Financial Aid and Cost of Attendance

Tuition and Living Costs

Tuition

Tuition and Fees are charged per credit hour. Costs will vary each term depending upon the number of credit hours taken, the academic college of the student program, type of course taken, and residency status. For more details or to estimate your tuition and fees, refer to the Treasurer’s Office.

  • International students who expect to hold an F1 or J1 visa should also review the financial guidelines from the international admissions office and be ready to verify sufficient funds to cover all first year expenses including tuition, fees, insurance, and cost of living.
  • For information on in-state tuition classification for Native Americans, veterans and Bowie County, TX residents please review the Office of the Registrar’s page.
  • For information on how a graduate assistantship affects your tuition and fees, please review the Graduate Assistantships page.
  • Please contact the Financial Aid Office for more information on Cost of Attendance.

Estimated Personal Costs

Northwest Arkansas’ cost of living is more than 10 percent below the national average. While cost of living can vary greatly depending on your lifestyle, budget and spending habits, this region consistently ranks among the lowest cost metro areas in the country without sacrificing the top-notch amenities and convenience families and businesses demand.

Below are some of the average expenses for an individual graduate student in Fayetteville. Your individual situation may vary. For those with larger households, Numbeo's cost of living estimator can help you determine your adjusted expenses.

Expense Cost
Rent $600-$1200
Food $425-$626
Utilities $95-$125
Childcare $500-$800
Internet $60-$90
Books $120-$300
Transportation $320-$400
Medical Health Insurance* $165-$195
Personal** $230-$400

*Health Insurance premiums are assessed in August for coverage from August through December and January for coverage from January through July. Monthly estimate shown for individual student only. Costs for additional dependents can be found at Academic Health Plans - UARK Cost.

**Personal expenses include laundry, snacks, recreation, clothing, etc. They do not include travel or automobile purchase and/or maintenance.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is awarded through the office of financial aid. Financial assistance is available for qualified graduate students in the form of loans and work-study opportunities.

Loans

Loans are money students borrow to pay for educational expenses. Loans are paid back with interest. The graduate PLUS loan allows a graduate student who is enrolled at least half-time to borrow any amount up to the student’s cost of attendance minus all financial aid the student may receive for the enrollment period.

The University of Arkansas also has limited funds to assist students in time of emergency through the emergency loan program. Some common examples of emergencies are eviction notices, medical illness, or death within the family. These funds are limited and may be depleted at times. Contact the Treasurer's Office to inquire: 479-575-5651, treainfo@uark.edu.

Employment

Federal work-study is a federal program in which eligible students work at part-time jobs to earn money to help pay for educational expenses. The federal work-study program is a need-based program.

For students who have not been awarded federal work-study and are interested in finding employment, there is also the option to apply for student employment on the University of Arkansas HR website and the Career Development Center website for other opportunities.

More Information

The financial aid office has created a series of videos available to help you understand more about the financial aid process and the types of financial aid available, as well as information on personal finance.