The US is one of the many countries where international students are always looking for educational opportunities. The good part is that there are lots of schools available for them. However, one of the major considerations for international students is a pocket-friendly university that is within budget.
If you are looking to apply to affordable schools for you as an international student, then you should carefully go through this article. We have listed out the most affordable universities in the US for both undergraduate and postgraduate students with a breakdown of tuition and how you can apply.
Why You Should Study in the US
If you are trying to decide if the US is a good place for you to study, here is a list of some of the benefits of studying in the US so you can make your decision.
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Flexible Education System: The system of education in the US is a flexible one that allows you to gradually decide on the course you want to major. For undergraduate studies, you can pursue different courses in your first year before deciding on your major in your second year. The postgraduate program also allows you to pick a major during your dissertation. This way, you have enough time to make a final decision on what you want.
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Work Opportunities while Schooling: It is possible to study and work at the same time in the US. Some students get to work part-time while some do so during their summer breaks. Whichever way, international students have the opportunity to work while they are in school.
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Great Career Opportunities: International students that study in the US always find themselves creating great career opportunities for themselves. Beginning from internships, there are lots of opportunities for students to get a head-start in their careers by schooling in the US.
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Scholarship Programs: To help international students foot their academic bills, most universities have scholarship programs available for international students. This way, students can handle their fees without having to break the bank.
Find the best scholarship opportunities in the world and apply for them.
25 Cheapest Universities in the USA
Here are the cheapest universities in the USA for international students.
- University of Central Arkansas
- Metropolitan State University
- Westcliff University
- Hillsborough Community College
- Arkansas State University
- Brigham Young University
- Southeast Missouri State University
- Northwest Missouri State University
- Dakota State University
- University of Louisiana Monroe
- University of South Florida
- University of the People
- Alcorn State University, Mississipi
- Bellevue University
- South Texas College
- Sonoma State University
- Manhattaville College
- Minot State University, North Dakota
- City University of New York
- University of North Texas
- University of Minnesota-Crookston
- Cooper Union, New York
- San Mateo College of Silicon Valley
Must Read: How to Apply For Scholarships
University of Central Arkansas
Located in Arkansas, the Southern part of America, the institution is one of the pocket-friendly universities that offers admission to international students. It has a 15 to 1 student-faculty ratio and 162 academic programs and certificates.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay $7,650 while graduate students pay $8,714 for tuition.
How to Apply to the University of Central Arkansas: Here are the steps to follow to apply at the school:
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Create an account on the school website.
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Pay a non-refundable application fee of $50.
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A copy of the biographical page on your passport and your financial documentation (International students who live on campus are eligible for an out-of-state tuition waiver).
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Your complete academic records and an English Proficiency Test score.
Note that the list of application requirements will only appear after you have paid the application fee and the school does not review incomplete applications.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Metropolitan State University
This is a state university located in Minnesota. Founded as a public school, it provides a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses for international students from all over the world. The university also provides great career guidance to alumni of the school.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay $7,515 as tuition while graduate students pay $8,500.
How to Apply to Metropolitan State University: To apply to the institution,
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Log on to the school website, create a unique Star ID, and fill out the application form.
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Submit your school transcripts to the university.
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Submit other documents like English proficiency test scores required on the website.
Applicants are advised to submit the necessary documents on time because it takes approximately six to eight weeks to receive and process them.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Westcliff University
Westcliff University is a private university in the city of California. Westcliff prides itself in its promise that no matter where you live, you have direct access to an affordable, consistently high-quality, world-class education. This is why they have affordable academic programs for international students.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay $8,640 while graduate students pay $9,760 for tuition.
How to Apply to Westcliff University: To apply to the school, these are the steps you would follow:
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Fill out the application form on the school website.
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Submit an English proficiency test.
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Submit all relevant transcripts.
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Pay an application fee of $50.
All international students are advised to begin their application process on time to avoid missing their desired education timeline.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Hillsborough Community College
Hillsborough Community College is an accredited community college located in Florida. It is a school relatively cheap for international students and is always willing to accept students from all over the world.
Annual Tuition: At Hillsborough Community College, both undergraduate and graduate students pay $9,111.
How to Apply to Hillsborough Community College: This is how you can apply to the school:
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Visit the school website and fill out the application form online.
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Pay the non-refundable application fee of $50.
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Submit proof of financial support of up to $25,000.
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Submit academic transcripts and English proficiency test scores.
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Submit a copy of your valid passport and health insurance proof.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University is a public research university and is the second-largest university in the state. It offers different degree programs to both graduate and undergraduate students and is easily affordable to international students.
Annual Tuition: Tuition for international undergraduate students is $8,315 while graduate students pay $7,964.
How to Apply to Arkansas State University: Here is how to apply:
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Ensure you meet the admission criteria before applying. The school is very strict on this.
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Complete the application document online and pay a non-refundable fee of $50.
