Homeschool benefits and savings in Jonesboro and Craighead County
Arkansas State University (A-State) charges Early College students $65 per credit hour, about $195 for a three-credit online course, which A-State says is over $400 less per credit than standard tuition. Homeschooled students in grades 9-12 can take A-State courses online once their local school district signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for them.
Who qualifies
Is in grades 9-12
A-State's Early College Programs are for students in grades 9 through 12.
Has a district MOU
Homeschool students work with their local school district to set up a Memorandum of Understanding, the agreement that lets them enroll in A-State courses.
Meets admission requirements
Your student applies to A-State and meets the Early College admission requirements, which A-State posts as a separate document, and a parent signs the Early College parental consent form.
Takes courses online
A-State says homeschool students take its courses online while continuing their homeschool education.
What it is worth
A-State charges Early College Program students $65 per credit hour.
- One credit hour
- $65
- One course (3 hours)
- $195
- Two courses (6 hours)
- $390
- Four courses (12 hours)
- $780
- Five courses (15 hours)
- $975
Traditional financial aid is not available, but Arkansas's ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship can cover certain Early College courses, so check A-State's course list before you register.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Set up the district MOU
Contact your local school district to establish a Memorandum of Understanding for your homeschool student.
- Apply
Apply to A-State
Submit the A-State application, then reset the student email password through Microsoft Self-Service Password Reset to reach Pack Portal.
- Before each term
Choose and register courses
Use the Course Tool to pick Early College classes, then register. Questions can go to cep@astate.edu.
- After registering
Pay in myBill
Pay the $65-per-credit tuition in myBill, A-State's online payment system, unless ACCESS to Acceleration covers the course.
- By Nov. 20, 2026
Drop deadline
November 20 is the last day to drop a fall 2026 course or withdraw. Session II classes began October 12.
What it pays for
Covered
- Online A-State courses
- Tutoring and library access
- Up to 120 college credits toward a degree
Not covered
- Traditional financial aid
- Enrollment without a district MOU
Tuition is billed at $65 per credit hour, and ACCESS to Acceleration can pay that cost for courses on its list.
Good to know
The MOU is between your district and A-State
The A-State Early College MOU is an agreement between your local school district and A-State that allows homeschool students to enroll in college courses. Start by contacting your district, and ask the Early College Programs office for help.
Who to contact
The Early College Programs office answers questions from application through enrollment, including MOUs and registration.
cep@astate.edu 870-680-8365 Early College Programs
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Arkansas
You must file the annual notice of intent by August 15. If withdrawing a child from public school after August 15, file at least five school days before the withdrawal, unless an exception applies.
Arkansas sets these rules:
- Subjects: Arkansas does not require specific subjects or a particular curriculum.
- Testing: Arkansas does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Arkansas does not require homeschool records.
- Teachers: Arkansas does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Arkansas also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Education Freedom Account pays 90% of the state's per-student foundation funding for students in private school or home school, under each year's application rules.
Read the Arkansas homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Arkansas
Questions parents ask
- Can we use federal financial aid for A-State Early College?
- No.
- How much does a semester cost?
- $195 for each three-credit course at $65 per credit hour, so four courses cost $780.
- Can my student come to campus instead?
- Possibly. The Scarlet Shirt Freshman option offers courses on the Jonesboro campus or online at the same $65 rate, so ask the Early College office whether a homeschool student can join it.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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