The Minnesota-Wisconsin Tuition Reciprocity Agreement allows students from one state to pay reduced tuition rates at universities in the other state.
If you are a Minnesota resident attending or planning to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison, you may be eligible for tuition reciprocity benefits for most academic programs.
To see if you are eligible, you must submit an application to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE). Once approved, you will be eligible for a reduced tuition rate if you are enrolled in a qualifying program. You may be eligible for up to five years without reapplying unless you change academic careers (i.e. undergraduate to graduate) or take at least one academic year off.
When Reciprocity Applies at UW
The tuition reciprocity agreement applies to most – but not all – programs at UW–Madison.
Programs that charge all students a flat fee regardless of residency are not covered. Additionally, the reciprocity agreement does not cover Minnesota students enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs.
The Bursar’s Office has a complete list of tuition rates and segregated fees for academic programs on its website.
Applying for Reciprocity Benefits
To apply for tuition reciprocity, you will need to complete an application with the Minnesota OHE. That agency is solely responsible for determining eligibility; UW–Madison will not grant you the Minnesota tuition rate simply based on a Minnesota home address.
Only after OHE determines you are eligible does UW–Madison apply the Minnesota reciprocity tuition rate.
Completing the Application
The Minnesota Reciprocity Application typically becomes available for an upcoming academic year starting in March of the prior academic year (e.g. the application for the 2025-2026 academic year will be available in March 2025). If you are applying to enroll in the fall term, you must wait until March of that calendar year to complete the reciprocity application.
If you intend to enroll in the academic year currently in progress, or if you will change your initial semester of enrollment from the fall term to the summer term, you must complete the application for the current academic year. It is important to submit your application for the academic year that you will first enroll at the university, otherwise you may be assessed at the full nonresident tuition rate.
The deadline for filing an application in Minnesota is the last day of classes at UW–Madison in the term for which you wish to receive reciprocity status. A certification year runs from the beginning of the fall term and extends through the end of the following summer term.
Application Processing
The Minnesota OHE reviews all reciprocity applications based on Minnesota residence for tuition criteria. UW–Madison does not evaluate eligibility and cannot advise you on whether your reciprocity claim will be approved.
If OHE determines you are eligible for tuition reciprocity benefits, the agency will submit your approval status to our office; you will not need to submit any additional information to us. Please note it may take up to one month for reciprocity benefits to appear on your tuition bill.
If you have questions or concerns about your eligibility determination, contact OHE directly.
Your reciprocity benefits will be automatically renewed for a subsequent academic year – for up to five consecutive academic years – if you met the following conditions during the previous academic year:
- You enrolled in credit-bearing courses at UW–Madison;
- You remained enrolled beyond the 100% tuition adjustment period; and
- You paid reciprocity tuition.
You will need to reapply only if you are not enrolled for 12 months and then decide to re-enroll.
If you were not certified prior to the date tuition is due, you must either pay at the nonresident rate and receive a refund upon certification by OHE or delay payment until you are certified and pay any assessed late fees. Please note that having an unpaid balance may impact your ability to enroll in courses for future terms.
FAQs
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Do I have to reapply every year to keep getting reciprocity benefits?
No. You only need to reapply if you take at least one academic year off of school or you change academic careers (i.e. undergraduate to graduate).
Do I have to reapply to keep getting reciprocity benefits after taking a "gap” year?
Yes. You will need to reapply if you take at least one year off; otherwise, your certification remains good for five years unless you change programs (i.e. undergraduate to graduate).
How do I appeal my eligibility for tuition reciprocity?
Eligibility is determined solely by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. If your reciprocity application has been denied but you feel that you are eligible to receive tuition reciprocity benefits, you will need to contact OHE for further guidance.
What happens if I’m in a program that charges a flat fee for all students?
If you’re enrolled in a program that charges a flat fee (or universal tuition rate), you will pay the same tuition regardless of your Wisconsin residency or Minnesota reciprocity status. For these kinds of programs, there is no tuition benefit associated with an approved Minnesota reciprocity application.
Only a small number of programs at UW–Madison have this kind of tuition structure. Those programs generally identify this tuition structure and post the tuition rate on their program webpage.
The Bursar’s Office has a complete list of tuition rates and segregated fees for academic programs on its website.
Can I receive reciprocity tuition if I’m in a professional program?
Some professional programs have Minnesota reciprocity tuition rates and some do not.
The Doctor of Medicine and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs are not included in the interstate agreement between Minnesota and Wisconsin and do not have reciprocity rates. If you’re a Minnesota resident student in one of those programs, you should anticipate paying the full nonresident tuition rate.
