2026–27 academic year · rates effective Fall 2026

Tuition and Fees

What a semester at Southern Arkansas University costs, when it’s due, and the waivers that can bring the out-of-state price down.

Tuition 2026–2027 · Fall and Spring

Undergraduate tuition

Per semester at 15 hours. Undergraduate students are considered full-time when enrolled in 12 hours.

In-state

$3,900

per semester, 15 hours

Tuition per hour $260
Tuition rate for each hour above 15 $115
Total mandatory fees (15 hours) $1,320
Tuition and mandatory fees (15 hours) $5,220

Out-of-state

$6,915

per semester, 15 hours

Tuition per hour $461
Tuition rate for each hour above 15 $115
Total mandatory fees (15 hours) $1,320
Tuition and mandatory fees (15 hours) $8,235

Summer tuition is based on the hourly rate. Book charges are not included in the stated fees. The University reserves the right to change the amounts of fees, on-campus meals, and housing charges or to add new charges at any time such action is deemed necessary.

Graduate tuition · per hour

Master’s
In-state

$338

Master’s
Out-of-state

$530

Doctoral
In-state and out-of-state

$400

Program fees: master’s $90 per hour, doctoral $50 per hour.

Fall / Spring rates

Mandatory fees, per hour

Activity, activity enrichment, and athletic fees are not charged in summer.

Facility fee $19.50
Athletic fee $19.00

Not charged in summer
Computer technology fee $13.00
Public safety fee $10.00
Academic excellence fee $8.25
Activity fee $5.00

Not charged in summer
Recreation fee $5.00
Library fee $4.25
Student health fee $3.00
Activity enrichment fee $1.00

Not charged in summer
Total mandatory fees (15 hours) $1,320

Summer: $945

Selected course and program fees

The complete list is on the fee sheet.

Online course $45

per course
Science lab $32

per lab
Non-science lab $10

per lab
Engineering course $30

per hour
Nursing course $25

per hour
Applied music (1 hr / 2 hrs / 3 hrs) $50 / $75 / $100
Vehicle registration $30

annual; $20 in summer if not purchased in fall or spring
Late registration $50

per semester
Graduation $120 / $160

undergraduate / graduate

Payment deadlines

Payment due dates

All tuition, fees, and housing charges for those advance registering are due by these dates.

Fall 2026

August 26, 2026

For students who advance-registered.

Spring 2027

January 20, 2027

For students who advance-registered.

Summer 2027

Beginning of term

Due at the beginning of the summer or intersession term.

Deferred payment plan dates

Deferred payment plan fee: $40. Late payment fee (SAU payment plan): $60.

Fall 2026

August 26
September 11
October 9
November 13

Spring 2027

January 20
February 12
March 12
April 16

Fall and spring semesters

Refund percentage brackets

On or before August 21 (fall) · January 15 (spring) 100%
August 22 – September 1 (fall) · January 16 – 26 (spring) 50%
On or after September 2 (fall) · January 27 (spring) 0%

Second 7-week, Summer I, Long Summer, and Summer II brackets are listed on the fee sheet.

Housing and board rates 2026–2027 · Fall / Spring, per term

Housing and board

Students living in residence halls and apartments must choose a board plan.

Residence halls

$1,912 – $2,450

Traditional, suite-style, and hybrid halls. A private room adds $550 per semester when available.

Apartments

$2,938 – $4,460

University Court and University Village, per bed, on 9-month, 12-month, or early (12 in 9) leases.

Board options

$1,990 – $2,095

Residence hall options: Platinum, Gold, or Silver. Apartment board options from $660. Commuter meal options from $125.

Non-resident students

Out-of-State Tuition Waivers

Students from Texarkana, Shreveport, Bossier City and the rest of the region along Arkansas’s southern border can attend SAU at the in-state tuition rate: if your home address is in Bowie or Cass County, Texas, or in one of eight north Louisiana parishes, the out-of-state portion of tuition is waived, with no form and no requirement to live on campus. To qualify for an out-of-state waiver, students must meet one of the following criteria:

Contiguous state

Students living in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, or Texas.

Bowie County

Students with a home address in Bowie County or Cass County.

Louisiana parish

Students with a home address in the parishes of Claiborne, Webster, Union, Morehouse, Bossier, Caddo, East Carroll, or West Carroll.

Son or daughter of an alumnus

Son or daughter of an alumnus of Southern Arkansas University, Southern State College, or SAU-Tech, from any state.

Waiver of Non-Resident Portion of Tuition (Son/Daughter of Alumnus) (PDF)

Border County Waiver Reclassification Request (PDF)
Waiver of Non-Resident Portion of Tuition (Graduate)

Note: Students wishing to claim any out-of-state waiver for graduate school or the alumnus waiver must complete and submit the relevant form.

Questions

Common questions about cost

What does one year at SAU cost?

For 2026–27, an in-state undergraduate taking 15 hours a semester pays $10,440 in tuition and mandatory fees for the fall and spring semesters ($5,220 a semester). With a residence hall room and a board plan, the year comes to $18,244 to $19,530. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $16,470 for the year ($8,235 a semester).

One year at SAU, 2026–27: fall and spring, 15 hours a semester
	In-state	Out-of-state
Tuition (30 hours)	$7,800	$13,830
Mandatory fees (30 hours)	$2,640	$2,640
Tuition and fees	$10,440	$16,470
Residence hall room	$3,824 – $4,900	$3,824 – $4,900
Board plan	$3,980 – $4,190	$3,980 – $4,190
Total, living on campus	$18,244 – $19,530	$24,274 – $25,560

Room and board ranges cover the residence halls and the residence hall board plans (Silver, Gold and Platinum). A private room adds $550 a semester, and apartments cost more. Books, course fees and personal costs are not included. Students from Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas who live in University housing, and students from Bowie and Cass counties in Texas and eight north Louisiana parishes, can have the out-of-state portion of tuition waived: see Out-of-State Tuition Waivers.

What is SAU's tuition per credit hour?

Undergraduate tuition is $260 per credit hour in-state and $461 out-of-state, plus $88 per credit hour in mandatory fees. Each hour above 15 in a semester is charged $115 in tuition. Graduate tuition is $338 per hour in-state and $530 out-of-state, plus a $90-per-hour master’s program fee. Doctoral tuition is $400 per hour, plus a $50-per-hour doctoral program fee.

Southern Arkansas University