Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)

First-year, first-time students who are a permanent resident of a WUE State or WUE U.S. Territory (Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, South Dakota, Washington, or Wyoming).

The WUE Tuition Discount is a merit award at The U that reduces the amount of standard tuition for eligible non-resident students. With the WUE Tuition Discount, the recipient pays no more than 150% of the standard resident tuition rate; the WUE Tuition Discount does not cover tuition differential charges, mandatory fees, course fees, or e-book fees and recipients are responsible for those charges. At the time of application, recipients must be a permanent resident of one of the designated WUE jurisdictions and have a cumulative, unweighted grade point average of at least 3.30.

The WUE Tuition Discount is available beginning the Fall 2024 semester and is renewable for up to eight semesters (fall and spring only), or until you receive a baccalaureate degree (whichever comes first), as long as you continue to meet WUE good standing and renewal requirements as established by The U and listed below. The WUE Tuition Discount does not apply to summer enrollment or any Learning Abroad programs. The WUE Tuition Discount does not cover the costs of any withdrawn courses. Students who withdraw from a course are responsible for the full non-resident charge of those credit hours.

It is not possible to gain State of Utah residency while receiving the WUE Tuition Discount (for more details, see https://admissions.utah.edu/information-resources/residency/).

The WUE Tuition Discount may be renewed each year, provided you maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and complete at least twenty-four (24) credit hours during the two semesters of the academic year (i.e., fall and spring semesters).

To remain in good standing and continue to receive the WUE Tuition Discount, you must be enrolled as a full-time student, registering for a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester. Students must be enrolled full-time (at least 12 credit hours) by the last day to register for full-term courses each semester to be eligible to receive their scholarship award for the term. Failure to be full-time by the last day to register for full-term courses will result in the cancellation of your award and will impact your renewal eligibility. Failure to maintain full-time status during a semester will result in the cancellation of your WUE Tuition Discount from that semester moving forward and it cannot be regained.

UOSFA will review your standing for these requirements each year at the end of the spring semester. Failure to meet the good standing and renewal requirements will result in loss of the WUE Tuition Discount. Once lost, the WUE Tuition Discount cannot be regained.

Your scholarship may be renewed each year, provided you maintain at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA and complete at least twenty-four (24) credit hours during the two semesters of the academic year (i.e., fall and spring semesters). You must be enrolled full-time each semester regardless of completing 24 credit hours for the year.

UOSFA will review your standing for these requirements each year at the end of the spring semester. Failure to meet the renewal or good standing requirements will result in loss of the scholarship. Once the scholarship is lost, it cannot be regained.

STEP 1: Create Your CIS Account and Activate your UMail Account

• If you have not created your Campus Information Services (CIS) account, visit cis.utah.edu as soon as possible.
• Your login info is your uNID# (found in your admissions letter) and your default password is your birthdate (MMDDYY).
• After creating your CIS account, activate your University e-mail account (UMail), also in CIS. All official university communication including financial offers will be sent to your UMail account.

STEP 2: Confirm Your Intent to Enroll at the U to Accept the WUE Tuition Discount

• Confirm your intent to enroll with the Office of Admissions at admissions.utah.edu/confirm.  At this same link, you can submit your enrollment deposit, or if the enrollment deposit is a financial challenge you may request a deposit extension.
• By confirming your intent to enroll, you are accepting the WUE Tuition Discount and the terms outlined in this document. If for any reason you confirm your intent to enroll but want to decline the WUE Tuition Discount or the terms, you should submit your reasons in writing to UOSFA at financialaid@utah.edu.
• The WUE Tuition Discount is generally is available until June 3, 2024. If you have not confirmed enrollment by that date, the scholarship may be canceled. Please contact financialaid@utah.edu if you have not confirmed your enrollment by June 3, 2024.

The WUE Tuition Discount cannot be combined with any other university merit award from UOSFA (except the State Merit Scholarship) and is only available to students earning their degree at the U’s main campus. This award applies to or reduces tuition charges for the fall and spring semesters only as long as all eligibility criteria are met; this award does not apply to enrollment or charges during summer term or any Learning Abroad program. This award will not cover charges for withdrawn courses.

Other scholarships received could affect your eligibility to receive the WUE Tuition Discount. The WUE Tuition Discount does not cover nor does it apply to tuition differential charges or university fees, such as mandatory fees, course fees, or e-book fees. The WUE Tuition Discount cannot be canceled for a term that has ended.

As indicated previously, it is not possible to gain State of Utah residency while receiving the WUE Tuition Discount (for more details, see https://admissions.utah.edu/information-resources/residency/). Should your residency classification change to resident status, or any other ineligible status, you will no longer be eligible for the WUE Tuition Discount.

Students who receive the WUE Tuition Discount, a scholarship, fellowship, or other financial aid administered by the University of Utah are required by state law to certify that they are eligible to receive the scholarship as a U.S. citizen or a citizen of another country who is lawfully present in the U.S. If a student does not know whether they are in the U.S. lawfully, they should seek the advice of an immigration attorney before accepting this award.

Newly accepted freshmen who wish to defer their start date to a subsequent semester, and to request the WUE Tuition Discount be held, should first request an admission deferment through the Office of Admissions at admissions.utah.edu/apply/deferment.

A WUE Tuition Discount deferment may result in a change in the amount and/or value of the award depending upon the subsequent term of entry or matriculation.

WUE Tuition Discount recipients considering a deferment should confirm by June 3, 2024 their intent to enroll to accept their award. Students have until the first day of classes (August 19, 2024) to apply for a deferment. Students seeking deferment should submit their enrollment deposit to secure their seat as a matriculated student. You must submit the enrollment deposit, or if the enrollment deposit is a financial challenge you may request a deposit extension, at admissions.utah.edu/confirm.

The University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (UOSFA) will, in extenuating circumstances, allow a student to take a Leave of Absence from a scholarship once they are a continuing student. A continuing student will need to work with the Registrar’s Office on any type of Leave of Absence (https://registrar.utah.edu/handbook/leave.php) and be approved for a Leave of Absence through the official processes.

For questions regarding eligibility for either deferral or leave of absence, please contact UOSFA. 

For questions or concerns, please contact UOSFA at financialaid@utah.edu or (801) 581-6211.