An out-of-state public university is any public university in a state that you don’t live in.

Example: 

I live in Tennessee but apply to the University of Michigan.

In-state tuition for a Michigan resident is $16,000. 

Out-of-state tuition for nonresidents like me is $53,000. 

Yikes.

So What’s the Deal with Out-of-State Publics?

You may have noticed in ”The Five College Types” section that out-of-state public universities are typically not great financial fits for most students. This is true; however, this also a great opportunity to share perhaps the most important college affordability rule:

There are always exceptions.

To prove this point, here are two fabulously weird exceptions to the “out-of-state-public-universities-are-generally-not-affordable” rule.

Oddball College Affordability Loopholes

• At the University of Central Arkansas, students who live on campus are granted in-state tuition.

• Through a state subsidy initiative called NC Promise, out-of-state tuition at three North Carolina public universities—Western Carolina, UNC-Pembroke and Elizabeth City State—is only $2,500 per semester. (It’s only $500 per semester for North Carolina residents.)

In situations like those above, out-of-state public universities may be more financially viable, particularly for students in Quadrants #2 and #4 whose families likely have the ability to afford in-state tuition rates without additional financial aid.

Just like there’s no “ultimate scholarship list,” there’s also no comprehensive list of these in-state tuition waiver or workaround programs.

So other than just getting lucky and stumbling across one of these, how can I seek out tuition workarounds for out-of-state public universities?

I’ve got some tips. 

Below are the top pathways I’ve found for students who are seeking a way to make this college type more financially feasible.

Top Ten Affordability Workarounds for
Out-of-State Public Universities

Most of these workarounds work for students in any Financial Fit Quadrant, but if one is quadrant specific, I’ve tagged them to help you out.

Also, feel free to skim. There’s a lot to unpack.

Based on Merit (Great Grades, Test Scores, or Athletic Ability):

1. Elite Competitive Scholarships (Quadrants #1 and #2)

Many colleges have some sort of “top scholarship.” Many of these are a full ride and include additional programming and funding for summer experiences.

In order to be competitive for these scholarships, you not only need to be confident you could be accepted at the college, but also that you are likely to be in the top 10% of applicants. 

Pro Tips:

• Many of these scholarships require some form of nomination process that needs to happen EARLY senior year. (Think August/September.)

• Be sure to look at the profiles of students who’ve won (if possible) to get a better idea of the qualities students who are winning these scholarships have.

• Many of these scholarships include interviews as part of the selection process. Practicing with a teacher/counselor/friend in advance is encouraged.

Below are some examples of this scholarship type from my home state of North Carolina:

• UNC Chapel Hill’s Morehead-Cain Scholarship: Finalist Profiles

• UNC Chapel Hill’s Robertson Scholars Leadership Program: Finalist Profiles

• North Carolina State’s Park Scholarship: Finalist Profiles

• UNC-Charlotte’s Levine Scholars: Finalist Profiles

• North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central’s Cheatham-White Scholarship Program

Here are more examples from across the US:

• University of Virginia’s Jefferson Scholarship

• Stamps Scholarship at multiple universities including UCLA, University of Michigan, Purdue, Ohio State, University of Florida, University of Georgia

• Here’s a list of way more of these for both public and private colleges.

2. Automatic Merit Scholarship based on GPA/Scores (Quadrant #2 and sometimes #1)

Some universities automatically award or automatically consider/invite students to apply for scholarships based on their GPAs and/or test scores. These scholarships usually drop tuition to in-state levels for finalists and some add more money on top of that.

Pro Tips:

• To find out if a college offers this kind of scholarship, I find that googling “[name of university] out-of-state scholarships” usually yields results the quickest.

• Be sure to apply by the Early Action/Priority admissions deadline so you don’t miss out on a scholarship you might have otherwise qualified for.

Here are a few examples of universities that use this method to attract out-of-state students:

• University of Tennessee at Knoxville

• University of Alabama

• University of South Carolina (USC is a bit more qualitative)

• Coastal Carolina University

• Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University

• University of Wyoming

• University of Maine

• Bonus: University of Oklahoma’s National Merit Finalist Scholarship (for students who did super well on that junior year PSAT)

3. Athletic Scholarship (Any Quadrant)

If you are a fantastic athlete who wants to continue to play in college, then earning an athletic scholarship could be your pathway to an affordable education.

I’m no expert on athletic scholarships, though many folks are! But here are some basic guidelines:

• Only Division I teams can offer full rides. Most students on Division I teams aren’t receiving full scholarships. Division II teams can offer partial scholarships which could range from $500 to just short of a full ride. Division III teams cannot offer sports scholarships, but they can put in a good word for you with the admissions office if they want to.

• Receiving emails or surveys does not mean you’re being “recruited.” Talking directly with coaching staff, emailing/texting specific coaches and taking official visits does. Getting recruited takes work!