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Upload all necessary documents to the school portal and then wait for a response from the school.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is an institution owned by the Church of the Latter-Day Saints. It is located in Utah and is a relatively cheap university available to both undergraduate and postgraduate international students.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students are expected to pay $12,574 while graduate students are expected to pay $15,822 for tuition.
How to Apply to Brigham Young University: As an international applicant, here are the steps to apply:
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Create an account on the school website.
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Fill out the application form online.
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Submit an ACT/SAT and English Proficiency Scores (If required).
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Submit full documentation of required transcripts.
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Pay an application fee of $35.
After this, the school will reach out to you on your application status. Also, note that all application processes must be completed in six (6) weeks.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Southeast Missouri State University
SEMO is a public university located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In addition to the main campus, the school has four other regional campuses that offer a variety of programs to undergraduate and graduate students from different countries of the world.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduates pay $15,585 while graduate students pay $11,938.
How to Apply to Southeast Missouri State University: Here are the steps to apply:
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Visit the school website and fill out the online application form.
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Pay the non-refundable application fee of $60.
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Submit the required documents on the websites.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Interesting Read: Top Tuition-Free Universities for International Students in 2024
Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University is a public university in Maryville, Missouri. With about 8,505 students, the school is open to graduate and undergraduate students from all over the world. They provide 160+ programs and also provide career guidance for students.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay $15,645 while graduate students pay $6,893.
How to Apply to Northwest Missouri State University: Here are the steps to apply:
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Go to the school website and fill out the application form online.
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Pay the application fee of $75 on the website.
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Submit your official transcripts, English proficiency test result and official school transcripts.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Dakota State University
Dakota State University is a great university for students that intend to explore online learning platforms. It is amazingly ranked as one of the best online schools in the USA and accepts students from different countries of the world.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students are expected to pay $5,699 while graduate students pay $10,610 for tuition.
How to Apply to Dakota State University: Here’s how to apply:
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To apply, complete the school application form on the website.
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Send across an English proficiency test result as well as an ACT/SAS test score.
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Submit your official transcripts and academic records.
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Pay the application fee of $20.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
University of Louisiana Monroe
ULM is an accredited university offering undergraduate and graduate programs to both domestic and international students. It is part of the Louisiana University System and has different degree programs that students can choose from.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay $9,879 while graduate students pay $10,190.
How to Apply to the University of Louisiana Monroe: To apply at the school:
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Visit the school website and complete the admission application form.
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Pay the non-refundable fee of $30.
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Submit the necessary documents required and wait for feedback from the school.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg. With over 50,000 students, the school provides a thriving environment for international students to pursue their academic and career goals.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduates pay $9,274 and graduates pay $12,354.
How to Apply to the University of South Florida: To apply to the institution, here are the steps:
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Visit the school website and complete the application form.
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Submit SAT/ACT requirements.
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Submit school transcripts and expect feedback from the school.
The admission process is completely free but applicants are advised to start early.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
University of the People
University of the People is an online university that creates room for students all over the world to have access to quality education. Their mission is to make education affordable, so they have an almost-free educational system for both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduates pay $4,860 while graduate students pay about $3,690.
How to Apply to the University of the People: Here's how you can apply:
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Visit the school website and provide your basic information such as name, address, and date of birth.
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Education history information, such as high school or Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) name, location, and completion dates.
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English proficiency–completion and score, if relevant.
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One-time non-refundable Application Fee of $60.
Start your application process now on the school's website.
Alcorn State University, Mississippi
Alcorn State University is one the cheapest universities in the US available for international students. Once you are eligible to be admitted, they offer great academic guidance to their students. There are also financial aids for international students to explore.
Annual Tuition: Both graduate and undergraduate students pay a total of $9,039 for tuition.
How to Apply to Alcorn State University, Mississippi: As an international student, here's how to apply:
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Fill out the application form on the school website.
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Submit your academic records and school transcripts.
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Submit an English proficiency test score as well as an SAT score.
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Submit proof of financial support.
Start your application process now on the school's website.
Bellevue University
Bellevue University is a private, non-profit, accredited university that offers affordable education to both graduate and undergraduate students. Some programs are offered online which makes it easier for international students to attend.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay $8,880 while graduate students pay $12,600.
How to Apply to Bellevue University: This is how as an international student:
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Complete the online application form.
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Pay the non-refundable $100 application fee.
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Submit proof of English Proficiency.
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Official submission of foreign credentials.
Start your application process now on the school's website.
South Texas College
This university is located in South Texas, USA. It offers undergraduate and certificate programs and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 22:1. This college is one of the cheapest schools in the USA for international students.
Annual Tuition: Graduate and undergraduate students pay $10,500 for tuition.
How to Apply to South Texas College: To apply, simply complete the application form on the school's website and follow the prompts.
Start your application process now on the school's website.
Sonoma State University
SSU is a university that has beautiful surroundings based on the outskirts of California's Napa Valley Winemaking region. Fortunately, low tuition fee universities in the USA for international students like Sonoma State University, have an acceptance rate of 82%. This makes it a great choice for students.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate tuition is $9,504 while graduate tuition is $6,336.
