Non-resident High School Student Scholarships
Homeschool students, students from non-accredited high schools, and students who have a GED, please contact the U of I Student Financial Aid Office for further information.
High school student from another state
Learn About WUE for Incoming Freshmen
The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a tuition waiver for qualified new, first-time freshmen and transfer students pursuing their first bachelor’s degree in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 who meet the specific criteria listed below. Instead of paying full out-of-state tuition, WUE students pay in-state tuition plus 50%, resulting in a savings of approximately $16,000 for the 2025-26 academic year. That’s nearly $64,000 in value over the course of four years!
This waiver is renewable for up to four years for first-year recipients with a minimum University of Idaho GPA of 2.5. For transfer students, the award is renewable up to three additional years, depending on the number of transfer credits, with a minimum University of Idaho GPA of 2.5.
WUE states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Palau, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
If you are:
- A new, first-time freshman/transfer admitted to University of Idaho
- Pursuing your first bachelor's degree
- A resident of a WUE participating state
- Enrolled full-time (minimum of 12 credits)
Then, you are automatically eligible to receive the WUE waiver when filling out an application for admission. There is no separate application for the WUE waiver, and there is no deadline for completing the admission application. You receive automatic consideration upon applying.
This waiver will be available up to a total of four years by maintaining continuous, full-time enrollment and a 2.5 cumulative U of I GPA.
The Invitation to Idaho is a tuition waiver for qualified new, first-time freshmen and transfer students pursuing their first bachelor’s degree in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 who meet the specific criteria listed below. The waiver results in savings of nearly $16,000 for the 25-26 academic year.
Non-resident students will notice a full in-state and non-resident charge for applicable tuition and fees each semester. Once a student is enrolled full-time, they will see their waiver applied towards their billing statement each semester. Fall term bills will be sent via email in late July, annually; spring term bills will be sent via email on or around January 2, annually.
To be eligible you must:
- Be a resident of a non-WUE state or an international student
- Be a new, first-time freshman admitted to University of Idaho
- Be pursuing your first bachelor's degree
- Have an incoming GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Be enrolled full-time (minimum of 12 credits)
There is no separate application for the Invitation to Idaho waiver. If you meet the requirements, you are automatically eligible to receive the waiver when you apply for admission to the university. Also, there is no deadline for completing the admission application.
- The waiver is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate enrollment for first-year recipients with a 2.5 minimum University of Idaho cumulative GPA.
- For transfer students, the award is renewable for up to three additional years, depending on the number of transfer credits, with a minimum University of Idaho GPA of 2.5.
University of Idaho is a first choice for aspiring leaders from around the U.S. In fact, we are a leader among schools in the Northwest and enroll more National Merit Scholars than all Idaho institutions combined.
The Idaho National Merit Scholar program guarantees a scholarship that covers university-defined educational costs for basic tuition and fees, and housing and meals in a U of I residence hall for four years to all National Merit Finalists who declare University of Idaho as their first-choice institution.
How do I qualify for the National Merit Scholarship?
- Achieve Finalist standing with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in your Junior year of High School through PSAT and SAT scores.
- Be admitted as a first-year student entering directly from high school or home school.
- Submit a copy of your National Merit Finalist letter to the Financial Aid Office.
- Declare University of Idaho as first school of choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation by their deadline of May 31.
What is the Value of the National Merit Scholarship?
This award covers basic registration fees/tuition and the university-defined cost for room and board for a traditional undergraduate if you live in a U of I residence hall. Fees/tuition are set by the Idaho State Board of Education in late spring, annually. The value of this award for the 2024-25 academic year is $20,588 for Idaho residents. For non-residents, a full non-resident tuition waiver (a value of $19,236) is also included. That's over $82,000 in cash scholarships, plus a full non-resident tuition waiver for non-residents, over four years. The best news is that the value of the scholarship program increases at the same rate as costs increase.
Will the National Merit Scholarship cover all my expenses?
The fee portion of the scholarship covers basic registration/tuition fees only. You will be responsible for paying any special course and lab fees. The scholarship is designed to support you during the fall and spring terms, only; winter intersession and summer term enrollment is not required and therefore we cannot promise additional funding for these optional experiences at this time.
Housing and meals fees are calculated using the university-defined cost for a double room in the Living Learning Communities (LLCs, also home to Honors Living), and an all-access meal plan for a typical undergraduate. Students may choose to live in any university-managed housing; however, depending on the actual cost for housing and meals, a student may end up owing a small amount out of pocket.
Take advantage of as many external scholarship resources as you can! It pays to search and apply. Any extra resource(s) you bring in can help pay for the great education offered at the U of I.
Although you are automatically considered for any university-based scholarships for which you are eligible, we highly recommend that you consider additional sources of funding. Speak with your U of I academic advisor and check with family employers, credit unions, churches and other community organizations to see if they offer scholarships. You can even reach out to your college department and see what departmental scholarships you may qualify for. You may also find some of the following links helpful.
Looking for Outside Scholarships? Use ScholarshipUniverse!
ScholarshipUniverse makes it easier to find scholarships outside the U of I. By answering a few simple questions, you could be matched to a variety of potential scholarships. The ScholarshipUniverse dashboard also provides a quick and convenient way to keep up with upcoming application deadlines.
Idaho State Sources
Military Sources
The United States Air Force, Army, and Navy offer a suite of government scholarships to students who participate in their ROTC programs. For more information and details, contact U of I’s Military and Veteran Services Office.