Many students are excited at the prospect of attending a state college or universities outside of his or her home state. However, the difference in cost between in-state and out-of-state colleges can be significant. For some students, the tuition differential makes the college unaffordable. For others, the extra cost makes the college seem not quite 
“worth it.” Fortunately, students from all 50 states have opportunities to pay in-state tuition at various out-of-state public colleges.
1. Tuition Remissions and Exchange Programs These programs provide students in-state tuition if they complete a major at an out-of-state college not offered in their home state. For example, there is no college in Delaware that offers Architecture as a major. As a result, Delaware has agreements with Auburn University, Louisiana State University, University of Maryland, and University of Tennessee (among others) that enable Delaware residents to pay in-state tuition at those institutions if they major in architecture. All a student must do to earn in-state tuition is be admitted to the university of choice. There is no competitive scholarship application. Each region of the United States has its own tuition exchange programs. Unfortunately, Texas does not participate in any of these exchanges. See the links below:
- Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia
- Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming
- Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Vermont
- Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio or Wisconsin
- Washington D.C.
2. Out-of-State Tuition Waivers Some public colleges will provide out-of-state tuition waivers to different groups of students. The requirements can range from living on campus for 6 months, residing in a certain area, or registering to vote in a given district. Some schools that offer these types of waivers include:
- Eastern Oregon University – given automatically to all students
- Northwestern Oklahoma State University – have at least a 2.0 high school GPA
- Southern Illinois University – must reside in Illinois for 6 months (including in dorms)
- University of Alaska at Anchorage — invest in Alaska’s 529 College Savings Plan
- University of North Dakota — must register to vote in North Dakota
- Washburn University — have lived in or attended school in Kansas for at least 6 months and have registered to vote
Obviously, we couldn’t include every college with some variation of a tuition waiver so be sure to research colleges on your list to see what is offered, or consult with a college expert to learn more.
3. Reciprocity Agreements Many states and institutions have agreements with one another that allow out-of-state students to pay in-state tuition and fees. Some agreements can be found below:
- Kentucky and Illinois
- Kentucky and Ohio
- Kentuck and Tennessee
- Kentucky and West Virginia
- Minnesota and North Dakota
- Minnesota and South Dakota
- Minnesota and Wisconsin
- New Mexico and Colorado
- New York and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
- Western Pennsylvania and Youngstown State University
4. Scholarships Many colleges and universities will cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition to talented students. Keep in mind that many state universities offer merit scholarships that cover even more than this differential. Below is a non-exhaustive list of colleges that offer scholarships to cover the difference:
- Appalachian State University
- Armstrong Atlantic State University
- College of Charleston
- Eastern New Mexico University
- Florida Gulf Coast University
- Idaho State University
- Indiana University — Purdue University Indianapolis
- Kent State University
- Louisiana Tech University
- Mississippi State University
- New Mexico State University
- Texas A&M University
- University of Georgia
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- University of Louisiana at Monroe
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Arkansas
5. Serve in the Military Most state institutions will allow all active duty military personnel or veterans to qualify as residents.
