Last Updated on January 23, 2025 by II Editor
The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program is a mutually beneficial initiative that facilitates affordable higher education for students from Western states. The program, established by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), enables students from participating states to enroll in out-of-state colleges and universities at a reduced tuition rate. In this article, we have carefully curated a list of all 163 WUE Schools and provided a comprehensive understanding of the WUE program, shedding light on its significance, benefits, and the intricate details of its admission requirements and prerequisites.Â
What is the WUE Program?
The WUE program, established by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), is a regional tuition reciprocity agreement among 16 Western states. These states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States. Through WUE, students residing in one of these states can access reduced tuition rates at participating public institutions in other member states.
The WUE program fosters regional cooperation among Western states, encouraging educational accessibility and promoting diverse learning experiences. It allows students from participating states to pursue educational opportunities beyond their home state without shouldering the burden of hefty out-of-state tuition fees. Not only does this program benefit students by widening their educational horizons, but it also serves as a mechanism for participating institutions to enhance their diversity and attract a broader pool of talented individuals.Â
Benefits of the WUE Program:
Reduced Tuition:Â One of the most significant advantages of the WUE program is the reduced tuition cost. While tuition fees at out-of-state schools can be exorbitant, WUE-eligible students pay at most 150% of the in-state tuition rate. This can result in substantial savings, making higher education more accessible.
Diverse Educational Opportunities:Â The WUE program provides students with access to a wide range of educational institutions, from small liberal arts colleges to large research universities. This diversity allows students to find the best academic fit for their goals and interests.
Geographic Flexibility:Â WUE-eligible students have the opportunity to explore the western United States and experience different cultures, landscapes, and climates without breaking the bank. This program encourages geographic mobility, promoting personal growth and exploration.
Admission Requirements and Prerequisites for WUE Schools:
As an interested applicant, you must meet specific admission requirements and prerequisites to take advantage of the WUE program and its reduced tuition rates. While these criteria may vary slightly from one institution to another, here are the general guidelines:
1. Residency Requirement:Â
To be eligible for the WUE program, you must be a legal resident of one of the 16 WUE states or U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States. Demonstrating your residency status through documentation such as a driver’s license, voter registration, or other state-specific documents is essential.
2. Eligibility Criteria:
While the primary criterion is residency, each participating institution may have additional eligibility requirements. These can include academic criteria such as a minimum GPA or standardized test scores like the SAT or ACT. Make sure to check the specific requirements for the institution you are interested in.
3. Limited Slots:
It is crucial to understand that not all out-of-state students may be accepted into the WUE program. Participating institutions have a limited number of WUE slots, and these may vary each year. Therefore, applying early and meeting all the admission criteria is advisable to improve your chances of acceptance.
4. Maintaining Eligibility:
Once accepted into the WUE program, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress and meet the institution’s specific requirements to continue benefiting from reduced tuition rates.
By satisfying the outlined admission requirements and adhering to the specified prerequisites, you can maximize your chances of securing a place in the WUE program, thereby unlocking the doors to an enriching educational journey at an affordable cost.
WUE Schools ListÂ
Below is a list of all the 163 WUE participating schools and their respective WUE Tuitions.
