I-20 and DS-2019 Requests Frequently Asked Questions
Before Getting an I-20 (F-1 students)
We ask students to give us up to 2 weeks after you have submitted all required e-forms to review and create your I-20, but we strive to review your submissions as soon as possible. If you are a graduate student with university funding (such as a Graduate Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant), then we must wait for your department to approve your funding before we can make your I-20.
No, your program must be an in‑person program with all classes offered in person to be eligible for an I‑20.
Every year the amount changes, but you should be able to look up the estimated minimum that you will need to show to request an I-20 depending on the program you are admitted to here.
You can find more information on acceptable proof of finances here.
Yes, we are aware that not every student has USD in their account, so we will convert your local currency to verify that it meets the minimum needed in USD. You can find more information on acceptable proof of finances here.
Yes, you will need to fill out a dependent request form in iHawk for each dependent you are requesting an F-2 dependent I-20. You will need to upload a passport for each requested dependent document. F-2 dependents are defined as a spouse or an unmarried minor child (under 21 years of age) of an F-1 student.
Yes, you will need to show extra funds for each of your husband/wife/children before we can make them an I-20. The amount you need to show can be found here (The Dependent Expenses will be listed at the bottom once you select your program).
Yes, you can submit your soon to be or already expired passport for your I-20 request in iHawk, as long as you renew the passport and enter the United States with a valid passport.
Yes, you will need to follow the Transfer-In process which you can find here. You will need to work with your current International Student Advisor to have your current SEVIS record released for your attendance at KU (KU’s SEVIS school code: KAN214F00634000).
We recommend that you wait until you actually have your I-20. We do our best to issue your I-20 as soon as possible and usually do not take more than a couple of weeks. If there are problems or we need more information before we can make your I-20, then there may be delays in getting you your I-20 in a timely manner.
No, we do not offer an option to expedite your I-20.
Yes, you need to fill out a new I-20 Request through iHawk after you are officially deferred to the future semester and have received an email from ISS inviting you to request your new I-20.
First try the solutions recommended on this iHawk troubleshooting webpage. If these do not work please contact issdocs@ku.edu and we can assist you further.
You can wait to submit your department's funding, but if you want your I-20 sooner you can submit alternative funding now. If and once you receive department funding we can update your I-20 then.
If you are an undergraduate student, International Scholarship information can be found here. For graduate students we recommend you contact your department directly, they will know what funding opportunities are available for grad students in your department.
After Getting an I-20 (F-1 students)
It is very common for the major listed on the I-20 to not match the KU major exactly. The CIP code is a code used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to classify your field of study. It's part of the SEVIS system and is intended for immigration and data reporting purposes. This code is based on the official classification of your program (reviewed and designated by The State of Kansas) and may not always match the informal or common name of your major.
The I-20 only needs to show that you have met the minimum estimated cost of attendance required for your program. Once your financial documents demonstrate that you meet or exceed this minimum amount, we are not required to list the full amount you provided. This is standard practice and does not affect your ability to use your full financial resources for your studies.
Your I-20 is issued through SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), the federal database used by schools and the U.S. government to manage F-1 student records. SEVIS requires us to answer whether English proficiency was required for the program to which you were admitted and for which your I-20 is issued.
For example, at KU, the answer for undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree programs is “No” because a minimum English score is not required for undergraduate admissions, and we are able to offer supplemental Intensive English instruction on campus.
When we select “No,” SEVIS requires an explanation of why English proficiency was not required. The standard explanation is: “ESL is provided, if needed.”
This does not mean you are required to take English classes or that you did not meet the proficiency requirement; it is simply a federal reporting requirement based on SEVIS rules.
The place of birth on your I-20 is based on what you wrote on your application to KU. If this is wrong and you would like it fixed, please email issdocs@ku.edu. We will then match the place of birth listed on your submitted passport.
When we issue an I-20 we are required to follow the name standards laid out by the US government, which means we take out all special characters and follow the machine-readable portion at the bottom of your passport.
You may need to defer to the next available semester, below are the instructions for the Applied English Center, Undergraduate and Graduate Students:
Applied English Center (ESL) students - contact aec@ku.edu and copy world@ku.edu
Undergraduate (bachelor's) students - log in to your application portal and submit a Defer Form under “Update Us” on the right side of the portal. You are able to defer your admission for up to 1 year. If your original application is over 1 year old, you will need to submit a new application for admission. If you have decided not to come to KU, you can submit a 'Not Coming' form under 'Update Us' in the application portal.
Graduate (master's or doctoral) students - contact your department.
- Information about University of Kansas graduate programs and contact information can be found here: https://gradapply.ku.edu/graduate-programs
- If you have an offer of KU funding, please also verify with the department that the funding would be available for your deferred term.
Once your admission is deferred, you will receive an email inviting you to complete new e-forms in iHawk.
International students cannot enroll in classes until after they have arrived on campus and have completed the required international student check-in at orientation. After you register for orientation you will be provided with more pre-arrival information.
You can put a hotel or temporary address that you plan to stay at before you have a more permanent place confirmed.
You can put the ISS international advisor who created and signed your I-20. You can find all relevant contact information here.
No. You will need to pay for your SEVIS fee. Instructions are provided once your I-20 is issued and ready for download through iHawk.
Before Getting a DS-2019 (J-1 students)
Non-degree students studying at KU on a short term exchange program through KU Study Abroad & Global Engagement, both undergraduate and graduate, only need to show the living expenses for the duration of their program, typically one or two semesters. You can calculate how much you need to show based on this website.
For undergrad students you will select 'Undergraduate (Bachelor's)' for level of study, and then 'Bachelor's Degree' for area of study. You will see living expenses and that will be the amount you need to show for your DS-2019, if you are only at KU for one semester then you will only need to show half that amount.
For graduate students you will select 'Graduate (Master's/PhD) Programs' for level of study, and then select your area of study. You will see living expenses and that will be the amount you need to show for your DS-2019, if you are only at KU for one semester then you will only need to show half that amount.
You can find more information on acceptable proof of finances here.
We recommend that you wait until you actually have your DS-2019. We do our best to issue your DS-2019 as soon as possible and usually don’t take more than a couple of weeks. But if there are problems or we need more information before we can make your DS-2019 then there may be delays in getting you your DS-2019 in a timely manner.
Yes, you can submit your soon to be or already expired passport for your DS-2019 request in iHawk, as long as you renew the passport and enter the United States with a valid passport.
First try the solutions recommended on this iHawk troubleshooting webpage. If these do not work please contact issdocs@ku.edu and we can assist you further.
After Getting DS-2019 (J-1 Students)
Please notify the KU Study Abroad and Global Engagement office first through studyabroad@ku.edu. They will then coordinate with our office on the next steps.
When we issue a DS-2019 we are required follow the name standards laid out by the US government, which means we take out all special characters and follow the machine-readable section at the bottom of your passport.
International students cannot enroll in classes until after they have arrived on campus and have completed the required international student check-in at orientation. More information will be provided in the pre-arrival information after you register for orientation.
The DS-2019 only needs to show that you have met the minimum estimated cost of attendance required for your program. Once your financial documents demonstrate that you meet or exceed this minimum amount, we are not required to list the full amount you provided. This is standard practice and does not affect your ability to use your full financial resources for your studies.