Cape Girardeau sits on the Mississippi River about two hours south of St. Louis, and Southeast Missouri State has been part of the town since 1873. It started as a teacher training school. Today it is a mid-sized public university with business, computing, cybersecurity, nursing, mass media and agriculture, plus a River Campus for the performing and visual arts.
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States
Official website: semo.edu
1873
Public university in Missouri
Main campus and River Campus for the arts
$15,000 – $19,000
International students, tuition and required fees
$11,000 – $14,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on semo.edu before you apply.
BS Cybersecurity
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Applied Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BSN Nursing
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Cybersecurity and computing in the Harrison College of Business and Computing.
Low tuition for a US public university.
A separate River Campus for music, theatre and art.
Computing and cybersecurity graduates find work in St. Louis, Memphis and further afield.
Nursing graduates join regional hospitals in Cape Girardeau.
STEM graduates can use OPT plus the STEM extension to work in the US.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Limited
Postgrad
Limited
Cape Girardeau is a river town of around 40,000 people. The floodwall downtown is painted with murals of local history, and the main campus is a short drive from the river.
Living costs are low. Most students rely on a car or friends with cars, and St. Louis is the nearest big city.
Form I-20 issued by Southeast Missouri State University
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Southeast admits on a rolling basis. International applicants should apply by about May for fall and October for spring, so there is time for the I-20 and visa interview.
The main intakes are fall (August) and spring (January). A few graduate programmes also start in summer.
It's the F-1 student visa. Get your I-20 from Southeast Missouri State University first (they need your deposit and bank documents), then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and attend the visa interview. Book the interview early in peak season.
Cybersecurity, computer science, the MBA, applied computer science and nursing attract many international students. Undergraduates need secondary school completion and IELTS 6.0; graduate programmes ask for a bachelor's degree and IELTS 6.5.
Yes. Southeast gives international merit scholarships that reduce tuition, often automatically at admission. Graduate assistantships are available in some departments.
