Last Updated on January 15, 2023

From receive in-state tuition as an out-of-state student. & cheapest out-of-state tuition, the article below brings you all the latest information you need to know on them.

You will also discover related posts on instate tuition for out-of-state students program, colleges that offer in-state tuition for texas residents & best value colleges for out-of-state students on infolearners.

If you’re an out-of-state student looking to attend colleges that offer instate tuition to out of state students in your state, there are many options available to you. While some colleges charge higher tuition than others, many offer discounted rates for students who live out of state. In some cases, these rates can be as low as half the cost of tuition for residents.

This article will explore some of the top colleges that offer in state tuition for out of state students. We’ll look at what each school offers and how much they charge for tuition.

If you are an out-of-state student looking to go to college, you may be surprised to learn that there are some colleges that offer in-state tuition for out of state students. This can be a great way to save money on your education, but it isn’t always easy to find these schools.

In this article, we’ll go over some of the best schools that offer in-state tuition for out of state students. We’ll also discuss how you can find out if any of these schools are right for you!

What Is In-State Tuition?

In-state tuition is the amount of money charged by a college or university for their residents. This is usually lower than what an out-of-state student would pay because they aren’t paying taxes in the area where the school is located. Many students choose to go to college close to home so that they can save money on housing costs and other expenses associated with being away from home for four years or more at a time.

Colleges That Offer In State Tuition For Out Of State Students

If you’re an out-of-state student looking to attend college in your state, there are many options available to you. While some colleges charge higher tuition than others, many offer discounted rates for students who live out of state. In some cases, these rates can be as low as half the cost of tuition for residents.

This article will explore some of the top colleges that offer in state tuition for out of state students. We’ll look at what each school offers and how much they charge for tuition.

Alabama

• University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa)www.ua.edu2022 Out-of-State UA Competitive Admissions  Scholarship: Depends on a combination of academic (GPA, academic honors) and non-academic information (leadership, volunteerism, extracurricular, employment) provided on the admission application.2022 Out-of-State Fresman Automatic Merit Scholarships: Based on GPA and a qualifying ACT or SAT score by February. See the chart at the link provided.ELIGIBILITY: Freshmen admitted by January 15th. Minimum 3.0 GPA Minimum 27 ACT composite, or SAT (minimum 1260)
• University of South Alabama (Mobile)www.southalabama.eduDescription: USA offers in-state tuition to all out-of-state students awarded a scholarship for academic merit at the time of admission. Must be admitted as 1st time freshman and meet the scholarship requirements by admission priority deadline of February 1 and fresman scholarship application deadline of February 15.Freshman Admission Scholarship Eligibility: Minimum 21 ACT composite (or SAT equivalent) Minimum high school 3.0 GPA. Annual renewable values range from $2,000 to full tuition.USA Fresman Jaguar Achievement Scholarship: For students who choose the test-optional admissions track with at least a 3.0 high school GPA. Annual renewable values range from $2,000-$8,000.

Arkansas

• Arkansas State University (Jonesboro)www.astate.eduUndergraduate Out-of-State Scholarship: For undergraduate students who meet eligibility to receive a scholarship equal to out-of-state portion of tuition costs. Scholarship is not subject to renewal criteria.Eligibility: Minimum 3.0 GPA, Minimum 24 ACT composite (or equivalent SAT). Must attend ASU-J as a full-time student and be a resident of any of the other 49 U.S. states or U.S. territories.
• Hendrix College (Conway)www.hendrix.edu/tuitionadvantageTuition Advantage Scholarship: If chosen, they will match the published in-state tuition at the flagship university in your home state (MIZZOU for Missouri residents). Fixed award amount for all four years.Eligibility: For first year, full time students accepted for admission. Based on academic record, leadership, extracurricular and volunteer activities.
• University of Arkansas (Fayatteville)www.uark.edu New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award (NRTA): Covers a portion of the difference betwen out-of-state tuition and in-state tuition for students from Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.Eligibility: Based on academic merit (4.0 scale GPA) as follows: 70% award for 3.2, 80% for 3.4, 90% for 3.6 GPA
• University of Arkansas (Little Rock)www.ualr.eduContiguous State Waiver: Waives the out-of-state portion of tuition for students residing in a contiguous state (OK, MO, TN, MS, LA, TX) and meet requirements for unconditional admission.New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award (NRTA): Pays 90% of nonresident tuition.Eligibility for NRTA: For students not receiving other waivers for nonresident tuition charges. Minimum 3.0 cumulative high school GPA, 20+ ACT score.

