On average, an out-of-state school costs $23,890 per year compared to $9,410 for an in-state school. it Another $14,480 per year you could pay just to go to college in a different state than the one you grew up in.
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In four years, you can pay $60,000 more than someone who attends a school in the state. So how can you lower the cost of out-of-state education? Here are seven of our most important tips.
1. Explore regional reciprocity programs
Many schools have “regional reciprocity agreements” or “learning exchange programs” that allow you to attend certain out-of-state colleges at state fees.
For example, 18 colleges in Georgia offer in-state education to residents of the border states. This includes Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida.
On a much larger scale, several states have teamed up to create regional reciprocity programs that reduce out-of-state tuition fees at hundreds of public and private schools.
The four largest regional reciprocity programs include:
- Midwest Student Exchange – Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
- New England Regional Student Program – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
- Academic Common Market – Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
- Western Student Exchange – Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Some schools will offer in-state tuition for Any a student in a neighboring state, while others may require you to meet certain criteria, such as having a certain high school GPA or declaring a certain major.
Tip MU30: Already have multiple colleges in mind? Look at their websites or contact financial aid to see if they have any training exchange or reciprocity programs.
2. Find out if you have the right to opt out
In some cases, you can get a tuition waiver that allows you to attend an out-of-state college at a reduced cost. Tuition fee waivers are usually granted to students with special circumstances:
- You (or someone in your immediate family) is a veteran or member of the active military.
- You were an excellent student or an excellent student.
- You are enrolled in a special program such as STEM or healthcare.
- You work at the school you want to attend.
- You have been or are part of the foster care system.
- You are an unconventional student.
- You are of Indian origin.
- You are having financial difficulties.
To see if you qualify, search for “tuition waiver” on the websites of your favorite schools. This should open a list of all currently available learning waivers. (For example, I found 13 rejections on the University of Washington website.)
3. Apply for Out of State Scholarships
There are several scholarships specifically for students who are attending an out-of-state college. These scholarships can help you cover tuition, room and board, and other expenses.
To find an out-of-state scholarship, start by checking with your college’s financial aid department. There is a good chance that the school has scholarships meant for non-residents.
From there, search for a scholarship using a tool like the College Council Scholarship Search or Fastweb. You can find some private scholarships to help keep your out-of-pocket costs down.
Read more: Scholarships and Grants: How to Get Free College Money
Tip MU30: Is your parent or guardian working in higher education at one of these Tuition Exchange member schools? If so, you can apply for a mutual scholarship that will allow you to attend hundreds of schools in the US, Canada, Greece, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland for free or at a reduced rate!
4. Consider Becoming a Resident Assistant
If you’re considering going to an out-of-state college, one way to keep costs down is to become a Resident Assistant (RA). RAs usually receive free or reduced-price accommodation in exchange for their duties, which may include things like providing tours and organizing social events.
So while you may not get a tuition discount, it can help you save on housing while you’re there.
To become an RA, start by talking to your college housing authority. They should be able to tell you about any open RA positions and their requirements. You may also be required to complete an application and be interviewed.
5. Discuss the cost of out-of-state education with the Office of Financial Aid.
It’s not widely advertised, but you can technically negotiate tuition fees and fees with the financial aid office. In fact, it can save you 5% to 15%. With a $60,000 four-year training program, that’s a savings of $3,000 to $9,000.
In addition to negotiating, the financial aid office is also a way to find out what types of assistance are available to you as an out-of-state student.
Read more:
6. Become a state resident
This advice may seem a bit far-fetched, but listen to me. For example, if you’re taking a sabbatical and have time to settle down in a state where you want to go to college, it might be worth it.
Each state has different residency requirements, but you generally need to live there for at least a year before you can apply for state status.
Start by learning the requirements for the state you want to move to, and then get started. This may include getting a job or an apartment in the state, getting a driver’s license, and more.
7. Look for schools with lower tuition fees out of state
If all else fails and you don’t have the option to lower your out-of-state tuition fees, another option is to simply look for schools that charge lower rates for out-of-state students.
Tip MU30: Want to know which colleges have the lowest tuition fees? Check out this affordability calculator from the US Department of Education.
Once you have the tuition rates for different out-of-state colleges, you can start comparing your options and decide which school is best for you.
Read more: Not enough financial help? Here are 10 ways to pay for college
bottom line
Studying out of state can be costly, but there are ways to keep costs to a minimum without racking up a ton of student loan debt. Use these tips to see how much you can save.
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