Non-resident tuition programs

Non-Resident Merit-Based Scholarships

In recognition of outstanding academic achievement, UW-La Crosse awards a significant amount of merit-based scholarships to incoming non-resident students each year through a competitive awarding process. For additional information regarding our merit-based scholarships for non-resident students, please contact Dyllan Griepentrog at dgriepentrog@uwlax.edu or (608)785-8938.

Return to Wisconsin

Non-resident undergraduate students, not including residents of Minnesota, are eligible for participation in the Return to Wisconsin program, which offers a 25 percent discount on the difference between resident and non-resident tuition rates for eligible students whose parents, stepparents, or grandparents graduated from UW-La Crosse. The estimated tuition and fees, with this discount applied, are available here. Download the Return to Wisconsin Form to complete and send to the Admissions Office to establish eligibility for this program. Participation continues in the program as long as a student remains in good standing and makes satisfactory academic progress. Full-time status (12 credits or above) is required on the first day of the fall and spring semesters. Full-time status is not required for the winter or summer sessions. 

Midwest Student Exchange Program

The Midwest Tuition Rate is a competitive merit-based tuition reduction program for selected new freshmen who are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, or South Dakota residents. Selected students may attend the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for 150% of the Wisconsin resident tuition. 

Only new freshmen are eligible to be awarded the Midwest Tuition Rate*. Transfer, re-entry, and graduate students are not eligible. All students who have been admitted as new freshmen and are residents of the above-named states, will automatically be considered for the tuition reduction. No application for the Midwest Tuition Rate is required. A student may not receive both the Midwest Tuition Rate and the Return to Wisconsin non-resident tuition program.

Awardee academic profiles typically include a class rank in the top 15% or a GPA above 3.95 (unweighted). Submission of ACT or SAT scores is not required for consideration. However, eligible students with scores above 25 (ACT) or 1200 (SAT) may be given preference.

Due to the limited nature of merit-based scholarship awards, simply meeting the above criteria does not guarantee that a student will receive the Midwest Tuition Rate. Awards are determined based on the availability of funds and the competitiveness of the applicant pool. Students are encouraged to submit their UW-La Crosse application early to increase their chances of being considered for this discounted tuition rate.

Conditions of an awardee’s continued eligibility for this program are outlined below. Failure to meet these conditions will result in the required payment of the full non-resident tuition rate.

1. Maintain good academic standing as described in the Undergraduate Catalog.
2. Maintain a UW-La Crosse resident grade point average of 3.0 or greater.
3. Full-time enrollment status (12 credits or more) on the first day of the fall and spring semesters. If you drop to less than full-time status after the first day, you may stay in the program the remainder of the semester. However, you must enroll as a full-time student the following semester to be renewed. Full-time status is not required for the winter or summer sessions. 
4. Continuous fall and spring enrollment. If you do not enroll for a fall or spring semester, you will be removed from the program.

*UWL is no longer participating in the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP). Previously awarded MSEP students who meet the conditions of continued eligibility, will continue to receive the MSEP tuition rate throughout their undergraduate career.