WICHE / WRGP Tuition Rate

The State of Washington has been a member of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) since 1955. WICHE is a 15-state commission working to improve access to higher education for students in the western region.

The University of Washington’s Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) is part of WICHE’s Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) which makes this program available at resident tuition rates to students with residency in one of the following 14 states and 2 US territories.

Please note:  WRGP selection is competitive based on academic merit, evaluation in the candidate pool, and financial need.

WRGP Application

WRGP Rate Eligibility

WRGP selection is competitive based on academic merit, evaluation in the candidate pool, and financial need.  Applicants selected for the WRGP tuition rate for the MLA program must meet the following 2 eligibility requirements:

1. Residency – Only legal residents of one of the 14 eligible states and 2 US territories listed above are eligible to apply for the WRGP resident/in-state tuition rate. Applicants must provide evidence of residency (see below for acceptable documents)..
2. Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) – Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in order to qualify for the WRGP resident rate. Once in the MLA program, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain eligible. Please note that all financial aid decisions, including approval of the WRGP tuition rate, are based in part on academic merit and performance.

Application Process

Applicants who are extended an offer of admission and are selected to participate in the WRGP will be notified with their offer letter. Please do not submit an application or send materials until requested by the Department. WRGP candidates who accept their offer of admission will be required to submit an application and provide the following documentation to the department by August 15:

1. Proof of legal residence in a WRGP state for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the beginning of the first academic term (Autumn quarter).
2. Proof of income earned in resident state or resident student status for the same time frame.
3. Proof of other legal ties to the WRGP State (Employment records, driver’s license, vehicle registration, voter registration or active bank account).

Proof of eligibility can be demonstrated by submitting three of the following items:

• Vehicle registration
• Driver’s license
• W2
• State income tax return
• Utility bill dated nine months ago

To protect your privacy, please BLACK OUT your social security number, birthdate, and driver’s license number on the documents you send to us.

Undocumented students may be eligible for WRGP tuition and should discuss their circumstances with the MLA Program Coordinator (parrettj@uw.edu)

Students are selected for the WRGP based on residency status, academic merit, overall rank in the MLA candidate pool, and financial need.  The number of students accepted into the WRGP varies year to year, however, the department is committed to accepting the greatest number of students possible.

Additional Tuition Rate Information

For anyone who accepts an offer of admission into the MLA program and is selected for participation in the WRGP, the Department will coordinate directly with UW Student Fiscal Services to implement a WICHE tuition waiver granting the WRGP resident tuition rate. Each student, however, will be responsible for communicating directly with the Office of Financial Aid about their FAFSA application and any other aid.

The awarded WRGP resident rate will apply to the tuition for all years of the degree program. Students will not need to “renew” or reapply for the WRGP rate each year.  Note: The University requires that students pursuing more than 1 master’s degree, pay the higher/est tuition rate of the degrees being pursued. Students who are pursuing a concurrent degree (MLA/MArch or MLA/MUP) are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by both departments for eligibility for the WRGP rate.  The MLA and MUP tuition rates are the same, however, the MArch tuition rate is slightly higher.

Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress

All students granted the WRGP tuition rate must maintain good academic standing in the department in order to continue to receive the resident tuition rate. Failure to maintain the minimum UW Graduate School and Department requirements for satisfactory scholarship and progress can result in a withdrawal of the WRGP resident tuition rate.

Questions?

If you have questions, please contact Vanessa Lee, Program Administrator, at VNL2@uw.edu.