Student Finance

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Policy

Effective fall term 2023

Portland State University participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Program which reduces the cost of tuition for qualified incoming first-year and transfer students. Applicants who qualify for Western Undergraduate Exchange pay a reduced tuition rate equal to 150% of resident tuition. All applicants are automatically considered for WUE upon admission at the undergraduate level.

The Western Undergraduate Exchange tuition rate is applied during all academic terms (fall, winter, spring, summer) for up to 225 total attempted credit hours, or the completion of graduation requirements. There is no limit to the number of credit hours that may be discounted by WUE each term.

The Western Undergraduate Exchange Program does not cover costs associated with any of the following: 

  • Books and Supplies
  • Food and Housing
  • Personal Expenses
  • Transportation
  • Tuition, fees, or services associated with study abroad 

WUE cannot be combined with the Out-of-State Opportunity Scholarship or talent scholarships, and it may not be used concurrently, or in alternating fashion, with the Washington Border Discount. Postbaccalaureate, graduate, and re-enrolling students are not eligible for WUE.

Deadlines

For fall term, all applicants (including transfers) must apply and submit documentation by the first year application deadline to qualify for WUE. For all other terms, students must apply and submit all required documentation by the application and document deadlines for that term.

To qualify for WUE, students must meet all of the following criteria:

  1. Current legal resident of one of the following states or territories: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), or the Republic of Palau.
    1. Applicants who are claimed as dependents for tax purposes and who are legal residents of a WUE state or territory will be considered for WUE if they move to Oregon without their legal guardian and do not establish Oregon residency. Time spent using WUE cannot count toward establishing Oregon residency. Refer to Portland State’s Residency Standards for more information.
    2. Applicants who are claimed as dependents for tax purposes and who are legal residents of a WUE state or territory will be considered for WUE if they move to Oregon with their legal guardian(s) and their legal guardian(s) have not yet established Oregon residency. Once their legal guardian(s) establish(es) Oregon residency, it is the responsibility of the student to work with the PSU Residency Officer to apply for residency for tuition purposes. 
    3. Applicants who are independent for tax purposes and who are legal residents of a WUE state or territory will be considered for WUE if they have not yet established Oregon residency. 
    4. Applicants who temporarily reside outside of a WUE state or territory of which they are a legal resident may still be considered for WUE. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide the Office of Undergraduate Admissions with documentation reaffirming their residence in a WUE state or territory by the admission documents deadline for their intended start term.
  2. Meet PSU's academic requirements for WUE: First-year Academic Requirements: 3.0 cumulative unweighted high school GPA OR 1270 SAT OR 27 ACT composite. Transfer Academic Requirements: 3.0 cumulative transferable college GPA.
    1. An applicant’s student type (i.e. first-year or transfer) is determined at the point of admission and will inform which academic requirements must be satisfied for WUE eligibility. 
    2. It is the applicant’s responsibility to demonstrate that they meet the academic criteria by providing their official academic records to the university by the admission documents deadline for their intended start term. 
    3. PSU does not superscore SAT or ACT test scores (a superscore is the sum of an applicant’s highest test results from different test dates). Qualifying test scores must be from the same test date.
    4. Portland State’s course repeat policy takes into account coursework from other accredited colleges and universities and is applied when calculating an applicant’s GPA for the purpose of admission. 
    5. Applicants who are homeschooled, who have earned a GED, or who attend institutions that do not confer traditional letter grades, may qualify by meeting the aforementioned SAT or ACT score minimums. Applicants who attended an accredited school that does not confer traditional grades must request communication be sent directly from their institution's Registrar to <admissions@pdx.edu> stating an official cumulative GPA. Transcripts containing "keys" to calculate an official GPA are insufficient; the conferring institution must communicate a student's official GPA directly to PSU. It is the applicant's responsibility to request this communication. 
    6. Applicants who take an approved gap year prior to enrolling at Portland State may receive the WUE tuition rate upon enrollment so long as they continue to meet all WUE eligibility criteria.
  3. Be admitted to and enroll at PSU as a first-time student.
    1. If an applicant qualifies for WUE but does not enroll in coursework during their intended start term, their eligibility for the WUE tuition rate will be rescinded. The applicant may be considered for WUE in future terms if they change their start term, qualify for a gap year deferral, or re-apply at a later date.
      1. Co-admitted students who qualify for WUE, but who do not matriculate at Portland State during their intended start term will retain WUE eligibility.
    2. Student-athletes who are required to report to campus prior to their intended start term per NCAA regulations may still qualify for WUE.
  4. Applicants with college level coursework must have less than 225 total attempted credits.
  5. Co-enrolled students are only considered for WUE if PSU is their “Home” institution for Financial Aid purposes.
  6. There are no academic major restrictions on Western Undergraduate Exchange at Portland State.
  7. WUE cannot be reinstated once it is lost.

