Western Undergraduate Exchange
The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a regional tuition savings agreement administered by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).
What is Western Undergraduate Exchange?
WUE enables first time freshmen and transfer students from one of 16 WICHE states and territories in the Western U.S. to enroll as nonresidents at San Francisco State University at a reduced fee level.
At SFSU, WUE students only pay CA resident tuition + fees ($8,824 annually in 2026–2027) — the lowest WUE rate in the CSU system! WUE student charges will reflect 150% of the CSU in-state tuition rate plus a waiver applied to reduce all non-CA resident fees. Full-time (12 credits/semester) SFSU WUE students save $11,304 annually.
How to Apply for WUE
All WUE eligible students will receive email correspondence with the WUE Contract once admitted to the university.
Comparison of Costs
| Tuition and Fees | California Resident | Non-California Resident with WUE | Non-California Resident without WUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Semester Tuition and Fees | $4,412 | $4,412 | $10,064* |
*Based on 12 credits with $471 per credit non-resident fee. A savings of about $11,304 per year on regular out-of-state tuition.
WUE Eligible States
Residents of the following states and U.S. insular areas are eligible to apply for WUE:
| WUE Eligible States | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Arizona | California | Colorado | Hawaiʻi | Idaho | Montana |
| Nevada | New Mexico | North Dakota | Oregon | South Dakota | Utah | Washington |
| Wyoming | American Samoa | Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands | Guam | Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) | Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) | Republic of Palau |
Eligibility Requirements
First time freshmen and transfer students enrolling for the first time may apply for the WUE tuition discount.
- Must be a new, incoming student for the semester of admittance; current SFSU students are ineligible.
- Meet all undergraduate admissions and enrollment requirements for non-resident applicants.
- Students must maintain full-time enrollment (at least 12 units) each semester and remain in good standing with the institution.
- WUE students must declare their intent to maintain their legal domicile in their home WICHE state at the time of their application, and are not eligible to reapply for WUE if they choose to break their WUE contract.
- Students must request the WUE tuition rate before they enroll in courses and pay tuition fees at SFSU
- Students in the following majors are not eligible for WUE status: Computer Science, Nursing, Undeclared-Interest in Nursing, and Studio Art
- The WUE rate will be applied for the duration that it takes a student to graduate.
- The WUE rate will no longer apply if a student graduates or goes 2 consecutive semesters not enrolled.
- Students pursing a second bachelor’s degree, credential, master’s, doctoral, or College of Professional & Global Education programs are not eligible to participate in WUE.
- Students pursuing a master’s degree should be referred to the Western Regional Graduate Program.