Frequently Asked Questions

A University of Arkansas sponsored student is an international student who, in pursuing his or her educational objective in the United States, seeks admission to the U of A under any of the following conditions:

The student’s educational program is the result of a written agreement between the United States government and a foreign government or a written agreement between an American and foreign educational institution or; The student receives primary financial support from a source other than personal or family funds or a University of Arkansas academic department or; The student’s educational objective has been agreed to by both prospective student and sponsor and may not be changed without the written approval of the sponsor.

(NOTE: Financial support for a sponsored student may be provided by a United States NGO such as Fulbright scholarships, the government and/or university of the prospective student’s home country, an international organization, or other international private or public entities.)
The University of Arkansas offers you a place to achieve your goals in a comfortable, friendly, inexpensive setting. Located in Fayetteville, in the beautiful northwest corner of the state of Arkansas and in the central U.S., we highly value our international students. We are now hosting over 1150 international students from over 119 countries in academic programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s, MBA, PhD, and EdD degrees.

Our campus provides a wide array of non-academic pursuits and activities, student clubs, a mosque, Pat Walker Health Center, intramural sports, state-of-the-art fitness center, and much more.

The U of A also has a “student first” philosophy and continually ranks among the nation’s top public research universities and best values with low student-to-faculty ratio. About the U of A.
If you are unsure and have questions regarding application to the U of A and/or your department, please contact uassp@uark.edu or call us at 479-575-4401 and ask to speak to Sponsored Students and Special Programs. Applications will not be processed until the application fee has been paid.

Many graduate programs at the U of A-Fayetteville are online only programs. Contact us at uassp@uark.edu if you are not sure.

Graduate Students: application information, to apply online, and all graduate student information, view the Graduate School website. Click on the link Graduate then Future Students then click on the link Applying for Admission. Apply on-line by clicking the link Apply Now and pay the $50 application fee online with your online application. There is also an automated process for letters of recommendation. Graduate applicants will receive these email instructions from Graduate and International Admissions after they have applied online. Students who already have letters of recommendation to submit should follow the instructions received from our office for submitting their document copies, including Statement of Purpose and CV or Resume. Your department may have additional application requirements.

Click on the link Degree Programs For a list of all graduate degree programs, Certificate Programs, and Interdisciplinary Programs.

Please Note: Many departments will not conditionally admit for the English Proficiency requirement and official GRE requirement- official scores must be submitted with a student’s application. Some departments will consider applicants for conditional admission pending proof of English Proficiency, but require official GRE scores be submitted. (Our institution code = 6866.)

Some departments have additional departmental requirements separate from the requirements of the Graduate School and International Admissions. Graduate degree programs.

Contact the Sponsored Students and Special Programs office if you have any questions at uassp@uark.edu.

Undergraduate Students: Apply on-line and pay the $50 application fee on-line with a credit card when you apply. For application information and online application, please view our International Admissions website.

Undergraduate applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements for admission to the U of A can be conditionally admitted pending submission of official minimum TOEFL (79 IbT or U of A ITP 550) or IELTS (6.5), or successful completion of their intensive English program here on our campus at the Spring International Language Center.
Transfer undergraduate students who wish to have courses taken at other institutions evaluated for transfer credit to the U of A, must submit an official transcript sent directly from their college or university Registrar’s office in a sealed envelope from the school directly to International Admissions. Include course descriptions or class syllabus for each course you want evaluated.

Transfer graduate students must meet with their department to determine allowable transfer credit. Master’s level students can transfer 6 credit hours towards degree completion. Doctoral students must have the amount of transfer credit determined by their department. Course descriptions or course syllabus should be submitted for review by the department.
Sponsored students may submit copies for their application evaluation. Submit all to uassp@uark.edu. Submit all document copies by pdf email attachment. Official transcripts and any degree confirmations will be required for submission to International Admissions in sealed envelopes from the school, before enrollment will be allowed.
Freshman unmarried undergraduate students under age 21, with less than 24 completed credits are required to live on campus, as are our sponsored undergraduate Visiting Students. Students may learn about on-campus housing and apply on the University Housing website.

Undergraduate students who are single and under age 21, but have completed at least 24 credit hours, are not required to live on campus.

For graduate students and eligible undergraduate students there is off-campus housing available close to campus and on U of A Transit bus routes. Information on off-campus housing Many new students find roommates during Orientation. Many departing students look for new students to take over their leases. Current students will post this information on the U of A Off-Campus Housing information website. There is additional information and programs for off-campus students on the Off-Campus Housing information website.
Yes, the Spring International Language Center (SILC) is located on the Uptown Campus here in Fayetteville. For more information on application to their program, costs, etc., view the SILC website. Our Sponsored Students and Special Programs office works with the Spring International Language Center and Graduate and International Admissions in the U of A admission process for those students conditionally admitted.

Additional information below:

Students must apply directly to the Spring International Language Center.

Submit all required items to them directly and not to Sponsored Students and Special Programs.  If you have any questions, you may contact Spring International at silc@uark.edu or at 479-575-7600.  Our office does not apply students to the Spring International Language Center.

Apply for admission to the U of A for the term you want to arrive for an intensive English here on our campus. 

For online application to the Spring International Language Center here on our campus use SILC Application for Admission.

The SILC Housing link is separate and voluntary.  If you are interested in SILC housing you may apply online for that at SILC Housing Application.
Yes. All fully admitted graduate and undergraduate international sponsored students are expected to attend our International Students and Scholars New International Student Orientation, held before the beginning of an academic term. Orientation provides guidance for new international students and visiting scholars with valuable information and fun programs! All new international students must attend a mandatory Immigration Basics Session during New International Student Orientation, before being allowed enrollment at the U of A. It is usually held a week before academic classes begin. Information is posted on the International Students and Scholars website as it becomes available for the next upcoming semester. Fall International Student Orientation is the largest and divided between graduate and undergraduate. In Spring and Summer, it is one Orientation for all new International student admits. Our Sponsored Students and Special Programs office will send New International Student Orientation emails to all our new sponsored students specific to their first term arrival to the U of A campus. It will detail what new students need to do and provide important information on signing up for Immigration Basics. Fall Orientation also provides students who are allowed to live off campus, assistance with apartment searching.
The U of A Transit System offers no charge bus operations on and around the U of A campus and to Fayetteville shopping areas, the Spring International Language Center, and other points in Fayetteville for all students and the public. It is not a city-wide transit system. Reduced routes are run during holidays and summer terms. Students may view the Transit website for bus routes, maps, and schedules. Students may view the U of A Parking and Transit Services website for information on parking permits and parking maps, bus route maps and schedules on the Parking website.
Email uaspbill@uark.edu for billing information.

If a charge has been made that a sponsor will pay, SSSP will ensure that this charge be billed to the sponsor. If the student is responsible for the charge then this amount should be paid immediately to avoid late charges. Sponsored Students are responsible for any balances not paid by the sponsor. Please submit your sponsor scholarship document to SSSP in a timely manner. Documents may be submitted by email or in person. Submitted documents must be complete and contain all applicable signatures. Please review your account through UA Connect to verify the sponsor payment has been applied and any remaining balance is paid by the applicable payment deadline.

Sponsors will not pay for online, study abroad (except when required for degree- such as Architecture), distance education, Global Campus, hybrid, or blended courses; and Sponsored Students and Special Programs will not bill a sponsor for any of these course types unless our office receives authority in writing from the sponsor sent to the Sponsored Students and Special Programs office. Any charges not paid for by the sponsor are the responsibility of the student.