Colorado

• Colorado State University (Fort Collins)www.colostate.eduScholarships for Entering Non-Resident Freshmen: For first-time freshmen admitted to a degree-seeking program on CSU’s main campus in Fort Collins. Students who have attended another college or university after high school graduation are not eligible. Scholarships range from $5,000-$20,000 per year.Eligibility: Multiple scholarships are available. Follow the link for eligibility requirements.

Illinois

• Eastern Illinois University (Charleston)www.eiu.eduUndergraduate students from any of the states which border Illinois automatically qualify for in-state tuition. Also will receive the four-year Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan.Eligibility: Resident of states of IL, IN, IA, KY, MI, MO, WI
• Illinois State University (Normal)www.illinoistate.eduIn-state tuition is available for qualifying out-of-state freshmen or transfer students who reside in the neighboring states of Illinois. ISU also offers to new incoming undergraduate students a Tuition Guarantee that locks in your rate of tuition for four years.Eligibility: Must meet one of the following 1) Residents of states: IA, IN, WI, MI, MO, KY2) Admitted as a freshman, or transfer student, minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 (4.0 scale)3) Have defined talent in the fine arts.
• Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago)admissions.neiu.eduIn-State Tuition: Students from Illinois’ neighboring states pay in-state tuition as do military students. Rates are guaranteed for four consecutive years to continuously enrolled undergraduates.In-State Tuition Eligibility: Reside in neighboring states of IA, IN, WI, MI, MO, KY – and/or – are active military students, veterans, their spouses, and their dependent children.New! NEIU for You: New opportunity for financially eligible incoming freshmen with a minimum high school cumulative GPA of 2.5 to receive four years of free college tuition at NEIU.
• Northern Illinois University (DeKalb)www.niu.edu/admissionsDomestic Tuition Rate: All U.S. students receive the same tuition as Illinois residents. NIU also offers a tuition guarantee rate.Eligibility: U.S. citizen or permanent resident or undocumented students attending a U.S. high school.
• Southern Illinois University-Carbondalewww.siuc.eduDomestic Undergraduate Tuition Structure: Out-of-state domestic undergraduate students receive the resident (in-state) tuition rate.Eligibility: U.S. citizen or a U.S. national of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or an applicable U.S. territory. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) or Undocumented students may also be considered.
• Southern Illinois University-Edwardsvillewww.siue.eduIn-state tuition is available to undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states. New undergraduate students receive a guaranteed tuition rate for four continuous academic years.Eligibility: U.S. Citizen
• University of Illinois-Chicagowww.admissions.uic.eduMerit Tuition Award: May be available to high-achieving, nonresident students who plan to enroll as undergraduates. The award is available for up to four years of study if students continue to satisfy all eligibility requirements. Tuition is locked in for four years. The Merit Award cannot be applied to tuition during summer semesters.Eligibility: Nonresident, domestic students, who are assessed the out-of-state, nonresident tuition. For U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Enrolled full time in an undergraduate program on campus. In good academic standing.
• Western Illinois University (Macomb)www.wiu.eduSame tuition/fee rates for in-state and out-of-state U.S. residents.Cost Guarantee: Provides the same tuition/fees/room/meal rates for up to four years of enrollment.The St. Louis Leatherneck Scholarship: May be awarded to incoming freshmen from the St. Louis metro area and enrolled full-time in WIU undergraduate courses.Eligibility: U.S. Citizen and resident.

Indiana

• University of Southern Indiana (Evansville)www.usi.edu/admissionsUSI offers several non-resident freshmen awards including merit scholarships and an in-state tuition award for legacy students. Visit the website to view eligibility requirements for each scholarship.

Iowa

• Iowa State University (Ames)iastate.academicworks.comOneApp Scholarship Portal – Search for and submit scholarship applications for non-resident students. Follow the link for Missouri specific resident scholarships.Eligibility may be different for each scholarship.

