearly state the amount, length, and type of funding

NOTE:

• Summer funding is NOT included as part of the funding calculations

Personal Funds

(Financial statements in your name)

All bank statements must meet the following criteria:

• Should indicate the financial institution's name
• Should indicate the account holder's name
• Clearly show the account’s available balance
• Clearly show the type of currency
• Must be dated within 3 months of submission
• Should have a signature or/and stamp, with logo or/and letterhead by the financial institution
• Be translated into English (especially names), unofficial translations are accepted
• Be from statements that show liquid assets that can be immediately converted to cash

Notes:

• Should be a single page document meeting the above criteria. DO NOT submit long statements that include transaction history.
• Showing bank/financial statements from multiple accounts is acceptable
• Should be converted to U.S. dollars using an online currency converter (attach a printout showing both currency values)

Private Sponsors

(Financial statements in the names of parents, families, or friends, etc.)

You must submit the following documents:

• The sponsor’s bank or financial statements, AND
• A Guarantee of Financial Support (GFS) - Private Sponsors form completed and signed by your sponsor
• Sponsor’s signature on the GFS must be in one of the following formats:
  • Handwritten or hand-drawn signature using cursor or touch screen
  • Adobe signatures
  • Docusign signatures

Requirements for bank statements

• Should indicate the financial institution's name
• Should indicate the account holder's name
• Clearly show the account’s available balance
• Clearly show the type of currency
• Must be dated within 3 months of submission
• Should have a signature or/and stamp, with logo or/and letterhead by the financial institution
• Be translated into English (especially names), unofficial translations are accepted
• Be from statements that show liquid assets that can be immediately converted to cash
• DO NOT submit long statements that include transaction history

Other Institutional Support/Award Letters

(e.g. Employer support, external support from non-UCB institutions)

You must submit an official letter from an employer or institution meeting the following criteria:

• Be on official business letterhead
• Clearly indicate the student’s full name, specified exact amount, and length of support
• Must have an official signature in one of the following formats:
  • Handwritten or hand-drawn signature using cursor or touch screen
  • Adobe signature
  • Docusign signature
• Must be dated within 3 months of submission

Note:

• At BIO's discretion, we may request additional financial documents to verify the availability of funds

Loan Certificates/Letters

(Educational loan in your name)

You must submit an official loan approval letter meeting the following criteria:

• Must indicate the student's full name, the amount and the disbursement period of approved loan (the disbursement period should overlap with the student’s program dates).
• Must provide proof of acceptance of the loan offer (e.g. a signature of the applicant agreeing to the terms and conditions or a payment receipt of an origination fee).
• Conditional loan approvals may be accepted only if the only condition is the receipt of your I-20 or DS-2019.
• Must be dated within 3 months of submission

Note:

• Loan applications are NOT accepted as proof of funding