I currently live in Romania and am planning to study in the US. My parents realized that they do not have enough money in Lei (Romanian currency)but they do have enough money in Yuan (Chinese currency). The only way for us to get a bank statement would be for my mother to go back to China, which is not an option for us, and she would not make it in time anyways(as the college demands it asap, with the deadline being Dec. 15th). So that’s why one of my relatives are going to provide their bank statement. Can my mother still pay for the tuition (she would have the money by then) even though it was my relative’s bank statement?
How your family scrapes up the money for your education is up to your family. Yes, a family member can provide part of that money.
The information from the Certification of Finances form you complete during the admissions process will appear on the I-20 form you use to apply for a student visa. Willful misrepresentation on a visa application (e.g. by certifying that your aunt will pay for your education, when she has no such intention) is an immigration violation that can make you permanently inadmissible.
That’s the theory.
In practice, nobody cares who pays for your tuition as long as it gets paid. Yes, your mother can pay for your tuition even if you said on your paperwork that your aunt was going to pay for it.