Awarding Process

Applicants are automatically considered for WUE upon admission to the university. Initial notification of eligibility will be sent to the email address provided on one’s application for admission. The WUE tuition rate is also visible on an eligible student’s financial aid offer letter in the Financial Aid Dashboard. Initial award amounts are calculated at 16 credit hours per term and are finalized at the end of the second week of the term when course registration closes.

Accepting and Receiving WUE

WUE eligibility is finalized based on documentation submitted to the Undergraduate Office of Admissions prior to enrollment at PSU. In order to receive the WUE tuition rate students must do the following:

  • Maintain eligibility between initial awarding and submission of any final admissions and financial aid documents.
  • Submit any outstanding academic records by the WUE documents deadline associated with one’s intended start term.
  • Submit enrollment deposit and/or enrollment confirmation form to PSU by the enrollment confirmation deadline for one’s intended start term.

Maintaining WUE

The WUE tuition rate is automatically applied to student accounts prior to the beginning of each term provided recipients meet the criteria listed below. Failure to meet any of these requirements may result in the forfeiture of WUE:

  • Maintain status as a nonresident undergraduate student.
  • Remain below 225 total attempted credits across all institutions attended.
  • If circumstances require an enrolled student to be away from PSU for a term or more, and they have previously maintained PSU’s Satisfactory Academic Progress, they will retain their eligibility to receive the WUE tuition rate upon re-enrollment.
  • Keep address current and updated in their student account.

WESTERN UNDERGRADUATE EXCHANGE (WUE) POLICY

Effective through summer term 2023

Portland State University proudly participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) for qualified incoming freshman and transfer students. WUE students pay reduced tuition equal to 150% of resident tuition. All applicants are automatically considered for WUE; no separate application is required.

The WUE tuition benefit is available to incoming freshman students for up to four academic years and incoming transfer students for up to three academic years (dependent upon class standing). If an applicant does not meet the requirements for the WUE, they will be considered for the Out-of-State Opportunity Scholarship. WUE cannot be combined with the Out-of-State Opportunity Scholarship or talent scholarships offered by PSU, or used concurrently, or in alternating fashion, with the Washington Border Policy.

WUE adjusts a student’s PSU tuition to 150% of resident undergraduate tuition for up to four academic years for freshman students, three academic years for sophomore transfer students, and two academic years for both junior and senior transfer students. WUE does not cover room and board, books, or personal expenses.

The WUE tuition benefit is only open to first-time undergraduate applicants. Postbaccalaureate and graduate students are not eligible to receive WUE. WUE is not transferable to other institutions and does not cover the cost of tuition and fees for study abroad while enrolled at PSU.

DEADLINES

To qualify for WUE, students must meet the deadlines listed below.

June 15: Deadline to submit undergraduate application for fall term. There is no separate application for WUE. Eligibility is determined based on information submitted during the undergraduate admission process.

August 1: Deadline to submit final official transcripts as well as any other official transcripts reflective of course work taken prior to enrollment at Portland State University

ELIGIBILITY

To qualify for WUE, students must meet all of the following criteria:

