University of Central Arkansas is a public university. It is one of the pioneer universities in the USA with a total enrollment of almost 10,335 in the latest academic year.UCA's student-centered structure and programs have drawn students from all over the world, with international students accounting for 4.8 % of total student body from 120 countries. The admission process of University of Central Arkansas is less selective which reflects on its acceptance rate of 90.4%. 

The University of Central Arkansas has 10 colleges and schools offering more than 162 courses. It offers more than 90 undergraduate and 60 graduate certificate and degree programs, including doctoral programs in five disciplines. Some of the popular major  programs offered by the university are Business, Management, Marketing, Engineering, Communication, Journalism,and Social Sciences. To acquire admission in programs at University of Central Arkansas, applicants must have a TOEFL iBT score of  61 for UG and and 79 PG program

University of Central Arkansas Ranking

  • #154 in Best Value Schools.
  • #298 in National Universities.
  • #305 in Top Public Universities in USA
  • #1001 in QS World University Rankings

Highlights

Year of foundation 1871
Location Fayetteville
Type Public
Campus Setting Suburban
Acceptance Rate 90.4%
Retention Rate 78.8%
Academic Calendar Semester

Basic Tuition Fee for International UG Students

USD 16,620.00
Basic Tuition Fee for International PG Students USD 11,990.00
Student Faculty Ratio 15: 1
Official website uca.edu

University of Central Arkansas Programs

University of Central Arkansas provides courses in more than 200 degree programs in both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. There are about 70 bachelor’s programs and dozens of master’s and doctoral programs. Mentioned below are some of the popular PG courses with their course specific requirements and deadlines:

Couse Requirement Deadline
MBA  GMAT- min. 500
UG GPA of min. 2.7
Rolling basis
MS Applied Mathematics Adequate preparation in mathematics
UG GPA of min. 2.7
Rolling basis
MS Biology Equivalent of a minor in biology
Grade C in all courses
Fall- March 1
Spring- October 1
MA History GRE verbal- 153
GRE analytical writing- 4.0
Rolling basis
Eds School Psychology Prerequisite coursework in General Psychology and Statistics March 1
MS Computer Science UG degree in Computer Science Rolling basis

University of Central Arkansas Campus and Accommodation

University of Central Arkansas is a non-profit public state higher-education institution located in Arkansas. The university offers a number of student services, including  library, housing, women's center, placement service, health service etc. 

  • The University of Central Arkansas is home to nearly 200 Recognized Student Organizations.
  • Events such as Family Day, Homecoming, and the Purple Society Awards are sponsored by Student Life.
  • UCA’s broad network of local, regional, national, and international community partners offers a variety of volunteer opportunities.
  • Daily campus dining with an array of options and menus

University of Central Arkansas Accommodation

The University provides well-maintained residence halls for students living away from home. Currently, the total population of on campus residence students is 3,800. There are mainly three types of residence halls available for students to choose from- Community style, Suite style, and Apartment style. Some of the halls are mentioned below along with their requirement and cost per semester:

Hall Requirement Cost of Double Room (in USD) Cost of Single Room (in USD)
Founders hall All students  4,293 5147
Futrall hall Female Students 3,307 4085
Gibson hall Female Students 3,307 4085
Hotz Honors hall Maintained GPA 3.50 3270 3891
Gregson hall Senior Students 3256 4085
Reid hall Female Students 3297 3910
Yokum hall All students  3297 3808

Check here: Off-Campus housing options available in the USA.

University of Central Arkansas Admission Process

Applications to University of Central Arkansas can be submitted by filling an online application form through the university’s online application portal along with the application fee of $50 (non-refundable). The application deadlines for the upcoming semesters are tabulated below:

Sememster  Deadline
Fall  July 10
Spring  December 1
Summer April 15
Note: Admissions of most of the graduate programs at University of Central Arkansas are on rolling basis. The university prefers applications to be submitted at least two weeks prior to the start of classes. 

Basic Academic Requirements:

  • ACT or SAT scores along with the application form.
  • Official transcripts
  • A course-by-course evaluation of the transcripts should be done by a UCA recognized party.
  • A minimum GPA score of 2.70 on a 4.0 scale is required.
  • GRE or GMAT
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Resume
  • Writing sample

English proficiency Scores:

Test UG Requirement PG Requirement
TOEFL iBT 61 70
TOEFL (paper based) 500 -
IELTS 6.0 6.5

University of Central Arkansas Cost Of Attendance

The cost of attendance for international students at University of Central Arkansas varies depending on theprogram level and whether the applicant will be living in campus housing or off campus. The actual budget may increase or decrease based on the selected program. Tabulated below is the estimated budget for the applicants living on campus for the year 2023-2024:

Expenses Undergraduate (USD) Postgraduate (USD)
Tuition fees 9,620.00 6,820.00
Out-of-State Tuition 7,000.00 5,170.00
International Administrative Fee 500.00 500.00
Insurance 1,380.00 1,380.00
Rooms and Meals 8,000.00 8,000.00
Books 1,200.00 1,200.00
Total 27,700.00 23,070.00

University of Central Arkansas Scholarships

About 41% of undergraduate degree holders of University of Central Arkansas are offered need-based scholarship offers. The average need-based scholarship amount provided to the students is 7,799 USD. The scholarships are offered to the full-time degree holders of the institute. Some of the scholarships offered to the students are:

Scholarships Amount (USD) Duration Eligibility
Chancellor’s Scholarship 8000 per year 4-5 years Who has demonstrated community service
Razorback Bridge Scholarship 3500 USD per year 4-5 years On the basis of merit
Honors College Academy Scholarship 4000 USD per year 4-5 years Awarded to top candidates.

Alternatively, there are other scholarships offered to students in the USA.

University of Central Arkansas Alumni

All alumni receive the famous UCA Alumni Bear decal along with a membership card to present for discounts at select businesses. Some of the Alumni Benefits offered by the university are mentioned below:

  • Library Privileges
  • 10% discount on UCA merchandise
  • 50% discount on UCA Community Education courses for you and a guest
  • Ability to participate in the Alumni Travel Program
  • Discounts of up to 20% depending upon hotel
  • Rental Car Discounts
  • Access to website with members-only accommodation discounts

Notable Alumni:

  •  John Daly American professional Golfer
  • Jerry Jones- American billionaire businessman
  • Gil Gerard- Actor
  • Dale Alford- American Politician
  • Mary L. Good- American chemist
  • Jimmy Driftwood- Songwriter

University of Central Arkansas Placement

University of Central Arkansas have a placement rate of almost 92%.The university ensures the best in class placements, hence various career fairs are organized to attract recruiters from different sectors.

  • The STEM career fair is for recruiters from the science, tech, and engineering arena.
  • Various companies like Cox Communications, Springfield Missouri Police Department, etc provide internships in the university as well.
  • The starting salary for the alumni of the University of Arkansas is almost 98,000 USD.

MBA program of UCA has been ranked among the most affordable (2022)Out of the several programs available for the students, the university is noted for the following programs Architecture, Agriculture (animal science and poultry science), Business Studies, Communication disorders, Creative writing, History, and Law and Middle Eastern studies.
The University of Central Arkansas aspires to be a premier learner-focused public comprehensive university, a nationally recognized leader for its continuous record of excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, scholarly and creative endeavors, and engagement with local, national, and global communities.