Why SAU · For Louisiana students
Louisiana students pay Arkansas tuition.
Live on campus at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, and you pay the same tuition rate as Arkansas students. There’s no waiver form, and applying is free.
From Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, East Carroll, Morehouse, Union, Webster or West Carroll Parish? You qualify even if you live at home.
- Louisiana: Arkansas tuition when you live on campus
- 8 north Louisiana parishes: Arkansas tuition on or off campus
- Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia
How the waiver works
Three steps from Louisiana to the Arkansas rate.
2
Live on campus
Choose SAU housing. Living on campus is what qualifies Louisiana students for the Arkansas rate.
From one of 8 north Louisiana parishes? Skip this step: you qualify living at home.
3
Pay the Arkansas tuition rate
There’s no waiver form to fill out. Scholarships and financial aid can lower your cost from there.
Source: SAU’s out-of-state tuition waivers page, which lists every waiver and its conditions.
Scholarships
Up to $12,000 a year.
One scholarship application considers incoming freshmen for every SAU academic award, and awards renew for up to 8 semesters.
Fall 2027 freshmen
Jan 15
Early decision
Mar 1
Priority deadline
All scholarships require admission to SAU and are awarded as funds allow; meeting the criteria doesn’t guarantee an award.
A job or grad school within six months of graduation. Guaranteed.
Mentorship, skill-building workshops, networking events and internships start in your first year.
Complete the program, and if you don’t have a full-time job or a graduate or professional school admission within six months, SAU keeps investing in you at no cost: career coaching plus targeted coursework or a paid internship.
33.29° N · 93.23° W — Magnolia, Arkansas
Explore campus from anywhere
Walk through campus with current students, then find your way around it on the map.
Virtual tour
- 11 short videos led by current students
- Housing, dining, athletics and all four colleges
- Captions, and a menu to jump to any stop
Campus map
- Shows where you are when you’re on campus
- Photos, departments and directions for every building
- Parking, dining, housing and athletics layers
More reasons families choose SAU
Arkansas’s best small public college, with 87 majors to choose from.
Ranking: Niche 2027 Best Small Colleges in Arkansas, top-ranked public university.
Questions Louisiana families ask
Straight answers.
Can Louisiana students pay in-state tuition at Southern Arkansas University?
Yes. Louisiana is one of six neighboring states whose students pay the Arkansas tuition rate when they live in university housing. No form is needed. See every tuition waiver.
Which Louisiana parishes qualify without living on campus?
Students whose home address is in Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, East Carroll, Morehouse, Union, Webster or West Carroll Parish qualify for the Arkansas tuition rate even if they live off campus. No form is needed. Students from anywhere else in Louisiana qualify when they live in university housing.
What scholarships can incoming freshmen get?
SAU academic scholarships for incoming freshmen go up to $12,000 a year and renew for up to 8 semesters. One scholarship application considers students for every SAU academic award. For Fall 2027, the early decision date is January 15 and the priority deadline is March 1. Scholarships require admission to SAU and are awarded as funds allow. See every award.
What would SAU cost me?
Use the cost and scholarship estimator: choose “neighboring state” as your home and enter your GPA to see an estimated award and your cost per semester.
Does SAU charge an application fee?
No. Applying to Southern Arkansas University is free.
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