Finances & Funding
Banking
There are many banks to choose from in the U.S. and several located right on the University of Arizona campus. Finding a bank that meets your needs and is convenient for you is a big decision, so make sure you do your research before selecting a bank.
Banks or Credit Unions Located on or by the University of Arizona Campus
This list is for reference and is not intended to be inclusive.
- Bank of America
- Chase
- Vantage West Credit Union
- Wells Fargo (can be linked to your CatCard)
When selecting a bank, consider the following:
- Does the bank charge a monthly fee?
- Are there any service charges or overdraft fees?
- Are any fees or service charges waived for college students?
- Are there ATMs available nearby?
- Is there a minimum balance required to open an account?
- Is there a minimum monthly balance required to maintain the account?
- How can money be transferred?
The two main types of accounts you can open at a bank are checking accounts and savings accounts. Checking accounts are typically used to deposit and withdraw money frequently and often come with a checkbook and a debit card to access funds, whereas savings accounts collect money over a longer period of time and may have limits to withdrawal.
When opening a bank account, you may be asked to show any of the following:
- Immigration documents
- Multiple forms of identification
- Money for an initial deposit in the account
- Phone number and proof of U.S. address (utility bill, lease agreement, etc.)
- Materials showing you’re a university student
You may also be asked to provide a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). These numbers should not be required to open a bank account and are only available for students with employment or cash scholarships.
International Student Scholarships
In recognition of students who exhibit an outstanding academic performance, the University of Arizona offers the Global Wildcat Award for incoming freshmen and transfer students. Please review the link below for more information regarding merit-based scholarships for admitted and conditionally admitted students who are planning to enroll at the University of Arizona for the spring or fall semesters.
To help you find scholarships, the university created Scholarship Universe, which matches you with thousands of university and non-university scholarship opportunities available throughout the year. University scholarships are merit-based. These are limited in number and awarded to undergraduate and graduate students with exceptional academic performance.
A limited number of tuition waivers are available to students from Sonora, Mexico through an agreement between the Arizona-Mexico Commission and the Comisión Sonora-Arizona. Qualifying students from Sonora who are studying in Arizona may pay in-state tuition for a maximum of two years.
The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship supports undergraduate and graduate women from across the world interested in pursuing a career in Technology. Recipients each receive a $10,000 award and will be invited to attend the Annual Google Scholar’s Retreat in California.
The Society of Women Engineers provides scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students interested in Engineering. The website contains a database of potential scholarship opportunities. While many require US Citizenship, there are some that are open to international students.
Some colleges and departments may offer scholarships. Check their websites for possible opportunities.
There are databases of international student aid and scholarship opportunities, for example, educationusa.state.gov, internationalscholarships.com, or fastweb.com. You should never have to pay to use these sites.
Funding Resources for Graduate Students
The Graduate College maintains a list of funding opportunities administered or funded by the Graduate College. Graduate students who are interested in a GA position are encouraged to contact the department they would like to work for directly regarding available positions.
The GA Manual contains the information that a student, faculty, or staff member would need to know about Graduate Assistant/Associate (GA) appointments at the university.
The Office of Fellowships and Community Engagement (OFCE) provides information and assistance to graduate students to help them become more successful in their search for funding outside of the university. Every month, OFCE sends out the GradFunding Newsletter, a monthly email listserv with information on current funding opportunities.
The Graduate & Professional Student Council (GPSC) offers a variety of grants for travel, research and projects and professional development to individuals and student groups.
Other Forms of Aid
The Rowe Fund
The Rowe Fund is an interest-free loan program that helps citizens from Latin America and Caribbean OAS Member States to finance their studies at accredited universities in the United States. Loans can be up to $15,000 USD.
Sallie Mae International Student Loan
Sallie Mae offers a variety of student loan programs for international students studying in the United States. (These loans are provided directly by Sallie Mae NOT by the University of Arizona.)
A sponsored student is any student whose tuition and/or fees are paid directly to the university by an outside organization that requires an invoice from the University before remitting payment. Students who receive tuition reimbursement or personal payments from an organization are not considered sponsored students. If your government or agency will sponsor you, please contact the Program Director for Sponsored Programs in International Student Services at intlsp@email.arizona.edu.
Some opportunities for on-campus employment are available to international students. Use Handshake, the University's official job board, to easily search and apply for on-campus jobs. Log in to access your account and confirm with your Arizona email.
If you are in F-1 status, you do not need to request authorization from International Student Services (ISS) before beginning on-campus employment. If you are in J-1 status, you must submit the J-1 On-Campus Employment Authorization e-form before starting employment.