  1. Be a current resident of one of the following states or territories: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), or the Republic of Palau.
    1. Applicants who are claimed as a dependent for tax purposes and are a legal resident of a WUE state or territory will be considered for WUE if they move to Oregon without their legal guardian. Time spent using WUE cannot count toward establishing Oregon residency. Refer to Portland State’s Residency Standards (PDF) for more information.
    2. Applicants who are claimed as a dependent for tax purposes and are a legal resident of a WUE state or territory will be considered for WUE if they move to Oregon with their legal guardian(s) and their legal guardian(s) have not yet established Oregon residency. Once their legal guardian(s) establish(es) Oregon residency, it is the responsibility of the student to work with the PSU Residency Officer to apply for residency for tuition purposes. Refer to Portland State’s Residency Standards (PDF) for more information.
    3. Applicants who are independent for tax purposes and are a legal resident of a WUE state or territory will be considered for WUE if they have not yet established Oregon residency. Time spent using WUE cannot count toward establishing Oregon residency. Refer to Portland State’s Residency Standards (PDF) for more information.
    4. Applicants who are a legal resident of a WUE state or territory but temporarily reside outside of a WUE state or territory will be considered for WUE if they provide the Office of Undergraduate Admissions with documentation of legal residence in a WUE state or territory by August 1.
  2. Meet PSU's academic requirements for WUE:
    1. Freshman Academic Requirements: 3.0 cumulative unweighted high school GPA OR 1270 SAT OR 27 ACT composite. Transfer Academic Requirements: 3.0 cumulative transferable college GPA. 
      1. The above academic eligibility is determined by an applicant’s student type (freshman or transfer) at the time of admission. Refer to go.pdx.edu/apply for student type criteria.
      2. An applicant must demonstrate above academic eligibility by August 1. It is the applicant’s responsibility to prove they meet all criteria by August 1 by submitting their official academic records to the university. This is a hard deadline; there are no exceptions.
      3. PSU does not superscore SAT or ACT test scores (a superscore is the sum of test results from different test dates). WUE-qualifying test scores must be from the same test date.
      4. Portland State does not practice academic renewal when calculating a student's GPA for the purpose of WUE.
      5. Students who attend institutions that do not confer traditional letter grades, homeschooled students, and GED recipients may qualify academically using the test score minimums above. Applicants who attended an accredited school that does not confer traditional grades must request communication to be sent directly from their institution's Registrar to admissions@pdx.edu stating an official cumulative GPA. Transcripts containing "keys" to calculate an official GPA are insufficient; the conferring institution must communicate a student's official GPA directly to PSU on or before the August 1 deadline. It is the applicant's responsibility to request this communication.
      6. Applicants who have taken a gap year (or multiple years) can receive WUE as long as they meet all WUE eligibility criteria.
  3. All applicants are considered for WUE regardless of major.
    1. Effective 2015 Fall Term, all PSU all applicants are considered for WUE regardless of major.
    2. Effective 2015 Fall Term, current PSU WUE recipients who change majors can maintain the WUE tuition benefit regardless of their catalog year so long as they meet the criteria for maintaining WUE. The duration of WUE is not extended if a student changes majors.
    3. Effective 2015 Fall Term, those who intend to major in Criminology and Criminal Justice Online (CCJO) are not considered for WUE.
  4. Be admitted to and enroll in PSU as a first-time student starting in fall term.
    1. WUE is only awarded to students who matriculate in the fall term. Applicants seeking WUE should apply for fall term. If an applicant applies for a term other than fall, they can qualify for WUE only if they update their admission term to fall by the deadline listed above and meet all other WUE criteria.
    2. Student-athletes who are required to report to campus prior to fall term per NCAA regulations may qualify for WUE and register for PSU summer term courses, but cannot use the WUE tuition benefit until the start of fall term.
    3. If an applicant qualifies for WUE but does not matriculate in the fall, their eligibility will be rescinded. The applicant may be considered for WUE if they re-apply for a future fall term or qualified for a gap year deferral.

AWARDING PROCESS

Applicants are automatically considered for WUE after being admitted to the university. Students are notified of their initial eligibility via email and/or in their financial aid award. Initial awarding is based on information and documentation provided by the student in the admission process.

Accepting and Receiving WUE

WUE eligibility is finalized based on documentation submitted to Admissions by the August 1 deadline. In order to finalize WUE eligibility, students must:

  • Remain eligible for WUE between initial awarding and submission of final required documentation
  • Submit any outstanding academic records by August 1

MAINTAINING WUE

The WUE tuition benefit is automatically applied to student accounts prior to the beginning of each term provided recipients meet the criteria listed below for maintaining WUE. WUE cannot be reinstated once it is lost and cannot be extended past the initial total allotment of academic years provided to a student based on class standing.

Failure to meet any of these requirements may result in the forfeiture of WUE:

  • Maintain status as a nonresident and undergraduate student 
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 for overall attempted credits at PSU and continue to meet PSU’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
  • Enroll in full-time at PSU (12 or more credits per term at PSU), including online academic programs, each standard academic term (fall, winter, spring)
    • Students may use the WUE tuition benefit for summer term enrollment regardless of credit load (part-time or full-time). Use of the benefit during summer term(s) does not affect the initial total allotment of academic years provided to a student based on class standing. 
    • Students may not use the WUE tuition benefit for part-time enrollment (excluding summer term; see above). Part-time enrollment will be assessed standard out-of-state tuition rates. Students retain the ability to qualify for WUE in succeeding terms during which they enroll full time.
    • Once students matriculate to PSU, co-enrollment credit hours from other institutions may not be used to satisfy the full-time enrollment requirement to enroll full time each term.
  • If circumstances require an enrolled student to be away from PSU for a term or more, and they have previously maintained PSU’s Satisfactory Academic Progress, they will retain their eligibility to receive WUE funds upon re-enrollment. However, students must still meet all WUE eligibility requirements and the initial total allotment of academic years provided to a student based on class standing will not be extended.
  • Keep address current and updated in their student account.

 
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