University of Idaho to expand scholarship program

The University of Idaho announced Friday its plan to expand the Western Undergraduate Exchange scholarship program to the 16 participating states and territories of the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education.

WUE is a multistate program that allows college students across the West to receive reduced out-of-state tuition at participating colleges and universities. Newly admitted UI students who meet certain criteria will be awarded the WUE tuition and fee rate, which is 1.5 times the in-state tuition and fee rate, beginning in the fall. The rate saves a student more than $12,500 per year over the full out-of-state tuition and fees.

Only qualified freshmen and transfer students from Alaska, Washington and Oregon get WUE scholarships from UI today.

The new scholarships will go automatically to qualified new UI students who are residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and the Mariana Islands. Public high school students must have a minimum 3.2 grade point average. The award is renewable for four years if a minimum 2.5 UI GPA is maintained. Transfer students must have a 3.0 or higher transfer GPA.