Other professional programs (including others in the School of Medicine and Public Health) are eligible for reciprocity rates. However, if the resident tuition rate for a professional program at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is higher than the nonresident tuition rate for the comparable program at UW–Madison, you will pay the lower UW nonresident rate.
If you’re a student in a professional program that offers Minnesota rates, you should apply for reciprocity even if the Minnesota rate does not reduce tuition for your incoming year because tuition rates may change annually and there could potentially be a reduction in future years.
The Bursar’s Office has a complete list of tuition rates and segregated fees for academic programs on its website.
I'm a Minnesota native and I've been attending UW–Madison for more than a year. Am I now considered a Wisconsin resident?
In Wisconsin, eligibility for resident tuition status is governed by state law. Generally, if you came to Wisconsin primarily for educational purposes, you will not be considered an in-state resident for tuition purposes even after living in Wisconsin for one year or more.
For more information, visit our Residence for Tuition Overview webpage.
Do I have to be a full-time student to receive reciprocity benefits?
Both full-time students (those enrolled in 12-18 credits in a fall or spring term) and part-time students (those enrolled in fewer than 12 credits in a fall or spring term) can receive reciprocity benefits.
How do I check to see if I’m receiving reciprocity benefits?
You will need to check your tuition bill each term to make sure you are receiving the Minnesota reciprocity rate.
Note: Minnesota Reciprocity is not a residence status; this means you will see “nonresident” when you check your residence status in your MyUW Student Center. That does not mean you are not receiving the reciprocity tuition rate. For step-by-step instructions on how to view your residence status, refer to this document.
My bill has already been run. Is it too late to get reciprocity?
As long as the academic term has not yet ended, you may apply for reciprocity.
Once the term has ended, the Minnesota OHE generally does not certify eligibility for reciprocity for the term. If you are seeking eligibility for a term that has passed, you need to contact OHE directly for further guidance.
If you were not certified before the date tuition is due, you must either pay at the nonresident rate and seek a refund by submitting a reciprocity application while the term is still active or delay payment until you are certified. If you delay payment, the Bursar’s Office will charge you a late fee and you may not be able to enroll in new courses until you have paid your tuition bill.
For more information about what’s on your tuition bill, visit the Bursar’s Office’s website.
Is reciprocity available for residents of other states?
No. Students from states other than Minnesota are not eligible for reciprocal tuition rates. There is a tuition reciprocity agreement between the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin, which provides a unique tuition benefit for Minnesota students. There are no comparable agreements between Wisconsin and any other state. Nonresident students from other states are assessed at the full nonresident tuition rate.
How do reciprocity benefits work for enrolling in summer courses?
Academic years begin with the fall term and continue through the end of the following summer term.
If you plan to enroll in at least one summer term course before your first full semester, you will need to apply for reciprocity for the current academic year, not the upcoming academic year (i.e. if you’re a first year student in the Fall 2025 Term but plan to take a course during the Summer 2025 Term, you will need to submit the 2024-2025 application).
Once your eligibility has been verified, you are eligible for a reduced tuition rate for five years — including summers — without reapplying unless you change academic careers (i.e. undergraduate to graduate) or take at least one academic year off.
How does reciprocity work with study abroad programs?
Check with the International Academic Programs (IAP) office for more information.
Can I apply for reciprocity before committing to attending UW–Madison?
While it’s possible to change the institution you indicate on your reciprocity application, we strongly recommend you wait to submit the application until you have accepted your admission offer. Applying for reciprocity after the admissions deadline will not affect the likelihood of your application being approved. Review the application steps on this page for more information.
For more information about the steps to take after you have been admitted, visit the Office of Admissions and Recruitment’s website.
How does reciprocity work with the BANNER program?
BANNER, or Badger Aid for Nonresidents, is designed to assist students from low-income households outside of Wisconsin pay for college through a combination of grants, scholarships, and work-study. If eligible, you may be able to receive both the reciprocal tuition rate and aid through BANNER.
All Minnesota students, including those in BANNER, must apply for reciprocity benefits with the Office of Higher Education to receive the reciprocal tuition rate.
Space in BANNER is limited and not guaranteed. For more information, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid’s website.
Do I have to complete the FAFSA to receive reciprocity?
No. If you are a Minnesota resident, you can apply for reciprocity benefits regardless of whether you have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Visit the Office of Student Financial Aid’s website for more information about completing the FAFSA.
Does completing the FAFSA automatically earn me Minnesota reciprocity benefits?
No. All Minnesota students, including those in BANNER, must apply for reciprocity benefits with the Office of Higher Education to receive the reciprocal tuition rate.