How do I prove I can pay rent as an international student with no income?

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Show proof of funds instead of income: bank statements, a scholarship, assistantship or sponsor letter, and the funding section of your I-20 or DS-2019. Landlords who rent to students are used to this. Convert amounts to US dollars and show enough to cover the full lease, not just the first month. Many landlords screen by income, often asking for about three times the rent. Students on F-1 or J-1 visas usually cannot earn that, and landlords near universities know it. What they want instead is evidence that the money exists for the whole lease. Add up rent for the full lease term. For a $1,000 room on a 12-month lease, that is $12,000. Gather statements showing at least that amount, in your name or your sponsor's, from the last two or three months. Add your scholarship or assistantship letter if you have one, showing the amount and period. Include the I-20 or DS-2019 page listing your estimated expenses and funding sources. Write a short cover note summarizing the total available in US dollars, with the exchange rate and date you used. If the money is in a parent's account, include a signed sponsor letter from them saying they will fund your living costs. Translations should be clear and complete, and a landlord may ask for an official one. If the landlord still wants more, the usual next steps are a guarantor, a guarantor service, or a partial prepayment. See rent and applications for how income requirements work in general.

Short answer