Kansas

• Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS)www.k-state.eduTuition Waiver Programs: Reduces out-of-state tuition for domestic non-resident students. These programs are offered to qualifying students based upon academic merit, alumni relations, legacy students, etc.Eligibility depends on the program and can be viewed in the scholarship/award finder at the KSU website.
• Pittsburgh State University (Pittsburgh, KS)www.admission.pittstate.eduGorilla Advantage Undergraduate Program: Includes a flat in-state tuition rate for eligible out-of-state students.Eligibility: Residents of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Tennessee (visit the link for an expanded list of eligible states for Fall 2021).Pitt State Legacy Program: Reduced tuition and costs for students whose parent or grandparent graduated from Pitt State and are not covered by in-state tuition.
• University of Kansas (Lawrence)www.admissions.ku.eduOut-of-state freshman merit scholarships: KU Excellence, KU Distinction, KU Achievement, KU Performance, and KU Access are automatic scholarships for out-of-state residents.Eligibility: Minimum 3.25 GPA (4.0 scale), domestic students enrolled in at least 12 credit hours for both the fall/spring semesters immediately following high school graduation.
• Washburn University (Topeka)www.washburn.edu/admissionsInterstate Tuition Waiver: Allows residents of neighboring states to receive in-state tuition rates. Must be eligible for admission to Washburn.Eligibility: Resident states include Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas.
• Wichita State University (Wichita)www.wichita.edu/admissionsShocker City Partnership: Automatic in-state tuition for residents of specific Missouri counties including St. Louis County, St. Louis City, Jefferson County and St. Charles County. Eligible after admittance to WSU and enrolled for at least 15 credit hours per semester.Shocker Select Tuition Discount: Automatic 33% discount on nonresident tuition for eligible resident students from IL, MO, OK, TX upon admittance to WSU.Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP): Eligible new students from IN, MN, MO, NB, ND,OH, and WI received a 33% discount on nonresident tuition rates.Legacy Tuition: For nonresident students whose parent, step-parent, legal guardian, grandparent or step-grandparent graduated from SWU is eligible to receive regular in-state tuition.

Kentucky

• Murray State University (Murray)www.murraystate.edu/admissionsThe Regional Tuition Plan: will charge qualifying students out-of-state tuition but with a discount to adjust their tuition.Eligibility: Resident of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Alabama. Undergraduates must be full-time and pay for university housing.
• University of Kentucky (Lexington)www.uky.eduNon-Resident Scholarships for incoming first-time freshmen provides up to full tuition coverage and housing stipends dependent on unweighted GPA and ACT or SAT scores. Admission application and all supporting documents must be received by Dec.1st to qualify.Eligibility: Starting with a minimum GPA of 3.0 combined with a 25 ACT or 1200 SAT score. 
• Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green)www.wku.eduTuition Incentive Program (TIP) ScholarshipTuition Incentive Program (TIP) Scholarship allows out-of-state students who qualify for any WKU scholarship to receive a discount of nearly 50% off the out-of-state tuition rate.Eligibility for TIP: a student must be a full-time, first-time freshman entering WKU in fall 2021 or later.Border State Scholarship Program will lower the tuition cost by nearly 60% for most students, and students can still stack on other institutional scholarships to further reduce cost.Eligibility for Border State Scholarship: Full-time, first-time freshmen who are residents of any state that borders Kentucky (Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia)

Michigan

• Central Michigan University (Mt. Pleasant)www.cmich.eduwww.cmich.eduIn-state tuition opportunity for new incoming freshmen and transfer students. Must be a U.S. Resident.
• Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti)www.emich.eduUndergraduate non-resident tuition is the same as in-state tuition for all U.S. students.

Minnesota

• Bemidji State University (Bemidji)www.bemidjistate.eduIn-state or reciprocity tuition rates are offered to all qualified applicants. Guaranteed admission with ACT 21+ composite (test optional) OR Ranked top 50% of high school class OR 2.75 GPA (unweighted).
• Southwest Minnesota State University (Marshall)www.smsu.eduPart of the Midwest Student Exchange Program to receive automatic in-state tuition. Eligible out-of-state residents: IL, IN, NE, MO, MI and KS
• University of Minnesota (Minneapolis)www.twin-cities.umn. eduNational Scholarships are available to non-resident freshmen. Students should contact the admissions office for more information, 1-800-752-1000.

Mississippi

• University of Mississippi – Ole Miss (University, MS)www.olemiss.eduSeveral scholarships offered by Ole Miss help pay for out-of-state tuition. A few examples include scholarships for non-resident veterans, current military, STEM majors, and National Merit Semi-Finalists. Find the entire list of scholarships at financial aid.

