Southern Arkansas University (SAU) is a public university. Southern Arkansas University offers more than 100 degrees to international students in both UG and PG programs across four colleges and the School of Graduate Studies. The most popular programs at Southern Southern Arkansas are the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Arts in Teaching, and the Master of Science in Computer and Information Science degrees. 

Admissions at Southern Arkansas University are moderately selective with an acceptance rate of 61%, and the university has rolling intakes for the Fall and Spring semesters. To secure admission, international students are required to have a minimum GPA of 2.0 for UG programs and 2.5 for PG programs. 

Southern Arkansas University is one of the state's most affordable four-year universities. The tuition and room and board rates are consistently among the lowest in the state. The estimated cost of attendance at  Southern Arkansas University is 17.89 lakhs for UG and 11.75 lakhs for PG students. Each year, international students can apply for scholarships ranging from 3,000 USD to 10,000 USD in order to reduce their financial burden.

Southern Arkansas University Programs

South Arkansas University offers 36 undergraduate minors, 40 undergraduate majors, 28 graduate degrees, 4 associate degrees, 15 certificate courses, and 4 pre-professional courses. The top undergraduate majors offered by the university include accounting, agriculture, biological sciences, computer science, communication, engineering, nursing, criminal justice, and cyber criminology.

The university also offers a 5-year dual BBA+MBA program, which is quite famous among international students. The College of Business offers numerous internship opportunities, business visits, competitive student organizations at the national level as well study abroad programs.

Southern Arkansas University Campus

The campus of Southern Arkansas has more than 60 student organizations. Each year a range of events are organized within the campus including concerts, plays, movies, workshops, and sports events. The campus also has a 78,000 square foot multipurpose Story Arena with a seating capacity of 1,400. It provides practice space for SAU’s collegiate rodeo team and hosts various rodeo events throughout the year.

Southern Arkansas University Accommodation

The university offers a variety of housing options for students with 14 residences and 2 apartments within the campus. All of the residences are co-ed except the Bussey Hall which accommodates only female students and the Talbot Hall which accommodates only male students. Given Below are the annual housing rates for the academic year:

Housing Type Annual Rates (in INR)
Traditional Residence 2.77 lakhs
Suite Style Residence 3.46 lakhs
Hybrid-Style Residence 3.56 lakhs
Apartments 2.13 lakhs

Off-Campus Accommodation

SAU provides both on-campus and off-campus apartment-style living. Students who do not want to opt for on-campus accommodation are required to fill a housing exemption form. The SAU Campus Police maintain an office in the housing area to assist residents and ensure their safety.

Also Check: Off-campus housing options in the US

Southern Arkansas University Admission Process

The admission process is simple with online procedures. International applicants ambitious of studying in the USA need to meet some additional requirements. International applicants must satisfy the following requirements to be eligible for the admission to the university:

Southern Arkansas University UG Admissions

Application PortalOnline Application portal
Application Fee: 90 USD
Admission Requirements:

  • Official Transcripts (2.0 minimum GPA)
  • Proof of financial support (at least USD 22,500)
  • Copy of immigration documents
  • Statement of Intent (optional)
  • English Proficiency Scores

Southern Arkansas University PG Admissions

Application Portal: Online Application portal
Application Fee: 90 USD
Academic Requirements: 

  • Official Transcripts (2.5 minimum GPA)
  • Proof of financial support (at least USD 15,000)
  • Copy of immigration documents
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Letter of Recommendation 
  • English Proficiency Scores
    • TOEFL iBT- 79
    • IELTS- 6.0

Southern Arkansas University Cost of Attendance

Cost of living in the US at SAU inculcates living expenses along with the tuition fee for various programs. Given below is the undergraduate cost based on 15 credits hours per semester and graduate cost based on 6 credits hours per semester, at SAU:

Expenses Annual UG Cost (in INR) Annual PG Cost (in INR)
Tuition 10.85 lakhs 5.10 lakhs
Room and Board 5.12 lakhs 5.12 lakhs
International Student Insurance 1.05 lakhs 1.05 lakhs
Books and Supplies 0.87 lakhs 0.48 lakhs

Southern Arkansas University Scholarships

The International Student Scholarship program has changed. For international students, there are two categories of scholarships: initial and retention. All scholarships are subject to funding availability. All scholarship students are required to reside on campus. SAU offers merit-based scholarships to international students as well as financial assistance for their studies.

The university offers Initial Scholarships for first-year international students and Retention Scholarships for undergraduate international students. The deadline to submit the initial scholarship application is March 5th for the fall semester. The students may apply for scholarships via International Scholarship Application.

Requirements for Scholarship renewal:

  • Maintain a GPA of 3.0
  • 15 credits hours every semester
  • Must reside on-campus.

