Study in the USA
12 Questions Parents Should Ask Before a Child Studies in the USA (and the Answers at A-State)
Cost, scholarships, English, safety, work and outcomes: twelve questions to put to any US university, with verified answers from Arkansas State University.
Before a child leaves to study in the USA, parents should put the twelve questions below to the university — and expect answers with numbers. Here are the answers for Arkansas State University (A-State). Where there is no verified figure, we say what to ask and where to look rather than offer a flattering number.
Money: cost, scholarships, one-off fees
1. What does a year cost? The university’s official 2026–27 estimate, at 12 credits a semester, is about $29,646:
| Item | Per year (USD) |
|---|---|
| Tuition (standard international rate) | $15,024 |
| Mandatory fees | $1,302 |
| Room and board | $12,220 |
| Health insurance | $1,100 |
| Total | $29,646 |
2. Is there a legitimate way to pay less tuition? Yes. Applying through the A-State Vietnam Office with code VNI brings undergraduate tuition to $355 per credit instead of $626. At 15 credits a semester, a year’s tuition is $10,650 instead of $18,000 (from the cost table A-State issues for Vietnamese students). See the Vietnam Office vs applying directly.
3. Are there scholarships, and on what terms? The undergraduate international scholarship is $3,000 a year, automatic from a 3.25 GPA, and not combinable with other awards. Combining it with the office tuition rate is confirmed case by case. See scholarships.
4. What one-off fees are there? A $50 application fee (non-refundable), a $350 international deposit (refunded at graduation, forfeited on withdrawal or transfer), a mandatory $280 health screening fee on the undergraduate fee schedule, and a $100 housing deposit. See the full cost of a year.
Study: English, standing, size
5. What if my child has no IELTS? Undergraduate entry accepts Duolingo 110, IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 61, or SAT EBRW 550 / ACT 21; graduate entry needs Duolingo 120. If the score isn’t there yet, the on-campus ELA (English Learning Academy) has 6 levels, is CEA-accredited, and leads straight into the degree once completed.
6. What kind of university is it? A-State was founded in 1909, has 18,775 students (Fall 2026), more than 170 programs across 9 colleges, and a Carnegie R2 research classification. One program-level figure: in 2025 the BSN nursing NCLEX pass rate was 93.4%.
7. Will my child feel isolated? There are more than 1,200 international students from over 70 countries, and a Vietnamese student community. See student life.
Daily life: safety and getting around
8. Is it safe? Don’t settle for a general reassurance. Ask whether the campus has its own police, an emergency alert system, and where the annual security report is published. We cover these on safety at A-State.
9. How does my child get there and get around? A-State is in Jonesboro, Arkansas; the nearest major airport is Memphis (MEM), about 1–1.5 hours by road. In town, students ride the GOJO bus free with a student ID. See getting to Jonesboro.
The future: work, outcomes, oversight
10. Can my child work? F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week while classes are in session and full-time during official breaks. Off-campus work is only through authorised CPT or OPT. Don’t count work income towards the financial proof. See maintaining F-1 status.
11. Will there be a job after graduation? No university can promise one. Ask instead whether the chosen major is on the STEM list (12 months of OPT plus a 24-month STEM extension, up to 3 years) and whether the department has outcome data for that program. The office helps parents check program by program.
12. How can parents follow the bills? Students can give parents access to view and pay their account in the university’s system. See authorized users and our page for parents.
Next step
Would you like to work out the real cost with your child, check scholarships and ask these questions directly? Book a free one-to-one consultation with the A-State Vietnam Office, or call / message us on Zalo at +84 97 586 1994. The office is run by VNIS Vietnam Co., Ltd, Arkansas State University’s Authorized Recruiter in Vietnam, and charges students and parents no service fee.