Montana

• Montana State University (Bozeman)www.montana.eduMSU Achievement Awards (merit based) for incoming non-resident freshmen who apply for admission and self-report their high school GPA. Awards will be applied toward tuition only.

Nebraska

• University of Nebraska (Lincoln)www.unl.eduSeveral scholarships are available to help off-set out-of-state tuition costs including full tuition for National Merit Finalists and National Hispanic Recognition.

Ohio

• Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green)bgsu.eduThe BG Success Scholarship provides $4000 to reduce out-of-state tuition to half the normal non-resident rate. No additional application is required outside of applying for admissions.Eligibility: minimum 3.0 GPA or 20 ACT or 1040 SAT
• The Ohio State University (Columbus)www.osu.eduNational Buckeye Scholarship: Up to $13,500 annually for 4-years; can be combined with the Maximus, Provost or Trustees Scholarship.Eligibility: Non-Ohio residents (U.S. citizens or permanent residents) Based on GPA, class rank (if available), ACT or SAT scores (if available), and rigor of high school curriculum. Apply by Nov 1 for automatic consideration.

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma Panhandle State University (Goodwell)www.opsu.eduAll students pay the same tuition and housing rates regardless of residency (including international students).Eligibility: Must meet admissions requirements.
• Oklahoma State University (Stillwater)go.okstate.eduIncoming freshmen applying to OK State may qualify for one of several University Assured 4-year out-of-state scholarships. Oklahoma State Regents’ Institutional Nominee (OSRHE) for either full tuition or books/fees/housing awards. Out-of-state National Merit Finalists who name OSU as their first choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation are guaranteed a package of cash or tuition scholarships.Eligibility: University Assured is based on unweighted GPA, ACT/SAT scores. OSRHE qualifying criteria is set annually in late fall.

Tennessee

• Austin Peay State University (Clarksville)www.apsu.eduProvost Out-of-State Scholarship is determined after completing an admissions application. Does not combine with other out-of-state tuition waivers or scholarships.Eligibility: Minimum 3.5 GPA
• Tennessee State University (Nashville)www.tnstate.eduHigh-achieving out-of-state students may qualify for a discounted Scholar Rate or a Scholar Rate Plus.Eligibility: Out of state, degree seeking undergraduate student, enrolled in a minimum of 15 credit hours.
• University of Memphis (Memphis)www.memphis.eduNon-Resident Honors Student Award (Out of State Students Only) – Competitive award for freshmen who meet the full requirements for admission to the Helen Hardin Honors College. If awarded, non-resident student will receive in-state tuition and fees.Eligibility: Full-time out-of-state students. Must take one Honors course every semester. Application deadline is Feb 1.

Texas

• Texas A&M University (College Station)www.tamu.eduNon-Resident Tuition Waiver – Undergraduate students must be awarded and maintain a competitive academic scholarship of a specified minimum amount per academic year in order to qualify for this waiver.
• Texas Tech University (Lubbock)www.ttu.eduNon-resident students eligible for the Presidential Merit Scholarship will also be awarded in-state tuition. Merit awards are guaranteed for students admitted by May 1. National Merit Finalists are automatically awarded 100% of original federally approved cost of attendance.Eligibility: Based on student’s class % rank and ACT/SAT scores. Students who apply test optional will be holistically evaluated for merit scholarships.
• University of North Texas (Denton)www.unt.eduCompetitive Scholarship Waiver for non-Texas residents provides non-resident tuition based on competitive scholarships awarded for the academic year and/or summer term.Eligibility: Must be receiving at least $1,000 of UNT competitive scholarship(s) for the academic year, who are assessed non-resident tuition.
• West Texas A&M University (Canyon)www.wtamu.eduAutomatically applied to eligible Non-Resident, out-of-state students. This waiver reduces statutory tuition only from $465 per semester credit hour, to $80 per semester credit hour.Eligibility: U.S. Citizen from any U.S. state outside of Texas and not residing in a U.S. Territory or living abroad.

What Is In-State Tuition?

