What is the Academic Common Market? What Schools Participate?

If you live in the South and want to study a unique program at an out-of-state college with affordable tuition, there may be an option available to you. The Academic Common Market enables students to study a specialized field out of state while paying in-state tuition rates at participating colleges and universities.

What does this program entail, and do you qualify? Read on to find out.

What Is the Academic Common Market?

The Academic Common Market (ACM) is a tuition-savings initiative run by the Southern Regional Board (SREB). Eligible students living in participating states hoping to study a discipline that is not available at any institution within their home state can receive affordable tuition at an out-of-state college or university to pursue their degree.

More than 1,900 programs, including distance-learning options, are available in architecture, theater, homeland security, fire protection administration, bioengineering, music therapy, religious studies, and many other areas. You can search for programs available to you by entering your home state in the SREB’s database of approved programs.

How Do I Apply?

You must complete an ACM certification application for your state in order to participate. In addition, you must confirm that your prospective degree program is not available in your home state, and verify state residency. You can contact your state’s ACM coordinator for more information about how to apply and the eligibility requirements for your state and program of interest.

Additional Requirements and Restrictions

While the program is not competitive or merit-based, students must meet minimum state residency and program requirements to participate. Some institutions and states have additional requirements, such as maintaining a minimum GPA or enrolling in the program as a full-time student. If your program requires additional prerequisite coursework, your tuition savings will not begin until you’re accepted into the program.

Note that North Carolina does not participate, and that Florida and Texas only participate at the graduate level.

Participating States

Alabama

Arkansas

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Mississippi

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

Which Schools Participate?

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | ABAC

Alabama A&M | AAMU

Alabama State University | ASU

Angelo State University

Arkansas State University | A–State

Arkansas Tech University | ATU

Auburn University at Montgomery | AUM

Augusta University

Austin Peay State University | APSU

Bluefield State College | BSC

Bowie State University | BSU

Christopher Newport University | CNU

Clayton State University

Clemson University

Coastal Carolina University | Coastal

College of William & Mary | William & Mary

Concord University

Coppin State University

Delaware State University | Del State

Delta State University

East Central University | ECU

East Tennessee State University | ETSU

Eastern Kentucky University | EKU

Fairmont State University

Florida A&M University | FAMU

Florida Atlantic University | FAU

Florida Gulf Coast University | FGCU

Florida International University | FIU

Florida State University | FSU

Frostburg State University

Georgia College | GCSU

Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia Tech

Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southwestern State University | GSW

Georgia State University

Glenville State College | GSC

Grambling State University | GSU

Jackson State University | JSU

Jacksonville State University | JSU

Kennesaw State University | KSU

Kentucky State University | KSU

Lamar University

Lander University

Langston University | LU

Longwood University

Louisiana State University | LSU

Louisiana State University Shreveport | LSUS

Louisiana Tech University | La. Tech

Marshall University

McNeese State University

Middle Georgia State University

Middle Tennessee State University | MTSU

Midwestern State University

Mississippi State University | MSU

Mississippi University for Women | MUW

Mississippi Valley State University | MVSU

Morehead State University | MSU

Murray State University | MSU

New College of Florida

Nicholls State University

Norfolk State University | NSU

Northern Kentucky University

Northwestern State University of Louisiana | NSU

Oklahoma State University | OSU

Old Dominion University | ODU

Prairie View A&M University | PVAMU

Radford University

Sam Houston State University | SHSU

Savannah State University

South Carolina State University | SCSU

Southeastern Oklahoma State University | SOSU

Southern University and A&M College | SUBR

Southern University at New Orleans | SUNO

Southwestern Oklahoma State University | SWOSU

Tennessee State University | TSU

Tennessee Technological University | Tennessee Tech

Texas A&M International University | TAMIU

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University–Commerce

Texas State University

Texas Tech University | TTU

Texas Woman’s University | TWU

Towson University

Troy University (Alabama)

University of Alabama

University of Alabama at Birmingham | UAB

University of Alabama in Huntsville | UAH

University of Arkansas

University of Arkansas at Little Rock | UA Little Rock

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | UAPB

University of Baltimore

University of Central Florida | UCF

University of Central Oklahoma | UCO

University of Delaware

University of Florida

University of Georgia

University of Houston

University of Houston–Clear Lake | UHCL

University of Houston–Victoria | UHV

University of Kentucky

University of Louisiana at Lafayette | UL Lafayette

University of Louisiana at Monroe | ULM

University of Louisville

University of Maryland, Baltimore County | UMBC

University of Memphis

University of Mississippi | Ole Miss

University of New Orleans | UNO

University of North Alabama | UNA

University of North Florida | UNF

University of North Georgia | UNG

University of North Texas | UNT

University of Oklahoma

University of South Alabama | South

University of South Carolina | USC

University of South Carolina Aiken | USC Aiken

University of South Carolina Beaufort | USCB

University of South Carolina Upstate | USC Upstate

University of South Florida | USF

University of Southern Mississippi | Southern Miss

University of Tennessee

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | UTC

University of Tennessee at Martin | UTM

University of Texas at Arlington | UT Arlington

University of Texas at Dallas | UT Dallas

University of Texas at El Paso | UTEP

University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA

University of Texas at Tyler | UT Tyler

University of West Alabama | UWA

University of West Florida | UWF

Valdosta State University | VSU

Virginia State University | VSU

West Liberty University

West Virginia University | WVU

Western Kentucky University | WKU

Winthrop University | WU

Want access to expert college guidance — for free? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your college journey.