GETTING STARTED: ADMITTED DEGREE-SEEKING STUDENTS

For students requesting an I-20 to apply for an F-1 visa, financial documents must show support for at least one academic year.  

For students requesting a DS-2019 to apply for a J-1 visa, financial documents must show support for the duration of the DS-2019. For example, if your funding is valid for three years, OISS will issue your DS-2019 for a period of three years. You will need to provide additional funding documents to have the DS-2019 extended.

The costs below are based on the 2023-24 academic year and are subject to change at any point. Please keep in mind:

• Financial support can come from a single source or from multiple sources.
• All sources of financial support must have documentation written in English and issued within the past six months.
• If funds are not from Lehigh University or a personal bank account, you should submitted the appropriate financial certification statement signed by the sponsor or account holder.
• Unless work opportunity is a part of your financial aid package (for undergraduates) or your department offers you a teaching or research assistantship (for graduate students), you should not expect to support yourself with income from employment in the United States.  There are a limited number of on-campus jobs available, and students on F-1 and J-1 visas do not have permission to work off-campus except in very limited circumstances.  

Undergraduate Students (Bachelor's Degree)

The annual cost of attendance is based on information from the Office of Financial Aid and is subject to change. A complete list of tuition and fees is available on the Bursar's Office website. Students in certain programs and majors are assessed an additional $830 fee (Engineering and Science fee or Arts and Sciences fee). All students are assessed an International Orientation fee of $200 and a First Year Experience Orientation fee of $421 during their first term.  These orientation fees are not covered by Lehigh Financial Aid.  All international students are automatically enrolled in Lehigh’s Student Health Insurance Plan. Amounts below reflect room, board and incidentals for the 9-month academic year. If you remain in the United States during the summer vacation term, you should expect your living expenses to be greater than the amount shown below.

**Please note: this estimate does not include general start-up costs such as transportation to Lehigh, decorations and supplies for your residence hall, etc.  

Graduate Students (Master's and Doctoral Degrees)

The annual cost of attendance for graduate students depends on the college you are admitted to. These costs are subject to change. We encourage you to review this information about initial expenses provided by the Graduate Life Office. 

Please select the appropriate college to view the estimate of expenses.

Tuition

Most of Lehigh's colleges assess tuition by credit hour, with a minimum of 9 credits required each semester to maintain full-time status. The amount of tuition you are billed may be greater than the dollar amounts below if you enroll in more than 9 credits in a semester. Current tuition rates are available on the Bursar’s Office website.

Room and Board and other expenses

For the purpose of determining financial aid eligibility, Lehigh uses a standard room and board allowance.  Amounts below reflect the allowance for either 9 or 12 months, except where noted for certain College of Business programs. Students who live off-campus will not receive a bill from the university for housing but can expect to incur housing and meal costs that are similar to this allowance. The actual cost of room and board and incidentals will vary based on actual costs you incur. If you plan remain in the United States during the summer vacation term, you should use the 12 month estimate for your living expense budget, even if your I-20 reflects the lower 9-month amount.  All international students are automatically enrolled in Lehigh’s Student Health Insurance Plan.

Dependents

If you have a spouse or unmarried children under the age of 21, you can request that they be added to your SEVIS record as a dependent (as an F-2 or J-2 dependent).  New students can do this as a part of the Pre-Arrival Checklist, or dependents can be added at a later time via a request in iHome.  The addition of a dependent to your SEVIS record will require a copy of the biographical information page from each dependent's passport as well as additional financial documentation to verify that you have funds available to support your dependent(s).  Additionally, each dependent will need to either apply for the F-2 or J-2 visa abroad or, if already in the United States, apply for a change of status from their current status to the depenednet status.  Proof of the familial relationship (i.e. marriage or birth certificate) will be required for this.

In order to add depenedent(s) to your SEVIS record, you will be required to show the following amount of funding in addition to what is listed above for your academic program and liviing expenses:
Spouse/first dependent: $800/month.  For students in a 9 month program, this is $7,200 additional
Each additional dependent: $500/month. For students in a 9 month program, this is $4,500 for each additional dependent.

Please keep in mind that these are only estimates and the actual expenses for your dependent(s) may be higher or lower.  Lehigh University does not require proof of health insurance for dependents, but enrolling your dependent(s) in comprehensive health insurance is essential to their wellbeing while in the United States.