How to apply · Undergraduate
Applying as an undergraduate: ten steps, in order
The application itself is not difficult, but doing it out of order costs weeks. This page runs from choosing the right applicant category to the offer letter — and names the point at which each step usually goes wrong.
Enter agent code VNI on your application — five seconds, and the most valuable thing you will do on the form
The International Application has a field for an agent code. Enter VNI. It tells the admissions office that your application came through Arkansas State University’s Vietnam Office, and it is what puts the two things below on your file.
The tuition rate A-State publishes for students from Vietnam
$10,650 a year instead of $18,000 at the standard international rate (15 credits a semester). With housing, fees and insurance the year comes to $23,700 rather than $31,050 — a $7,350 difference every year, taken off the tuition bill itself rather than refunded later. This schedule is published for students from Vietnam; the agent code identifies your file, it is not a discount code anyone can type.
Free support across the whole application
The office stays with your file from submission through to enrolment: checking documents before they are sent, dealing with admissions directly when something is missing or wrong, tracking the I-20, and guiding you through the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 and the visa interview. No service fee.
Enter it while you are completing the application — that is the reliable moment. If you have already submitted without it, contact the Vietnam Office straight away: adding it later means admissions has to amend your record, and it gets harder the longer it is left.
VNI
The agent code to enter on the form
$50
Application fee, non-refundable
$7,350
Annual tuition difference
10
Steps from application to enrolment
Ten steps to an undergraduate application
Work in order: each step needs the result of the one before it.
- 1
Work out your applicant category
Choosing the wrong category is the most common cause of delay, because each one carries a different document checklist.
- Recently finished school, or no formal university study yet: apply as a freshman, with your school transcript and diploma.
- Already studied at a university and transferring: apply as a transfer student, with transcripts from every institution attended.
- Still in school but already holding college credit: you still apply as a freshman.
- 2
Complete the International Application
Use the form for international students and fill it in completely first time, so you are not amending it later.
- Choose the right form: International Application.
- Enter agent code: VNI — the Vietnam Office’s code.
- The name on the form must match your passport exactly.
- 3
Pay the application fee
The fee is $50 and is non-refundable. Pay it early so your file moves to assessment without waiting.
- 4
Assemble your academic documents
This is the core of the file. Start early, and have English translations where they are needed.
- Freshman: your school leaving certificate and school transcript.
- Transfer: official transcripts from every university attended.
- Even if scans are accepted for assessment, you must bring official copies before you can register for classes.
- 5
Provide financial evidence
The university must see that you can fund your studies before it issues an I-20 — without this step there is no visa.
- A bank statement or letter in English from a bank or financial institution.
- If someone is sponsoring you, add a financial sponsorship letter.
- The balance should cover tuition and living costs for the term you plan to start.
- 6
Submit a copy of your passport
- A clear scan of the photo page.
- The details must match the name on your application and on your academic documents.
- A single wrong letter means the I-20 has to be reissued — check it before sending.
- 7
Prepare your MMR records
This requirement is more flexible than most applicants assume.
- If you have vaccination records, send them ahead for review.
- If you do not, you can still apply and complete it after arrival.
- Either way, every international student takes a TB test on arrival.
- 8
Transfer applicants: complete the transfer paperwork
If you are studying in the US, the file needs more care because the university has to evaluate all prior credit.
- Transcripts from every institution attended — leave none out.
- Mid-programme in the US: ask about the transfer forms that affect your immigration status.
- Start early so credit evaluation and course placement do not hold you up.
- 9
Send everything and track the file
- Official transcripts go electronically through a service the university recognises, or by post to the addresses below.
- If admissions asks for something, send it immediately — each round trip costs a week.
- Want it checked in Vietnamese: contact the Vietnam Office, at no charge.
- 10
After the offer: the pre-arrival stage
An offer is not the end of the paperwork.
- Upload the documents required before arrival: passport, visa, offer letter, I-20.
- Book campus housing and confirm your arrival date.
- International Student Services orientation is MANDATORY — miss it and you cannot register for classes.
The four things that delay files most
- Picking the wrong applicant category at the start
- Leaving out a transcript from one university attended
- A name on the passport that does not match the application
- Skipping the mandatory orientation after arrival
Official mailing addresses
If your institution sends transcripts by post, the envelope must be sealed by them. The two addresses below are the International Admissions addresses Arkansas State University publishes — use the postal address for regular mail and the shipping address for DHL, FedEx or UPS.
| Method | Address |
|---|---|
| Postal | International Admissions P.O. Box 1800 State University, AR 72467 USA |
| Courier | International Admissions 105 North Caraway Rd #1800 State University, AR 72467 USA |
Couriers cannot deliver to a P.O. Box — sending to the wrong one gets the package returned. If your institution uses an approved electronic transcript service, no paper copy is needed.
Source: astate.edu — Admissions & Aid · astate.edu — Tuition & Fees (International) · Updated Aug 22, 2026
Undergraduate application questions
Should I apply as a freshman or a transfer student?
If you have just finished school or have not studied at university, apply as a freshman. If you have studied at a university and want to transfer, apply as a transfer student. Still in school but holding college credit: still a freshman.
What is the agent code and where does it go?
The agent code is a field on the International Application recording which representative the file came through. Enter VNI to link your application to A-State’s Vietnam Office — that is what applies the tuition schedule the university publishes for students from Vietnam and puts the office on your file at no charge.
How much is the application fee?
$50 for international applications. It is non-refundable and cannot be waived.
Can I apply without MMR records?
Yes. You can apply and complete the requirement after arrival. If you do have vaccination records, send them ahead for review. Either way, every international student takes a TB test on arrival.
If I am admitted on scans, do I still need originals?
Yes. If you are admitted on scanned copies you must still submit official documents after arrival, before you can register for classes.
Is orientation mandatory?
Yes. Orientation for new international students is mandatory, and you cannot register for classes without attending.
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Want your file checked before you submit?
The Vietnam Office runs through the checklist, reviews your documents and tells you what is missing before anything is sent — at no charge.