[Henbaka]

I didn't have to have 20,000 USD in the bank to apply for my student visa (doing exchange year at Waseda Univ.). I believe the amount they specified for me was 1,000,000 Yen (around 9.2k USD). But I don't have that in my account, so instead I could specify my student loan funds or/and a person who could help me financially and whatever I had in my account.

I believe only specifying the student loan approval message, and the amounts provided was enough though, as I know others did that. I just got paranoid over getting accepted so I put down something in everything.

Also, doing an exchange you don't pay tuition.