{"id":77318,"date":"2026-03-18T10:04:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T17:04:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=77318"},"modified":"2026-03-18T10:09:36","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T17:09:36","slug":"how-nau-is-making-grad-school-more-affordable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/how-nau-is-making-grad-school-more-affordable\/","title":{"rendered":"How NAU is making grad school more affordable"},"content":{"rendered":"

Building on the success of the\u00a0<\/span>Western Undergraduate Exchange<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(WUE) program,\u00a0which offers out-of-state students from select states and territories a significant discount on tuition,\u00a0NAU is now making similar moves for\u00a0grad\u00a0students.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>Western Regional Graduate Program<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(WRGP)\u00a0will launch\u00a0in\u00a0Fall\u00a02026,\u00a0significantly\u00a0increasing\u00a0affordable access to graduate school\u00a0for students\u00a0throughout\u00a0the\u00a0western United States.\u00a0Nearly all\u00a0in-person master\u2019s degrees and graduate certificates\u00a0will\u00a0now\u00a0be\u00a0eligible for WRGP, giving\u00a0grad\u00a0students\u00a0from participating states and territories\u00a0up to\u00a040%\u00a0off out-of-state\u00a0tuition.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The hallmark benefits of\u00a0both programs\u00a0include no\u00a0additional\u00a0application, no GPA\u00a0or GRE\u00a0requirements for the tuition\u00a0discount\u00a0and\u00a0options\u00a0to enroll in one of\u00a0the many eligible\u00a0academic programs.\u00a0Both WUE and WRGP\u00a0are programs of\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0which promotes\u00a0high-quality, affordable\u00a0postsecondary education across 18\u00a0western states\u00a0and territories.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExpanding WRGP aligns with NAU\u2019s commitment to affordability, access and regional impact,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>Anika Olsen<\/span><\/b>,\u00a0vice\u00a0president of\u00a0enrollment\u00a0management at NAU. \u201cBy offering\u00a0more graduate programs at a reduced tuition rate, we\u2019re helping students across the West pursue advanced degrees that strengthen communities and meet critical workforce needs.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Historically, WRGP eligibility at most universities,\u00a0including NAU,\u00a0has been limited to\u00a0specialized degrees.\u00a0Now,\u00a0NAU will offer\u00a0more than\u00a060 in-person programs\u00a0with the discount, dramatically expanding\u00a0the playing field for\u00a0out-of-state students seeking high-value, workforce-aligned graduate education.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To be eligible, students must be residents of a participating state or territory and enroll in an in-person master\u2019s degree or graduate certificate included in the program. Currently, the only exclusions are the\u00a0<\/span>Physician Assistant MPAS<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0<\/span>School\u00a0of\u00a0Psychology\u00a0EDS<\/span><\/a>. Standard\u00a0admissions\u00a0requirements for each degree still apply.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Participating states and territories<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Residents of these\u00a0states and territories qualify for WRGP tuition\u00a0at NAU:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n