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Provides Students Greater Access to College with Reduced Tuition Rates at participating state èßäÊÓƵs in the Western U.S. and Pacific Territories. 

Going to college out of state may mean paying up to three times more than attending a èßäÊÓƵ or university in your home state/territory. The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) was established in 1987 to make college more affordable and accessible to èßäÊÓƵ in the Western part of the US.  

Through WUE, èßäÊÓƵ from the WICHE region* can choose from hundreds of undergraduate programs across the West and pay no more than 150% of the institution’s resident tuition rate.

Today, more than 160 public colleges and universities offer reduced tuition rates through WUE to qualifying èßäÊÓƵ. Participating èßäÊÓƵs offer these discounted rates to help èßäÊÓƵ avoid the full cost of pursuing higher education outside their home state and minimize the impact of student loan debt.

  and use the online  to see how much you can save.

*Residents of the following states and territories are eligible to apply for WUE: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai’i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, as well as American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.   

Participating colleges and universities set their own WUE eligibility criteria and manage their WUE rates independently — each èßäÊÓƵ is different. At some èßäÊÓƵs, èßäÊÓƵ are automatically considered for the scholarship when they apply for admission. At others, there is a separate scholarship application. Students should research how specific colleges on their list manage the WUE scholarship/program. This information can be found on the Financial Aid and Scholarship pages of individual university websites. After doing this research, if you have questions about admission criteria or WUE rates and eligibility, contact the college's admissions, scholarship, and/or financial aid office. Contact information for each èßäÊÓƵ is available on the .

Use this checklist to determine your WUE eligibility and find the resources you need to apply for the WUE rate. Remember: some èßäÊÓƵs have separate applications for admission and for WUE, so be sure to contact your desired institution to learn more. 

• You must be a resident of the and,
• Your desired èßäÊÓƵ must also be in the WICHE region, and
• It must offer the WUE rate. 

Check colleges and degrees

Use the  to see which majors are eligible for the WUE rate by èßäÊÓƵ. 

Meet your èßäÊÓƵ’s WUE requirements

Each èßäÊÓƵ administers WUE differently: Institutions may require a minimum GPA, exclude certain majors, have early application deadlines, and/or limit the number of èßäÊÓƵ awarded the WUE rate. Look at the Financial Aid/Scholarship websites of your select èßäÊÓƵs to learn more. You can also use the  and contact your èßäÊÓƵ of interest directly about their specific WUE requirements. 

Apply for admission at your desired èßäÊÓƵ

Follow the application steps for your select èßäÊÓƵ and submit the required documents by the application deadline. Contact the èßäÊÓƵ’s admissions, financial aid, or scholarship office to let them know you’re seeking the WUE rate. Contact information for each èßäÊÓƵ is available on the .