Western Undergraduate Exchange system, with the core aim of providing financial support to outside-the-state students, has established WUE Schools in some countries.
In order not to cut your expectations, we have painstakingly compiled a list of WUE schools, including some Amazing Facts about these WUE schools which you might know. But before we dive into this WUE schools List, I think giving you an insight into what WUE means and what the WUE schools do will help enlighten you more.
As well-known public universities become more selective, students are increasingly looking for the right college. But once you leave the comfortable limit of the monthly fee in the state, the cost rises from the bag!
No wonder families are fortunate in the Western Undergraduate Exchange System. The WUE is an agreement between public universities in the western states to provide students of each other a reduced tuition fee.
Table of contents
- What is WUE?
- WUE participating State
- Which Schools are in the WUE Program?
- #20. Northern Arizona University
- #19. Mayville State University
- #18. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
- #17. Oregon Institute of Technology
- #16. University of Alaska Anchorage
- #15. The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
- #14. University of Wyoming
- #13. University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- #12. Montana State University, Bozeman
- #11. Eastern Washington University
- #10. Weber State University
- #9. Lewis-Clark State College
- 8. Dickinson State University
- #7. Boise State University
- #6. University of Hawaii Maui College
- #5. University of Colorado Denver
- #4. Minot State University
- #3. University of New Mexico
- #2. Colorado State University, Pueblo
- #1. Black Hills State University
- Conclusion
- We Recommend
What is WUE?
The WUE is a tuition reduction program managed by the Inter-American Commission for Western Higher Education (WICHE). It is not a needs-based education program, o many students can benefit from more accessible out-of-state education.
The Western Undergraduate Exchange is a program coordinated by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
However, WUE Allows students from outside the state a substantial discount on tuition; They usually pay only 150% of state tuition, compared to a regular tuition fee that can be 300% of the state fee. For example, residents of California pay about $ 5,742 to study at California State University. WUE students pay $ 8,613 for tuition, while other foreign students pay $ 17,622 for tuition.
WUE participating State
WUE participating states include; Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Each WUE participating school may administer the WUE admission discount according to its own rules. You need to check the website of the school you are interested in to see if there is a license or financial support to ensure you know what your school needs.
Which Schools are in the WUE Program?
Below is a list of WUE schools from all the WUE participating states. Insight from these Top 20 WUE Schools and Amazing Facts about them will help you know the school you are eligible to apply to.
Note: The list of WUE participants does NOT include many of the best-known universities; those that most students are eager to attend. Here are some schools which do NOT take part in WUE:
- University of Washington, Seattle
- University of Oregon
- Oregon State University
- University of Colorado, Boulder
- Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
- All of the University of California campuses, except UC Merced
#20. Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is one of the WUE schools that offer exceptional education in Arizona and beyond.
For almost 120 years, the NAU has offered a student-centered experience through rigorous academic programs conducted by dedicated, world-renowned professors and researchers.
NAU: The ideal university for academic excellence, personal growth, career success, and world-class adventure. The only WUE major at the University of Arizona is Mining Engineering.
Tuition Fees: $14,619
#19. Mayville State University
Mayville State University is a public institution that was founded in 1889. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,097, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 55 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
MissionMayville State University is dedicated to excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship in dynamic, inclusive, and supportive learning environments that are individually focused.
WUE school Tuition is $19,700.00
Acceptance rate: 55%
Graduation rate: 42%
#18. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology is a public institution founded in 1889. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,471, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 320 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
New Mexico Tech offers over 30 bachelors of science degrees in technology, the sciences, engineering, management, and technical communication, as well as graduate degrees at the masters and doctoral levels. Most importantly, It is one of the best schools for WUE mechanical engineering.
The school’s Notable alumni
- Conrad Hilton (born 1887), American hotelier and the founder of the Hilton Hotels chain
- Lukas Lundin (born 1958), Swedish-Canadian billionaire business executive
- Axel Scherer, Professor, California Institute of Technology, inventor of the Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL)
- Terry Wallace (born 1954), Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory
WUE school Tuition: $35,153.00
Acceptance rate: 22%
Graduation rate: 45%
#17. Oregon Institute of Technology
Oregon Tech is an above-average public college located in Klamath Falls, Oregon. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 2,284 undergraduate students. Popular majors include Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician, Dental Hygiene, and Medical Technician.
