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Tips for Students: How to Pay for College

WUE Helps Reduce Out-of-State Tuition Cost for Residents of the West

Figuring out how to pay for college can be one of the most challenging parts of planning your future. The good news? It doesn’t have to be. By understanding how tuition rates work, determining your WUE eligibility, and applying to one or more of the 160+ participating colleges and schools across the West, you can make out-of-state tuition more affordable.

Understand Tuition Rates

One of the biggest factors affecting tuition costs is whether you’ll be paying in-state or out-of-state rates. In-state tuition is offered to students who are legal residents of the state where the school is located. In-state tuition at public colleges and universities is typically two to three times lower than the cost of out-of-state tuition due to state funding that subsidizes the cost for residents. 

Out-of-state tuition rates reflect the full cost of attending the school without the benefit of state subsidies. Understanding this difference can help you plan ahead and explore options like WUE that could lower the overall cost of tuition and help you pay for college. 

Explore WUE

If you are a resident of the West* and find your desired major or school is in another Western state or territory, WUE (the Western Undergraduate Exchange) can help you pay less for tuition. How? More than 160 participating public colleges and universities across the West offer students who live in the region an opportunity to receive reduced out-of-state tuition rate. 

The WUE tuition rate at participating schools promises to be no more than 150% of the in-state rate and some schools even offer the WUE rate equal to the cost of in-state tuition. Since out-of-state rates can be up to three times the cost of in-state rates, taking advantage of WUE could result in big savings for you and your family. 

*WUE-eligible locations include 15 U.S. states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai’i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming) and three U.S. territories (the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa). For more information, visit www.wiche.edu/our-region. 

Determine Your Eligibility 

WUE is only available to residents of the West who want to attend a public out-of-state school that is also in the West. Use this checklist to help determine your eligibility and make you one of the next students to benefit from reduced tuition. 

  • Be a qualified resident of a one of these 15 U.S. states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai’i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming) or three territories (the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, or American Samoa)
  • Plan to study at a college or university in a state or territory in the West that is not your current location of legal residency. 
  • Make sure your school of choice participates in WUE – not every school in the West does! Click here for a list of participating WUE schools (or  check the WUE Tuition Savings Finder for details on each institution’s WUE rate which is updated each December).

Find Your Place

If you meet the criteria above, the next step is to use the WUE Tuition Savings Finder. You can filter by state/territory or major or if you have a budget in mind for college, the WUE Tuition Savings Finder is a great online dashboard to help you search for options that fit your top priorities. 

  • Ensure your school of choice offers the major you want (Some campuses exclude select majors from WUE eligibility.)
  • Meet your school of choice’s criteria for admissions and for WUE. Along with that school’s general admissions standards, some require WUE-eligible students to meet specified GPAs, and ACT/SAT scores, etc..

Apply for Admission to Your School of Choice

Once you have determined your eligibility and found the school that is right for you, it’s time to apply for admission and start moving toward your academic and career goals. 

  • Apply for admission directly to the school(s). 
  • Don’t be shy – Make it known that you are seeking the WUE rate in your application. Typically, admissions offices handle WUE requests. However, some schools process WUE applications in their scholarship or financial aid offices.
  • Apply early. As you may see on your chosen school’s WUE Tuition Savings Finder profile, some schools set earlier deadlines for WUE applicants or fill WUE student quotas on a first-apply, first-considered basis.
  • Understand the true cost of college. WUE saves students only on tuition costs. Student fees, room, and board are not part of WUE savings, so make sure to budget for those additional costs.

Many WUE-participating campuses accept transfer students: check here to see which ones.

Remember: WICHE oversees the WUE program, but does not accept college applications or make application decisions or give WUE awards. The WUE-participating colleges and universities make all admissions and financial aid decisions, so be sure to stay in touch directly with your school of choice during the application process

Stay Engaged and Informed

  • Keep in touch with the admissions office and confirm all requirements directly with each school you applied to.
  • Keep all WUE-award correspondence to verify the terms of your award and eligibility.
  • Study hard. Retain good academic standing and, at some schools, meet a credit-hours minimum each term, to continue receiving WUE every academic year. Some schools do not extend WUE rates beyond a standard graduation interval (two years for associate’s, four years for bachelor’s).
  • If you change majors and switch to a major that’s not “WUE eligible” at your school, you could lose your WUE discounted tuition.

How to Pay for College: Frequently Asked Questions

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No. The WUE rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates. Even if you meet the institution’s WUE admissions criteria (which may be more rigorous than its regular admissions criteria), there are no guarantees. Many institutions limit the number of new WUE awards each academic year, so apply early and be sure to request WUE when applying for admission.

No. WUE admission criteria generally do not include financial need.

No. Resident tuition in your home state is already less expensive than nonresident tuition, so the WUE rate—while valuable if you decide to study at a WUE school outside your home state—will not further subsidize your resident tuition rate.

Still Have Questions?

  • Contact your school’s admissions office if your question is about admission, WUE eligibility, or other aspects of their decision-making process. 
  • Check the school’s WUE Tuition Savings Finder profile; many questions can be answered there.
  • Review the complete WUE FAQ for answers to general questions that are not about a specific single school. 
  • Download this WUE handout of participating schools.
  • Contact us if you still have questions.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Use the WUE Tuition Savings Finder to get started. Browse participating WUE colleges, universities, and majors, offering rates that will help you pay for college.

WUE TUITION SAVINGS FINDER