| State | Institution | WUE Tuition |
| Alaska | The University of Alaska Anchorage | $10,530 |
| Alaska | University of Alaska Fairbanks | $11,700 |
| Alaska | University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau Campus | $10,530 |
| Arizona | Arizona State University / Downtown | $16,467 |
| Arizona | Arizona State University / Polytechnic Campus | $14,823 |
| Arizona | Arizona State University / West Campus | $14,823 |
| Arizona | Arizona Western College | $4,140 |
| Arizona | Central Arizona College | $2,250 |
| Arizona | Chandler-Gilbert Community College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | Cochise College | $4,095 |
| Arizona | Coconino Community College | $5,085 |
| Arizona | Eastern Arizona College | $4,185 |
| Arizona | Estrella Mountain Community College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | GateWay Community College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | Glendale Community College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | Mesa Community College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | Mohave Community College | $3,645 |
| Arizona | Northern Arizona University | $16,536 |
| Arizona | Northland Pioneer College | $3,060 |
| Arizona | Paradise Valley Community College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | Phoenix College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | Pima Community College | $4,005 |
| Arizona | Rio Salado College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | Scottsdale Community College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | South Mountain Community College | $3,825 |
| Arizona | The University of Arizona Sierra Vista | $14,117 |
| Arizona | University of Arizona | $17,288 |
| Arizona | Yavapai College | $3,528 |
| California | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, Bakersfield | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, Channel Islands | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, Chico | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, Dominguez Hills | $8,613 |
| California | Lake Tahoe Community College | $2,070 |
| California | Sonoma State University | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, East Bay | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, Maritime Academy | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, Monterey Bay | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, Northridge | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, Sacramento | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, San Bernardino | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, San Marcos | $8,613 |
| California | California State University, Stanislaus | $8,613 |
| California | California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt | $8,613 |
| California | University of California-Merced | $17,163 |
| Colorado | Adams State University | $11,950 |
| Colorado | Aims Community College | $5,130 |
| Colorado | Arapahoe Community College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Colorado Mesa University | $13,169 |
| Colorado | Colorado Mountain College | $8,775 |
| Colorado | Colorado Northwestern Community College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Colorado State University | $19,535 |
| Colorado | Colorado State University-Pueblo | $17,187 |
| Colorado | Community College of Aurora | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Community College of Denver | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Fort Lewis College | $10,800 |
| Colorado | Front Range Community College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Lamar Community College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Metropolitan State University of Denver | $17,348 |
| Colorado | Morgan Community College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Northeastern Junior College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Otero Junior College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Pikes Peak Community College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Pueblo Community College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | Red Rocks Community College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus | $25,110 |
| Colorado | Trinidad State Junior College | $7,038 |
| Colorado | The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs | $18,990 |
| Colorado | University of Colorado Denver | $20,925 |
| Colorado | University of Northern Colorado | $5,130 |
| Colorado | Western Colorado University | $15,084 |
| Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands | Northern Marianas College | $4,560 |
| Hawaii | The University of Hawaii at Hilo | $11,016 |
| Hawaii | The University of Hawaii at Manoa | $16,956 |
| Hawaii | The University of Hawaii Maui College | $5,895 |
| Hawaii | The University of Hawaii West Oahu | $11,016 |
| Idaho | Boise State University | $8,298 |
| Idaho | College of Southern Idaho | $4,275 |
| Idaho | Idaho State University | $8,892 |
| Idaho | Lewis-Clark State College | $8,739 |
| Idaho | North Idaho College | $4,928 |
| Idaho | University of Idaho | $9,270 |
| Montana | Dawson Community College | $3,780 |
| Montana | Flathead Valley Community College | $5,805 |
| Montana | Great Falls College MSU | $4,253 |
