costs & funding
The US has no national living-cost figure — your I-20 sets your number, and your bank statements have to match it. Here is what the ranges actually look like, and what the fees add up to.
Every other destination on this site publishes a government living-cost threshold. The US does not, and this trips up almost every Nepali applicant who tries to plan from a generic number found online.
A single US government cost-of-living threshold: does not exist
What actually governs your application: the estimated cost of attendance printed on your Form I-20 — tuition, fees, living and insurance for your specific programme
Your financial documents must match your I-20, and you must prove you can fund at least the first year with a credible plan for the rest.
So every range below is orientation only. When you have an I-20 in hand, that document replaces this page for planning purposes — and it is the number the consular officer will be checking your finances against.
Community college is the most underused route from Nepal. Two years at a community college followed by transfer to a public university can cut the cost of a bachelor's degree substantially, and the degree you finish with is the one from the university you transfer into.
Living costs: roughly USD 12,000–25,000/year
Nepal-facing guidance commonly cites roughly USD 40,000–70,000 for the first year
Funds should be held and seasoned for around 6 months
Acceptable evidence: bank statements, an education-loan sanction letter, sponsor affidavits, and scholarship or assistantship letters
A sudden large unexplained deposit is a classic weakness, and at a US interview you may be asked about it directly and answer in real time. Money that has sat in the account for months, with an explainable origin, is worth more than a larger sum that appeared last week.
University application fees: typically USD 50–100 each, and most students apply to several schools
Government fees alone: about USD 535 before the integrity fee, courier and extras
The visa integrity fee was enacted in July 2025 (Public Law 119-21), but its collection and implementation were still being clarified through early-to-mid 2026. Confirm with the consulate whether it is being collected when you apply.
Reference rate used here: 1 USD ≈ NPR 138–140
SEVIS and MRV together: NPR ~73,500–75,000
A USD 50,000 first-year cost is roughly NPR ~69–70 lakh
This is the part that makes the US genuinely different, and it is systematically under-pursued by Nepali applicants who assume the sticker price is the price.
Assistantships and tuition waivers at graduate level can make a funded US master's or PhD cheaper than a self-funded degree anywhere else — sometimes substantially so. A teaching or research assistantship may cover tuition entirely and pay a living stipend on top. These are competitive and are awarded by departments, not central admissions, so they reward applicants who contact faculty directly and apply early.
A funded offer also strengthens your visa file considerably, because it removes the funding question that sinks so many applications. If you are a strong graduate applicant, this route deserves far more of your attention than shopping for cheaper tuition.
Nepal step — how to move money out of Nepal, in order→