As the school with America’s first undergraduate program in renewable energy engineering, OIT emphasizes sustainability in both academic and campus life.
Acceptance rate: 61%
Graduation rate: 41%
#16. University of Alaska Anchorage
The University is a public research university in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. UAA also administers four community campuses spread across Southcentral Alaska.
However, It is comprised of the Anchorage Campus, located in the heart of Alaska’s largest city, Kenai Peninsula College, Matanuska Susitna College, Kodiak College, and Prince William Sound College, all located in some of the most beautiful places in Alaska. This school’s majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Nursing, and accounting. And also, it is one of the nursing schools in WUE.
WUE school Tuition: $12,543
Acceptance rate: 83%
Graduation rate: 31%
#15. The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Colorado WUE schools is a public institution that was founded in 1965. This is one of the best Colorado WUE schools that enrolls over 12,000 students in various unique and challenging academic programs at an affordable cost.
The school offers a high-quality University of Colorado education, with small class sizes and opportunities to interact with professors. WUE schools Colorado faculty have developed new academic programs in Digital Filmmaking, Inclusive Elementary Education, Inclusive Childhood Education, Data Analytics & Systems Engineering, Engineering Education, Exercise Science, Music, Museum Studies & Gallery Practice, and Athletic Training.
WUE school Tuition: $20,051
Acceptance rate: 93%
Graduation rate: 47%
#14. University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a public institution that was founded in 1886. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 9,791, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 785 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. UW students can also earn academic credit by taking National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) classes.
The university also offers outreach education in communities throughout Wyoming and online.
School Tuition: $17,490
Acceptance rate: 95%
Graduation rate:54%
#13. University of Nevada, Las Vegas
UNLV is an above-average public university in Paradise, Nevada, in the Las Vegas Area. It is a large institution with an enrollment of 18,958 undergraduate students. The school majors include Hospitality and Tourism Management, Psychology, and Criminal Justice and Safety Studies.
WUE schools Nevada has a wide variety of graduate schools, including the William S. Boyd School of Law, which is particularly well regarded for its legal writing program; the College of Education; and the College of Business.
However, the University of Nevada requires students to earn at least a 3.25 GPA in core classes and 26 ACT or 1240 SAT to receive the WUE.
WUE school Tuition: $11,582
Acceptance rate: 83%
Graduation rate: 39%
#12. Montana State University, Bozeman
This WUE school is the state’s largest university and the flagship campus of the Montana State University System, which is part of the Montana University System.
Popular majors include Business, Nursing, Family Studies, and Consumer Sciences.
WUE school Tuition: $15,411
Acceptance rate: 83%
Graduation rate: 54%
#11. Eastern Washington University
Eastern Washington University is a public university in Cheney, Washington, with programs offered at campuses in Cheney, EWU Spokane at the Riverpoint Campus, and at multiple campus locations throughout the state.
It offers access to a diverse population of students educated in a broad range of fields such as education, culture, the arts, social work, health sciences, and business. A particular emphasis on STEM-related fields such as science, technology, engineering, and math makes it an attractive choice for those interested in these high-demand fields.
WUE school Tuition: $11,393
Acceptance rate: 95%
Graduation rate: 48%
#10. Weber State University
Weber State University is a public institution in northern Utah. Founded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1889, the university awarded its first four-year degrees in 1964 and has been known by its current name since 1991. Weber State predominantly runs undergraduate courses. More than half of its students are part-time.
Weber State alumni include former US secretary of the treasury, US ambassador to NATO David M. Kennedy, and Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers.
WUE school Tuition: 14,749
Graduation rate: 44%
#9. Lewis-Clark State College
Lewis-Clark State College is an undergraduate institution based in Lewiston, northern Idaho. Chartered in 1893, in 1955, the university was named for the famous explorers who would have passed through modern-day Idaho on their travels.