If you’re a student who would like to attend one of the cheapest out of state tuition universities or university but are balking at the steep sticker price, don’t give up on your dream school just yet. Depending on your state of residency, the major you’re interested in, and the school you’d like to attend, you might be eligible for in-state tuition even as an out-of-state student. In an earlier article, Edmit looked at six schools where—through different policies, reciprocity agreements, and scholarship programs—qualifying out-of-state students can receive in-state tuition rates. This article gives a more general overview, exploring six ways you can

In-state tuition is the rate residents of the school’s state pay to attend college at that campus. For example, if your student is a resident of Tennessee and plans to go to school in Tennessee, they would qualify for in-state tuition.

It’s important to note there are other ways to access in-state tuition rates — more about that below.

Basic In-State Tuition Requirements

In the past, elaborate rules for in-state tuition qualification were established to safeguard taxpayer-subsidized public universities. Here are a few guidelines to these rules:

1. Twelve months: Generally, students must live in the state for a minimum of 12 months, prior to enrolling, in order to gain residency status.
2. Proof of residency: Students need to provide voter registration, car registration, and conversion of their driver’s license as proof that they lived in the state at least 12 months prior to enrolling in school.
3. Relocation purpose: Most states won’t grant residency if the student’s purpose for moving was primarily educational. Students must usually demonstrate financial independence in the state for at least 12 months prior to enrolling in school. Even so, some schools still may not recognize the student as an independent resident.
4. Dependency: If parents claim the student as a dependent on their taxes, the student is considered a resident of the state in which the parents hold residency. If the parents move to a different state, the student’s residency may not change. If the parents are divorced and live in different states, the student may qualify for residency in both states, depending on where the financial support comes from

To be clear, these are just basic guidelines. They differ from college to college, so make sure to go on their websites and verify their specific residency requirements.

Here are a few options that could allow your student to avoid out-of-state tuition rates.

REGIONAL PROGRAMS FOR ACADEMIC COMMON MARKETS

Some states have come together to form “academic common markets.” The agreements allow students who are residents of any of the member states to use in-state tuition rates in any other state that is part of the group.

Essentially, the ability to bypass out-of-state tuition costs is based on “reciprocity agreements” or “tuition exchange programs,” letting students in the sets of states to go to college for less.

Here are four regional programs based on academic common market agreements:

• New England Board of Higher Education Tuition Break Program
• Midwest Student Exchange Program
• Southern Regional Education Board Academic Common Market
• Western Undergraduate Exchange

Here are two reciprocity agreements:

• Minnesota-Wisconsin Tuition Reciprocity
• New Mexico-Colorado Tuition Reciprocity

In some cases, students living in counties that border another state can get in-state tuition at the neighboring state. For example, the Border County Higher Education Opportunity Program allows some Oregon residents living in certain counties that border Washington State to get in-state tuition rates at Washington State colleges and universities.

STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMS

Similar to state-based options, student exchange programs are agreements between schools. Usually, they allow students to attend any school in the consortium either at in-state tuition rates or at the rate they would receive by attending classes at their home campus.

For example, the National Student Exchange (NSE) lets students attend classes at a hosting institution for the reduced rates for up to one year, not unlike spending a year studying abroad. Students do have the option to shift between schools during their academic career, though this could be somewhat complex.

The Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area has a similar cross-registration program. Students can take classes at member schools while paying the same tuition rate as they would at their main school.

Find Legacy Scholarships

Many schools offer discounted rates if you are a legacy student. Several of these schools offer hybrid legacy-merit scholarships where the applicant must demonstrate or maintain a certain GPA/test score in addition to having a parent or grandparent who graduated from that school.

Here are a few:

• The University of Missouri offers the Black & Gold Scholarship which grants a full waiver of non-resident tuition if the incoming student has a composite ACT score of 27 or higher (or SAT of 1260+) and a biological, adoptive, or step-parent who graduated from the University. A legacy student can also qualify for a half-waiver of non-resident tuition if they have an ACT score of 25-26 or SAT of 1200-1250.

• Kansas State has the Heritage Scholarship which pays out $12,000 a year. Students can qualify as long as one parent or grandparent graduated from there, and the student graduates with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

• Boise State has the Alumni Legacy Scholarship that covers the cost of in-state tuition and fees. This one has an extra requirement. The applicant must have a parent or grandparent who graduated AND is a member of the alumni association. HS GPA at least 3.5 ACT composite 24 or SAT 1090. Must maintain a 3.25 college GPA

• UL Lafayette waives the out-of-state fee for all incoming legacy students.

