Frequently Asked Questions

Students with F-1 visas are not allowed to work off-campus without special permission from Department of Homeland Security. However, a student can work on campus up to 20 hours per week while school is in session and can work on campus 40 hours per week during the school breaks and holidays. There is no guarantee that a student will find a job on campus since there are more students seeking jobs than there are job vacancies. It is the student’s responsibility to search for jobs on campus. Students should check with the Employment Resource Center for job vacancies after arriving at SAU.

International students cannot apply for federal or state financial aid programs.

However, SAU does offer three scholarships for first-time freshmen who are applying for the fall semester. The deadline for applying for these scholarships is March 15. We do not offer these scholarships for students starting in the spring semester. We also offer the retention scholarship which is available for students who have completed 15 credit hours at SAU.

Graduate students can apply for a graduate assistantship, but the opportunities are very limited, so there is no guarantee that you will get one immediately upon your arrival.

If you are seeking immediate enrollment in an academic program then we do require English proficiency for most countries. However, there are a few exemptions to this requirement. Even if you studied at an institution that taught classes in English we still require proof of English proficiency. There are different English level requirements for undergraduates and graduates.

SAU provides free transportation to and from Texarkana airport, bus, and train stations for international students at the beginning and end of each semesters as well as holiday breaks. We also have van available to take international students shopping around Magnolia using the Mulerider Express

For the international student application fee, you can send a check payable to “Southern Arkansas University” to:

SAU International Office
100 E. University, MSC 9224
Magnolia, AR 71753

Or you can contact the business office, 870-235-4018, here at SAU to arrange payment by phone.

If you want to transfer academic credits from a university abroad then you will need to ask your former university to send us an official transcript. You will also need an evaluation agency to assess your transcript.

If you are transferring from another American school then you will need to get an official transcript sent to us, and you will need to have the transfer questionnaire completed.

Once the transcript evaluation is completed, the academic deans will determine how many transfer credits you will get. If SAU does not have an equivalent course to the one you have taken then it will not transfer.

Tuition is based on one full academic year, which includes fall and spring semesters. Approximate Cost of Attending includes tuition, room and board, and fees.

SAU maintains an average 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio with class sizes for lower level classes or general education classes unusually being around 30 to 35, though sometimes much smaller.  Class sizes drop significantly once you start your upper level classes with many ranging from 10 to 15 students.

We have several housing options that are available for our students. Students can move off campus or into university apartments if they are older than 21 years old, or they have completed 60 credit hours.

Because visa interviews can only be scheduled 120 days before you start school, we usually mail out I-20’s so they arrive just before visa interviews start. This way it is less likely for someone to lose their I-20 before the interview.

Using regular mail it usually take three to four weeks for your I-20 to reach you in another country. If you are in the US then it could take just a few days. Also, if you want express mail, which usually takes a week, there is a $50 charge. You can pay this by sending a check payable to “Southern Arkansas University” to:
SAU International Office
100 E. University, MSC 9224
Magnolia, AR 71753
Or you can contact the business office, 870-235-4018, here at SAU to arrange payment by phone.

No, the ceremony is for YOU, the student, so it is your responsibility to compose a letter for your family members.