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Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)

Save on out-of-state tuition with America's largest regional tuition savings program.

Tuition and Fees

Cal State Monterey Bay students from the American West and Pacific Islands have an opportunity to receive a significant discount on non-resident tuition thanks to our partnership with the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. 

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) scholarship offers a discount on out-of-state tuition — 150% of the in-state tuition rate — to admitted CSUMB students from eligible states or territories in the West: 

U.S. States

Territories
  • Alaska 
  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming
  • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
  • Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
  • Guam
  • Republic of Marshall Island (RMI)
  • Republic of Palau

Next Steps 

Admitted students who are residents of these states/territories must download, complete, and submit their WUE Contract to receive their tuition discount. The award is renewable for up to four years. 

Download WUE Contract

Common Questions about Western Undergraduate Exchange

For incoming first-year students: 

  • Have or will have completed 15 (year-long) college preparatory A-G courses with a grade of C- or better. These courses are described at the Freshman Requirements webpage.
  • Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
  • Have or will have graduated from high school by the end of the spring term preceding fall enrollment.

For transfer students: 

  • Have a college grade point average of 2.4 or better in all transferable college units completed.
  • Have completed at least 60 semester transferable units or 90 quarter transferable units.
  • Be in good standing at the last college or university attended (i.e., you are eligible to re-enroll).
  • Have completed the following “Golden Four” courses with a grade of C- or better:
    • A1. Oral communication
    • A2. Written communication
    • A3. Critical thinking
    • B4. College level mathematics/quantitative reasoning.

You will be notified by email after the Admissions Office reviews your final transcripts and determines that you meet the WUE eligibility requirements.

No, the WUE tuition is good for four years or until you graduate, whichever comes first. You do not need to reapply for the WUE scholarship for each of those four years you attend Cal State Monterey Bay. However, if you leave the University and do not complete a planned educational leave form, you would need to reapply to the program when you reapply to the University.

Yes, the limit for participation in the WUE program is four years or until you graduate, whichever comes first. Should you attend CSUMB for longer than four years, your tuition will be adjusted to the non-resident tuition rate.

WUE recipients must notify the Admissions Office in writing with any intent to withdraw from the program. Once you are granted a withdrawal from the program, you will then be able to start accruing time towards establishing California residency. Students cannot apply time accrued while participating in the WUE program to establish California residency. 

For information on residency, please visit our Determining California State Residency page.

Have questions about WUE?

Our dedicated team is here to answer your questions about the Western Undergraduate Exchange program.

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