Admissions & Scholarships
Applying to A-State Through the Vietnam Office vs Applying Directly: What Changes?
Your application goes into the same system and is judged on the same criteria. Two things change: tuition of $355 per credit instead of $626 with code VNI, and free support from application to departure.
The short answer: an application filed through the A-State Vietnam Office goes into the same admissions system at Arkansas State University and is judged on the same criteria as one you submit yourself. Two things change: tuition of $355 per credit instead of $626 (undergraduate, 2026–27) applies only when the application comes through the office with code VNI, and someone follows your file for free from submission to the day you fly.
Who is the A-State Vietnam Office?
The office is run by VNIS Vietnam Co., Ltd, Arkansas State University’s Authorized Recruiter in Vietnam. It represents one university only, so its advisers know A-State’s programs, deadlines and scholarship rules in detail. You can verify the arrangement yourself with the university’s Office of International Admissions at international@astate.edu.
Side by side
| Applying directly | Through the office (code VNI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions system and criteria | The university’s | Identical |
| Undergraduate tuition per credit | $626 | $355 |
| Tuition per semester, 15 credits* | $9,000 | $5,325 |
| Tuition per year, 15 credits a semester* | $18,000 | $10,650 |
| Service fee | None | None |
| Document check before submission | On your own | Yes |
| I-20 tracking, SEVIS, DS-160 and interview guidance | On your own | Yes |
| Official university and US government fees | Same | Same |
*From the 2026–27 cost table A-State issues for Vietnamese students. The tuition rate covers undergraduate and graduate study and every intake, but only for applications filed through the office, not direct applications. Ask the office for the graduate figure.
Code VNI: where and when
The International Application has an agent code field. Enter VNI while you fill in the form. It tells the admissions office your file came through the Vietnam Office, and it is what puts the rate above on your account. If you have already submitted without it, contact the office as soon as you can — adding it later means asking admissions to amend your record, and the longer you wait the harder it gets. See the step-by-step undergraduate application guide.
What the office does for you, free
- Program advice based on your strengths, career goals and post-study OPT options.
- An eligibility check: GPA, English scores, and the ELA route if your English is not there yet.
- A document review before submission, so nothing comes back missing or wrong.
- Direct contact with the admissions office if your file gets stuck.
- I-20 tracking, plus guidance on the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 and visa interview practice.
- Pre-departure help: housing, documents to carry, getting to Jonesboro.
Why is it free? A-State funds the office as part of its international recruitment. You pay only official fees, directly to the university or the US government: the $50 application fee, the $350 international deposit (refunded at graduation), the SEVIS fee and the visa fee. The office never collects tuition on your behalf.
Can the scholarship be combined with the office rate?
A-State’s undergraduate international scholarship is $3,000 a year, awarded automatically from a 3.25 GPA, and it cannot be combined with other university awards. Whether it combines with the office tuition rate is confirmed by the office case by case — so don’t add the two together in your budget; let an adviser work it out on your actual file. See scholarships.
What the office does not do
- It does not make admission decisions — the university’s admissions office does.
- It does not guarantee visas — the US consulate decides.
- It does not write your application for you — your documents must be yours and accurate.
Common questions
I live outside Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Most consultations happen online via Google Meet, Zoom or Zalo, and documents are sent as scans.
Does the office advise on other universities? No. It represents Arkansas State University only, and will tell you plainly if A-State does not offer what you need.
Thinking about Summer 2027? The Summer 2027 deadline is 2 March 2027. See deadlines and about the Vietnam Office.
Next step
Want to know which tuition rate applies to your application, and whether the scholarship can be added? 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.