| Montana | Helena College University of Montana | $4,026 |
| Montana | Highlands College of Montana Tech | $3,936 |
| Montana | Miles Community College | $4,365 |
| Montana | Montana State University, Billings | $6,930 |
| Montana | Montana State University, Bozeman | $8,736 |
| Montana | Montana State University, Northern | $6,948 |
| Montana | Montana Tech of the University of Montana | $8,817 |
| Montana | University of Montana, Missoula | $8,273 |
| Montana | The University of Montana, Western | $6,989 |
| Nevada | College of Southern Nevada | $5,075 |
| Nevada | Great Basin College | $5,075 |
| Nevada | Nevada State College | $8,325 |
| Nevada | Truckee Meadows Community College | $5,075 |
| Nevada | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | $11,520 |
| Nevada | University of Nevada, Reno | $11,520 |
| Nevada | Western Nevada College | $5,075 |
| New Mexico | Eastern New Mexico University – Portales | $6,174 |
| New Mexico | Eastern New Mexico University – Roswell | $2,808 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Highlands University | $7,173 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | $11,496 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Junior College | $1,800 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Military Institute | $3,000 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico State University | $10,092 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico State University–Alamogordo | $2,916 |
| New Mexico | Northern New Mexico College | $7,596 |
| New Mexico | Santa Fe Community College | $2,205 |
| New Mexico | University of New Mexico, Albuquerque | $12,756 |
| New Mexico | Western New Mexico University, Silver City | $8,945 |
| North Dakota | Bismarck State College | $7,813 |
| North Dakota | Dakota College at Bottineau | $6,795 |
| North Dakota | Dickinson State University | $9,570 |
| North Dakota | Lake Region State College | $4,249 |
| North Dakota | Mayville State University | $9,775 |
| North Dakota | Minot State University | $7,168 |
| North Dakota | North Dakota State College of Science | $5,620 |
| North Dakota | North Dakota State University | $13,693 |
| North Dakota | University of North Dakota | $13,856 |
| North Dakota | Valley City State University | $9,929 |
| North Dakota | Williston State College | $4,138 |
| Oregon | Eastern Oregon University | $12,320 |
| Oregon | Oregon State University | $16,515 |
| Oregon | Oregon Institute of Technology | $15,003 |
| Oregon | Portland State University | $13,500 |
| Oregon | Southern Oregon University | $14,108 |
| Oregon | Western Oregon University | $13,095 |
| South Dakota | Black Hills State University | $10,718 |
| South Dakota | Dakota State University | $10,718 |
| South Dakota | Northern State University | $10,718 |
| South Dakota | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | $11,726 |
| South Dakota | South Dakota State University | $11,283 |
| South Dakota | University of South Dakota | $11,283 |
| Utah | Utah Tech University | $7,901 |
| Utah | Salt Lake Community College | $5,667 |
| Utah | Snow College | $5,694 |
| Utah | Southern Utah University | $9,009 |
| Utah | University of Utah | $13,655 |
| Utah | Utah State University | $11,081 |
| Utah | Utah State University Eastern | $6,203 |
| Utah | Utah Valley University | $8,421 |
| Utah | Weber State University | $8,207 |
| Washington | Central Washington University | $11,426 |
| Washington | Eastern Washington University | $10,790 |
| Washington | Washington State University Everett | $16,961 |
| Washington | Evergreen State College | $11,393 |
| Washington | Washington State University | $16,961 |
| Washington | Washington State University Tri-Cities | $16,961 |
| Washington | Western Washington University | $11,798 |
| Wyoming | Casper College | $4,725 |
| Wyoming | Central Wyoming College | $4,725 |
| Wyoming | Eastern Wyoming College | $4,725 |
| Wyoming | Gillette College | $4,725 |
| Wyoming | Laramie County Community College | $4,725 |
| Wyoming | Northwest College, Powell | $4,725 |
| Wyoming | Sheridan College | $4,725 |
| Wyoming | University of Wyoming, Laramie | $7,200 |
| Wyoming | Western Wyoming Community College | $4,725 |
Conclusion
WUE Schools are not just a list of institutions but the gateway to an affordable, high-quality education and a broader horizon. With their reduced tuition rates and an array of educational options, WUE schools offer students a unique chance to spread their wings and explore the world of knowledge without the burden of out-of-state tuition costs.
As we’ve seen, the benefits of the Western Undergraduate Exchange program extend far beyond financial savings. They provide a passport to diverse learning environments, unique cultures, and personal growth. However, the key to this educational treasure trove is understanding each institution’s admission requirements and prerequisites.
So, whether you’re a prospective student looking to make the most of your higher education journey or a parent seeking to support your child’s aspirations, the WUE Schools offer an extraordinary opportunity. Take the time to research, plan, and seize this incredible academic adventure. Your future is waiting, and WUE Schools are the stepping stones to success. Embrace the possibilities, expand your horizons, and unlock a world of opportunity.