However, it is a public four-year state college offering instruction in liberal arts and sciences, professional-technical programs that support the state and local economy, professional areas, and other educational programs designed to meet the needs of Idahoans.
Many LCSC alumni have gone on to compete in Major League Baseball, including Cincinnati Reds pitcher Carlos Fisher and San Francisco Giants outfielder Marvin Bernard.
WUE school Tuition: $19,236
Acceptance rate: 97%
Graduation rate: 30%
8. Dickinson State University
Dickinson State University is a regional four-year institution within the North Dakota University System, whose primary role is to contribute to intellectual, social, economic, and cultural development, especially in Southwestern North Dakota.
The University’s mission is to: Provide high-quality, accessible programs to promote excellence in teaching and learning, support scholarly and creative activities provide services relevant to the economy, health, and quality of life for the citizens of the State of North Dakota.
WUE school Tuition: $9,544
Acceptance rate: 99%
Graduation rate: 37%
#7. Boise State University
Boise State is an above-average public university located in Boise, Idaho. It is a large institution with an enrollment of 12,477 undergraduate students. The WUE Idaho school majors include Business, Nursing, and Communications. Boise State University is located in the capital of Idaho, in the western part of the state.
However, Boise State students can choose from about 170 academic programs, including master’s degrees in business, education, and art.
WUE school Tuition: $13,363
Acceptance rate: 82%
Graduation rate: 37%
#6. University of Hawaii Maui College
The University of Hawaii Maui College is a public institution located on the Hawaiian island of Maui in Kahului. It is a land-, sea-, and space-grant research institution and part of the University of Hawaii system. The most popular majors are culinary arts and food service, nursing, mechanics, and repair. Dickinson State University The university has an open admissions policy.
WUE school Tuition: $1,178
Acceptance rate: 100%
Graduation rate: 87%
#5. University of Colorado Denver
University of Colorado—Denver is a public institution founded in 1912. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 15,586, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 126 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Popular majors include Business, Nursing, and Biology.
WUE school Tuition: $32,005
Acceptance rate: 61%
Graduation rate: 41%
#4. Minot State University
Minot State is an above-average public university located in Minot, North Dakota. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 1,952 undergraduate students. The school is dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and vibrant campus life.
Business, Nursing, and Elementary Education are the school’s Popular majors.
WUE school Tuition: $7,064
Acceptance rate: 60%
Graduation rate: 40%
#3. University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico is home to more than 300 student organizations, from cultural and religious to academic, political, and service-oriented groups. UNM is the only Hispanic-Serving Institution in the U.S. also classified as a Carnegie Research University with Very High Activity.
The University of New Mexico’s ranking in the 2019 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 769 acres. This school is on the list of WUE schools and utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
WUE school Tuition: $7,929
Acceptance rate: 58%
Graduation rate: 48%
#2. Colorado State University, Pueblo
Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSU–Pueblo) is a regional comprehensive public university located in Pueblo, Colorado, United States.
This school is a fully accredited, regional comprehensive state university that provides social, educational, and cultural opportunities to its constituents. Moreso, courses are offered in pursuit of the following degrees -Sociology/Criminology emphasis, Social Work, Business Administration, and Management – as well as a variety of lower-division general education courses.
The WUE schools in colorado provide relevant professional coursework, hands-on research experiences, and superior instruction with a small faculty-to-student ratio.
WUE school Tuition: $28,787
Acceptance rate: 96%
Graduation rate: 32%
#1. Black Hills State University
Black Hills State University is a public university in Spearfish, South Dakota. The school is ranked #128-#165 in Regional Universities Midwest. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
Note, When applying to This WUE school, it’s important to note the application deadline is rolling. The application fee at Black Hills State University is $20. Scores for either the ACT or SAT are due July 15.
WUE school Tuition: $14,807
Acceptance rate: 80%
Graduation rate: 33%
Conclusion
WUE Schools have the Highest Population of Out-of-state Students and International undergraduate students.
This is because the system grants international students substantial tuition and admission discount. This makes education affordable and available to all, irrespective of nationality.
We Recommend