How to Apply to Sonoma State University: Here's how to apply:
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Visit the school website.
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Fill out the application form online.
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Submit your academic records and transcripts.
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Submit English proficiency test score.
International students are expected to have a CGPA of at least 2.5.
Start your application process now on the school's website.
Arkansas State University
The mission of this university is to educate leaders, enrich lives and enhance intellectual growth. It is one of the low-cost universities in the USA for international students. This university owns a diverse student body from across the nation and worldwide. The acceptance rate at Arkansas State University is 70.2%.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay a total of $9,728 while graduate students pay $11,724.
How to Apply to Arkansas State University: To apply as an international student:
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Visit the school website and complete the application form online.
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Pay a non-refundable application fee of $40.
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Submit the required documents and school transcripts.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Manhattanville College
Manhattanville College is known for majors such as Business Administration and Management, Social Sciences, Speech Communication, and Rhetoric, etc. The school offers you the opportunity to visit the world. It has secured connections with international institutions and universities. Manhattanville College in New York offers more than 50 bachelor's areas and over 70 master's programs. It is undoubtedly one of the low-cost universities in the USA for international students.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay $19,440 while graduate students pay $22,345.
How to Apply to Manhattanville College: To apply to the school:
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Visit the school website and fill out the application form.
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Submit the required documents on the school website.
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Submit an English proficiency test score.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
Minot State University, North Dakota
Minot State University is one of the largest universities in North Dakota and also one of the cheapest for international students. Amazingly, students are eligible to work on campus. The school also ensures a teacher-student ratio of 14:1.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay $10,842 while graduate students pay about $15,768 depending on their course of study.
How to Apply to Minot State University, North Dakota: To apply,
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Go to the website and fill out the application form with a fee of $35 USD.
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Submit the required documents with your current academic records, your official entrance exam scores and a copy of your passport.
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After a period of two weeks, the school will contact you about your admission status.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
City University of New York
The City University of New York is a public university system that is known for low tuition rates. It is located in New York and accommodates 26 individual institutions. International students can expect to pay lower tuition fees here than in other colleges.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduates pay about $17,427 while graduate students pay about $23,657.
How to Apply to the University of New York: To apply, here are the simple steps:
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Simply visit the school website and fill out the application form.
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Pay the application fee of about $66 and send in the necessary documents.
Start your application process on the school’s website now.
University of North Texas
As its name implies, it is located in Denton, a city in the North of Texas. It is a public research university and it is known for low tuition rates, especially for international students. It has over 400 student organisations which promote a healthy student lifestyle in the institution.
Annual Tuition: The tuition at the school costs about $20,140 on average for both graduate and undergraduate students.
How to Apply to the University of North Texas: Here are the steps to apply:
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Complete the online application on the website.
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Pay a non-refundable $85 application fee.
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Submit official transcripts from previous schools attended alongside official SAT or ACT scores.
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Wait for an update from the school.
Start your application process on the school’s website now.
University of Minnesota - Crookston
This university is one of the five universities located in Minnesota. Recently, the University of Minnesota- Crookston reduced the tuition fees for both out-of-state students and international students to the tuition fee of in-state tuition. This is great news for international students because they can pay less now.
Annual Tuition: Tuition at the school is $11,362 for undergraduate students and $15,876 for graduate students.
How to Apply to the University of Minnesota - Crookston: To apply,
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To apply, visit the school website and fill out the application form.
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Submit the necessary documents and then await feedback from the institution.
Students are advised to start the application process on time because it takes about six weeks to be processed.
Start your application process on the school’s website now.
Cooper Union, New York
Cooper Union University has been tagged as one of the hardest universities to get into, yet they are officially one of the cheapest architecture universities in the USA for international students. This is why students are still advised to apply because their doors are still open for international students.
Annual Tuition: Tuition for students is about $22,365.
How to Apply to Cooper Union, New York: To apply at Cooper Union,
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Visit the school website.
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Fill out and submit the application form.
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Submit the necessary academic documents and records.
Cooper Union offers up to 50% scholarship opportunities for international students.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
San Mateo College of Silicon Valley
San Mateo College is known for its quality associate, certificate, and transfer programs in state-of-the-art education facilities. It provides numerous opportunities for Silicon Valley high-tech companies. San Mateo College boasts of guaranteed transfers to and partnerships with selected universities. It is one of the most affordable universities in America for international students.
Annual Tuition: Undergraduate students pay about $8,616 while graduate students pay about $9,700 for tuition.
How to Apply to San Mateo College of Silicon Valley: To apply,
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Fill out the application form online and apply while identifying an academic goal.
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Complete the college orientation and the assessment.
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You will meet with a college counsellor and get your first-semester education plan.
Start your application process now on the school’s website.
These are some of the cheapest universities in the USA and a guideline on how you can apply to them. Also, you can apply for financial aid from these institutions to help your educational pursuit.
Ready to apply? You can begin right away!
All the best!
You can also read: 50 Cheapest Universities for International Students