Are you a resident of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Florida, or Texas?

If so, you may qualify for in-state tuition prices through The Academic Common Market (ACM), which offers students from 15 Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) member states the opportunity to save on tuition while pursuing degrees unavailable at public institutions in their own states. 

Through this program, students can attend out-of-state schools and benefit from in-state tuition rates, just $510 per credit hour in the 2026-2027 academic year at ODU!

With 2 start dates per year, start the process at any time! Our next start date in 2026 is August 24th.

MS Laboratory Animal Science View More

Eligibility Requirements

  • Be a resident of one of the 15 participating states.
  • Select a program approved for ACM in your state.
  • Gain admission into the program.
  • Meet state residency and college admission requirements.
Black lab tech observing a rodent specimen in the lab.

Application Process

  • Confirm Program Eligibility: The master's in Laboratory Animal Science program must be certified by SREB as an ACM-approved program not available in your home state. Our program qualifies for ACM consideration.
  • Contact Your State Coordinator: You must reach out to the ACM coordinator of the state you reside in to formally request certification and begin the state approval process. As part of this initial contact, you will also need to confirm that the program is not comparably offered within your home state. The contact information can be found here.
  • Complete the State Application: Your state's ACM coordinator's office will provide you with the required application form. You will need to demonstrate home state residency as part of this application process.
  • Receive State Certification: Once your application is reviewed and approved by the appropriate approval body from your home state, a certification letter will be issued to our institution confirming your eligibility for in-state tuition rates. 
Woman scientist standing confidently in research laboratory

Questions?

Contact vhs-lasinfo@odu.edu with further questions. Apply today!