Qualifications and requirements often change for these scholarships, so be sure to double-check each year. Furthermore, check with each school to see whether you can stack multiple scholarships to save even more money.

CHEAP COLLEGES FOR OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS

As mentioned above, not all schools charge out-of-state students an arm and a leg to attend. Some have abolished out-of-state tuition. Instead, they apply the same rate to students regardless of residency.

Others simply have lower out-of-state tuition costs. While there may be a difference between the in-state and out-of-state rates, they are generally minimal.

Here are some schools that are worth exploring if low or no out-of-state tuition rates is a priority:

• Alcorn State University – Lorman, Mississippi
• Bemidji State University – Bemidji, Minnesota
• Dickinson State University – Dickinson, North Dakota
• Minot State University – Minot, North Dakota
• Mississippi Valley State University – Itta Bena, Mississippi
• Oklahoma Panhandle State University – Goodwell, Oklahoma
• Southwest Minnesota State University – Marshall, Minnesota
• West Texas A&M University – Canyon, Texas

Utilize Regional Exchange Programs/State Reciprocity Agreements

Certain states have tuition reciprocity agreements where you can go out of state for a discounted rate. There can be certain caveats though, such as minimum GPA or test scores and/or you must be pursuing an eligible degree.

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)

The Western Undergraduate Exchange is available to students who reside in the following states and territories:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Guam
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Dakota
• Oregon
• South Dakota
• The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
• Utah
• Washington
• Wyoming

The Western Undergraduate Exchange allows students residing in these states to attend a college/university in the member states and only pay up to 150 percent of the in-state tuition rate.

There are strings attached of course.

Requirements: Whether you qualify for the tuition discount varies by school and the degree/program you wish to pursue. Individual schools may also have GPA and test score minimums to qualify.

Midwest Student Exchange (MSEP)

Through the MSEP, public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for specific programs.

States participating:

• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Wisconsin

Requirements: Similar to the other exchange programs, not every college participates, and each college sets its own admission guidelines regarding academic performance and what specific degrees would merit the discount.

New England Regional Student Program (RSP)

According to their website, a full-time RSP student received an average tuition break of $7,900 in 2018-2019.

States involved:

• Connecticut
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• Rhode Island
• Vermont

Requirements: Must be in an approved program or area of study; many colleges only allow eligibility if the student’s degree is not offered in their home state. There are over 1,200 eligible graduate and undergraduate degree programs at the 82 participating schools.

Academic Common Market

The Academic Common Market offers in-state rates to those students who want to pursue a degree that is not offered in their home state. It covers most of the South and Mid-Atlantic.

Participating States:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia
• West Virginia

Requirements: The degree you want to pursue must NOT be available in your home state. Remember not every college participates, and those that do may set their own GPA and test score requirements.

You may have wondered if you could pick one of the eligible degrees and then just switch majors later on. Nope, if you switch you will be charged full out-of-state tuition. It is crucial to understand that you are locked into the specific program of study if you decide to use this tuition discount.

Individual State Agreements

Some schools don’t have any caveats and will waive out-of-state tuition for people who live in border counties. They may waive non-resident tuition for specific border states for students who meet a certain academic benchmark.

Furthermore, specific states have reciprocity agreements that go beyond the regional exchanges mentioned above. These agreements usually have less stringent qualifications. The agreements that come to mind are Missouri-Kansas, Wisconsin-Minnesota, and New Mexico-Colorado.

DC Tuition Assistance Grant Program

Since Washington D.C. residents are limited in their public university options, DCTAG awards a $10,000 grant to help cover the cost of out-of-state schools. You can read more about it here.

MERIT-BASED TUITION ADJUSTMENTS

In some cases, students may be offered in-state rates as out-of-state students to try to entice them to go to a particular college or university. Typically, these offers are made to students with high levels of academic or athletic achievement. However, since these are controlled by the educational institution, the school can choose to make in-state tuition rates available to anyone if they feel there is a justification.

Similarly, many schools have institutional scholarships for out-of-state students that are based on merit, making their school a more affordable option. Here are three such schools:

• Mississippi State
• Kennesaw State University
• University of Alabama

There are also schools that offer full-ride scholarships to certain students. Again, this eliminates the need to think about residency, as all tuition is covered.