In-State Tuition for Out-of-State Students

An article in yesterday's Kansas City Star announcing that Washburn University in Topeka, KS would be offering in-state tuition rates to Missouri residents sparked much discussion in the comment section of the newspaper's website. Several readers questioned how the campus was allowed to make that decision, with others weighing in that Washburn is not a Kansas Board of Regents school, therefore allowed to do as it pleases.

Actually, Pittsburg State University, which IS a Kansas Board of Regents school, has been offering in-state tuition rates to out-of-state students for several years. The "Gorilla Advantage" is not only for Missouri residents from specific counties (Barton, Barry, Bates, Cass, Cedar, Dade, Henry, Jackson, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, St. Clair, and Vernon), but also includes students from a set list of counties in both Oklahoma (Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Nowata, Ottawa, Rogers, Tulsa, and Washington) and Arkansas (Benton and Washington).

Emporia State University, also a Kansas Board of Regents school, offers what they term a "NEARR tuition rate." Although it is not the same as in-state tuition, it is a heavily reduced out-of-state rate for residents of Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas, more than half the cost for students enrolled from other states.

Many college/university campuses that are located in close proximity to state lines offer similar reciprocal agreements. Although this option is new to Washburn, this financial aid practice is anything but new (or controversial).

In fact, as another local example, the University of Missouri Kansas City offers the "Metro Rate" to residents of several Kansas counties (Atchison, Douglas, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, Osage, Shawnee and Wyandotte).

The University of Missouri St. Louis also offers a "Metro Rate" for residents of the Illinois counties just across the river from their campus (Jersey, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair).

One more example is the University of Arkansas, which offers the "Non-Resident Tuition Award" to incoming students from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma who have a 3.25 or higher GPA and an ACT of at least 24 or 1130 SAT (freshmen) or a 3.0 or higher college GPA and 24 transferable hours (transfers). This financial aid provision covers the difference between in-state tuition and out-of-state tuition for qualified students.

Students and their families who are interested in attending a college/university outside of their own state should consult the financial aid office to learn whether or not an in-state or reduced tuition rate is available. 

If the lower tuition is not an option for incoming freshmen, investigate the process for becoming a resident of that state and how soon the in-state tuition cost could be applied to the student's financial aid package.