Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
What is WUE?
If you are not a resident of Colorado but live in the western United States or in select jurisdictions of the U.S. Pacific islands, you may be eligible for a significant reduction in tuition through the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) award.
Simply put: You could save about $10,000 per year. That could be $40,000 in savings over the course of four years.
Plus, if you have a GPA of 4.0 or above, you will also be eligible to receive the Rocky Mountain Scholar Award. This award provides $2,500 per year, divided between the the fall and spring semesters. It can be renewed as long as the WUE scholarship requirements continue to be met.
But wait! We also offer Green and Gold merit scholarships for non-Colorado residents. If your GPA makes you eligible for the highest award, you will be awarded the higher scholarship option; WUE and Green and Gold merit scholarships can’t be combined.
How do you apply?
We only need your application for admission to CSU. No separate application needed.
Eligible locations
U.S. Pacific Islands: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau
Cost comparison
| Colorado residents | Non-residents | WUE residents | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time tuition and general fees | $13,373 | $34,751 | $24,053 |
| Other estimated costs | $21,311 | $22,024 | $22,024 |
| Total estimated cost of attendance | $34,684 | $56,775 | $46,077 |
Estimated costs are for the on-campus 2024-2025 academic year. See the full breakdown.
Freshmen student eligibility
To be considered, you must:
- Be seeking a degree through CSU’s main campus (not CSU Online) AND
- Be a resident of a WUE-eligible state or territory AND
- Demonstrate a GPA of 3.2 or above (on a 4.0) scale. Your highest cumulative GPA, whether it is weighted or unweighted, will be considered for scholarship purposes. AND
- Submit an application for admission by:
- January 15 for a fall semester start. Your application must be complete by March, including any new transcripts that could strengthen your scholarship eligibility.
- November 1 for a spring semester start. Your application must be complete by December, including any new transcripts that could strengthen your scholarship eligibility.
Transfer student eligibility
To be considered, you must:
- Be seeking a degree through CSU’s main campus (not CSU Online) AND
- Be a resident of a WUE-eligible state or territory AND
- Submit a complete application for admission by June 1 for fall semester or November 1 for spring semester. If a student starts classes in summer, the scholarship can’t be used until fall semester.
- Have a cumulative college GPA of a 3.0 or over with at least one semester of college completed
- Transfer to CSU with at least 15 college-level credits
Get full details for freshmen
Learn more about the WUE award and other CSU scholarships for freshmen/first-year students.
Get full details for transfers
Learn more about the WUE award and other CSU scholarships for transfer students.