Pay Less for College through Tuition Agreement Programs
“I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out.”
Tuition. Books. Fees. Housing. Meal plan and food. Transportation. It all adds up. Each of these things is taken into account when a college calculates its cost of attendance (COA). But, unfortuntately, it can be difficult to really understand the true amount of these categories because what one student pays for books is different from another. Therefore the COA is an estimate based on all kinds of assumptions and data considered by the school’s Financial Aid staff.
Cost is a significant consideration for most families and students as they go through their college selection. Today’s post is about tuition agreement programs, of which there are many, and there may be one just right for you. I hope you’ll keep reading and listen to my video to learn more about how tuition agreement programs may be able to significantly cut your college costs. For more than 50 years, many states have partnered with other nearby states through interstate higher education compacts. Today, there are four major compacts - the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC), the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) - offering different types of tuition agreement programs.
Looking for help with your college journey? I work with students and families anywhere in the U.S. so please reach out and let’s chat!
I grew up in Wisconsin and when I attended college I knew that there was some kind of an agreement between Wisconsin and Minnesota for college-bound students. My guidance counselor called it “reciprocity” and basically all I knew is that I could potentially choose to attend a college in Minnesota without paying the full tuition as an out-of-state student. I pretty much knew I was going to stay in-state for college so I didn’t explore it too much.
Today, there are many types of similar programs, known as tuition agreement programs. Some may be between just a couple of states while other programs have numerous partners. There are TAPs for both undergraduate and graduate programs, too. In a nutshell, tuition reciprocity means there is an agreement where non-resident students may attend an out-of-state school for in-state or reduced tuition. These programs were designed to make higher education more affordable and accessible across state lines and it can provide a significant cost savings to you. It can also provide students will access to academic programs that may not be offered in their state.
So how does it work? First, you’ll want to explore whether your state participates in any kind of program. One way to do this is simply search for “<name of state> tuition agreement programs” or “<name of state> tuition reciprocity programs”. You can also talk to your guidance or school counselor as they should know about your state programs and point you in the right direction.
Next you’ll want to read all the fine print about the program and make sure you understand the eligibility requirements. Some programs only cover some public schools while others do include private schools. Some include community colleges. Not every school in a state participates in the programs so you’ll want to explore and learn which schools participate.
Here are some of the programs from the four large compacts in the United States.
Southern Regional Education Board Academic Common Market
15 states participate in the SREBACM, including Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahaoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. This map will provide you with a list of participating institutions. Eligibility is for students who live in one of the above states, so it’s not just that you wish to attend a school in one of these states.
Southern Regional Education Board Regional Contract Program
Another program through SREB and this one is for students pursuing professional health degrees.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
The WUE program was created in 1987 by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), a regional organization founded in the 1950s to facilitate cooperation between western states on higher education issues. WUE is the country’s largest regional interstate tuition agreement program, with 16 members and 160+ participating schools. Through WUE, eligible students will pay no more than 150% of the resident tuition rate.
Today, the program has parners from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Not all schools participate. University of Utah? Yes. University of Washington? No. University of Arizona? Yes. University of Oregon? No. Colorado State University? Yes. University of Colorado-Boulder? No.
According to WICHE, students have saved $4.9B in college costs since WUE began in 1988.
Another WICHE program focused on graduate education, including graduate certificates, master’s, and doctoral programs.
Participating members include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Professional Student Exchange Program
Another WICHE program centered around health care programs. Through the Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP), students pursuing careers in 10 health fields – ranging from optometry to dentistry to veterinary medicine – may enroll in participating programs across state lines and receive substantial tuition support from their home state or territory.
Through PSEP, a student can save $34,100 to $133,600 on tuition over the duration of a health degree study.
Participating members include Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
New England Board of Higher Education’s Tuition Break
Tuition Break provides significant tuition savings to residents of the six New England states when they enroll at out-of-state public colleges and universities within New England and pursue approved programs.
Participating members include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Eligibility varies by state and institution. Be sure to plan early.
Are you a Spanish speaking student or family? They also provide a comprehensive website in Spanish.
Through the MSEP, public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for specific programs; private institutions offer a 10% reduction on their tuition rates. All enrollment decisions are made at the discretion of the receiving campus and the campus may exercise its right to limit participation or set specific admission requirements for MSEP.
Participating members include Illinois (suspended as of 2022), Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
If you are thinking that any of these tuition agreement programs may be good you, be sure to understand the eligibility requirements. Some schools limit the number of incoming students on these programs and some even limit it to specific majors. Be sure to talk to their admissions staff and specifically ask about their tuition agreement programs so you can be sure to be educated and informed about their policies.
Be Boundless.