Given below are eligibility criteria and value awarded for Initial and Retention Scholarships:

Scholarships Value/year (in USD)
Initial Non-Resident Scholarship 3,030
Initial International Excellence Scholarship 5,000
Initial Presidential Scholarship 10,000
Retention Scholarship 4,500

Also Check: External scholarships in the US

Work Study Program

The Study Work program is designed to assist students in developing workplace skills, achieving financial independence, and sharing suggestions for success in on or off-campus jobs. Student workers are also subject to the policies of the department where they work. Eligibility of Student Workers are:

  • If a student works in a student labor program, he or she must be registered and in good standing at Southern Arkansas University.
  • Before a student can begin working, he or she must get a work permit from the Office of Financial Aid.
  • International students are eligible to work on campus as regular student workers at SAU. International students are not needed to complete the FAFSA.

SAU approval or Federal College Work-study award.  The regular student labor program does not guarantee that the student worker will earn the amount assigned to him or her. It is the obligation of the student to locate work.

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Southern Arkansas University Placements

The career services of Southern Arkansas University offer numerous career opportunities in the US to international students, ranging from on-campus employment, off-campus part-time jobs, full-time jobs, career fairs, on-campus recruitment, resume development, and internship opportunities.

  • Students can also explore internships and entry-level jobs from more than 500,000 registered companies from the handshake portal.
  • SAU graduates have an average base salary of 60,000 USD as per payscale.
  • SAU also received a College ROI rank of #1320 and a College Salary Report Rank of #363 according to payscale.com.

Southern Arkansas University Alumni

South Arkansas University has a total Alumni network of 16,622 graduates. The alumni association of SAU is responsible for strengthening the Alumni network through various engagement opportunities and services. The Alumni association also offers numerous benefits to the alumni based on general memberships, gold membership, blue membership, forever Mulerider membership, and affiliate membership.

Some of the Benefits offered to the Alumni by the Alumni Association:

  • Tuition waiver for the children of SAU's international alumni
  • Invitation to events
  • The state subscription
  • 20% discount on Airway Express
  • Access to university's library
  • Career services
  • Alumni center discount
  • Alumni association gift

Notable Alumni:

  • Tommy Tuberville-Former Football player, Politician
  • Tracy Lawrence-Musician
  • Joyce Elliott-Politician
  • David Fielding-Politician
  • Horace M. Wade-Military Officer
  • Maxie McFarland-Military Officer
  • John Allen Hendricks-Author and Professor

Southern Arkansas University is counted as one of the top-50 public schools and one of the top-100 universities in the south. The university is averagely selective though students having an extraordinary academic standing can be easily admitted to the university. Admission decisions at SAU take around four weeks to process. With an average salary of 60,000 USD, the university is also known for providing study abroad candidates with exceptional career opportunities.

FAQs

Ques. What are the general admission requirements of Southern Arkansas University?

Ans. The general admissions requirements for international students at Southern Arkansas University are:

  • Official high School and undergraduate transcripts
  • Standardized test scores
  • Financial support proof with a balance of (15,000 USD to 22,500 USD)
  • Bank statements
  • Copy of passport
  • I-20 form
  • US Visa
  • English Proficiency Test Scores:
    • TOEFL IBT: 61
    • IELTS: 5.0 and above

Ques. How many colleges are at ASU?

Ans. Southern Arkansas University has five colleges and one school offering specialization in different disciplines of business, liberal and performing arts, education, science, and engineering. It extends over 70 undergraduate full-time programs.

Ques. What are the English proficiency scores required for Southern Arkansas University?

Ans.  International applicants are required to present TOEFL/ IELTS and/or SAT scores to demonstrate proficiency in English. The minimum required scores by the university are:

Test Minimum Score Required for UG Minimum Score Required for PG
TOEFL iBT 61 79
IELTS 5.5 6.0

Ques. Can international students apply for financial aid or scholarships at SAU??

Ans. SAU does provide three scholarships to first-year students who apply for the fall semester. The application date for these scholarships is March 15. These scholarships are not available to students starting in the spring semester. We also offer a retention scholarship to students who have completed 15 credit hours at SAU.

Ques. Is transportation provided by SAU for international students?

Ans. International students are provided with free transportation to and from the Texarkana airport, bus, and rail stations at the beginning and end of each semester, as well as during vacation breaks. On Fridays, we also have a van accessible to take international students shopping around Magnolia.

Ques. Is there accommodation on campus at SAU, and does a student have to live there?

Ans. ASU students can choose from a variety of accommodation options. Students who are over the age of 21 or who have completed 60 credit hours can live off campus or in university housing.

Ques. Are international students allowed to work while attending SAU?

Ans. Students on F-1 visas are not permitted to work off-campus unless they obtain special approval from the Department of Homeland Security. A student, on the other hand, can work on campus up to 20 hours per week while school is in session and up to 40 hours per week during school vacations and holidays.