Arkansas State University: under US$30,000 all-in per year, and a route in without IELTS

The first question most families ask is not where a university ranks but what a year actually costs. For Arkansas State University that figure is published and it adds up, so this profile starts there.

One year, every line added up

The figures below are for an international undergraduate taking 12 credits a semester, on the schedule the university published for the 2026–27 academic year:

• Tuition: US$15,024 a year (US$649 per credit)
• University fees: US$1,302 a year
• Room and board: US$12,220 a year — a shared room starts at US$2,730 a semester
• Health insurance: US$1,100 a year

That totals roughly US$29,600 a year with housing and meals included. It is one specific year's schedule; US tuition is revised annually, so check the current rate on the university's international tuition page before you apply.

One factor that rarely reaches the spreadsheet: Jonesboro is a city of about 80,000 where the cost of living runs around 13% below the US average. That gap sits in food, transport and daily services — invisible on a tuition table, real across four years.

A route in without IELTS

A-State runs the English Language Academy (ELA), a six-level intensive English programme accredited by CEA. Completing the top level satisfies the English requirement for degree entry, with no TOEFL or IELTS score needed.

This is a genuine route for students whose academic record is strong but whose test score is missing or short. The trade-off is time: you study English first, so the total stay is longer and the English semesters add to the cost.

Accreditation — check this before you believe anything else

A-State is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of the regional accreditors recognised by the US Department of Education. At programme level:

• Business: AACSB accredited
• Engineering: ABET accredited
• Nursing: a 100% NCLEX licensure pass rate in 2023–24, on the university's published figures
• Veterinary medicine: a new programme from 2026

You can verify the institution's accreditation yourself in the US Department of Education's DAPIP register — we link it on every school profile in our directory.

Size and safety

The university enrols about 17,900 students across more than 160 programmes and carries the Carnegie R2 research classification. On campus safety: university police on duty 24/7, more than 1,100 cameras, a free campus shuttle, and the A-State Alerts system that parents can subscribe to.

VNIS and A-State

VNIS Education is Arkansas State University's authorised representative office in Vietnam. We advise on choosing a major, preparing the application and the I-20, and getting ready for the visa interview; admission and visa decisions rest with the university and with US consular authorities.