• Athletic scholarships are one-year deals. Be sure you have a contingency plan if you don’t continue with the sport—because you’re hurt, because the coach leaves, etc—after year one.

• Nothing is final until you sign your National Letter of Intent.

• Paying someone to help you get recruited is generally not a great idea. Talking to your coach, students you know who have been recruited and your high school’s NCAA coordinator are all excellent ideas.

Action Items for all Would-be College Athletes:

• Find out who is your high school’s NCAA coordinator ASAP (usually a counselor) and let them know you’re interested in playing collegiate sports.

• Check out the NCAA website as it has so much amazing information.

Based on Where You Live  (Quadrants #2 and #4, sometimes Quadrant #1)

4. Tuition Exchange

Many states participate in tuition exchanges in which students from certain states pursuing certain majors can attend college in a partner state as if they were a resident of the college’s state. You can find out about options for your state here. (For my fellow North Carolinans, don’t bother. We don’t participate. But on the plus side, our in-state tuition rates are some of the best in the country!)

5. Honorary In-State Designation

Some universities offer in-state tuition to students in the surrounding area even though the students technically live across state lines. Some of these are automatic. Some have a merit component.

Here are some examples:

• East Tennessee State offers in-state tuition to students in certain border counties as well as to students with decent grades applying to certain majors.

• SUNY Maritime designates residents of certain states as “in region” and therefore eligible for in-state tuition.

• University of Arkansas drops tuition to almost in-state rates for students from surrounding states--and, oddly, Georgia—with a 3.2+ GPA.

Based on Your Parent(s) (Any Quadrant)

6. Your parent is an In-State Resident  

If your parents are separated and one parent lives in a different state than you, you likely qualify for in-state tuition in that parent’s state as well as the state you currently live in. Check the state’s “residency requirements” to make sure though. These can be a tough read, so don’t hesitate to ask a counselor or parent to help you with this one.

7. Your parent’s affiliation with a university

• Your parent is employed by a college

  • Personal example: My husband has worked at a college for 15 years. If he’s still working at the college when my son graduates high school, we’ll qualify for a tuition benefit program that pays a significant amount of the college tuition at the college he works at or even another institution.

• Your parent graduated from the university you’re applying to

  • Some institutions provide scholarship funds for children of alumni. The ones I know of are smaller amounts (a few thousand dollars), but it’s something to check into!

8. Your Parent’s Military Service

We already talked about the Yellow Ribbon Program in the Institutional Scholarships section, but here’s a recap: 

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a college financial aid program through which certain institutions match or add to money provided by the GI Bill as an educational benefit to veterans and their dependents. All types of colleges can be Yellow Ribbon Schools and the aid available ranges drastically depending on the institution and how quickly you submit your paperwork.

Based on Your Employer (Any Quadrant, but special heads up for DACA students)

9. Work for a company that will fund or sponsor your college costs

Often states have rules to allow businesses within that state to “sponsor” their employees’ educations at the in-state tuition rate. Basically, if your boss is willing to pay for your education (or you work out an agreement so that you pay your boss back), then you/your boss can pay the in-state rate.

Warning: These rules can be especially tricky. You’ll probably need a counselor’s help to understand exactly how this works.

• One nationally applicable example of this is Starbucks’ partnership with Arizona State University. The Starbucks College Achievement Plan is a program in which Starbucks reimburses (pays back after you pay up front) its employees for their degree obtained online through ASU.

Based on Residency Rules (Any Quadrant)

10. Move to the State

In one sense, this is perhaps the most straightforward option. If you want to qualify for in-state tuition, move to the state the college is in. On the other hand, methods to this end are likely tricky at best and possibly downright impractical. 

Here are just a few examples of what a student/family would need to do:

• Option A: The whole family moves to the state a year (or sometimes two) before the student would start college.

• Option B: The student gets a job, becomes financially independent (gets a driver’s license and pays taxes in that state), attends a community college in the state and then, after a year, transfers to the intended university.

• Option C: Get married to someone who lives in that state.

One final random loophole that maybe, just maybe will apply to you is tuition waivers. These are basically a guaranteed discount that very few and very specific people are given. The University of Maine System has a straightforward list here that can give you some examples of the types of people who can get these.

The bottom-line:

Don’t give up on a college you’re really interested in until you’ve done at least a little digging on your own or—possibly better idea—talked to the college’s financial aid office or a trusted college advising adult.

Conversely, don’t assume the money will “work out” without doing some basic research. (For example, complete a Net Price Calculator, perhaps?)

Which college type would you like to explore next?

• Public In-state Universities

• Private Colleges/Universities

• Public Two-year Colleges

• International Universities

Or perhaps now you’ve got a solid list of 6-8 colleges you’re confident can be affordable and are ready to move on to the next of our four steps: the FAFSA.

Or maybe you need a break. Take it. Leave this tab open. It’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready.