Guaranteed Tuition
Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵapp participates in the Fixed Tuition Program established by for NC-resident undergraduate students. This statute requires that all UNC institutions fix undergraduate tuition for up to eight consecutive semesters (excluding summer sessions) for North Carolina residents who meet certain requirements.
Certain non-resident undergraduate students may be eligible for the previous NC Promise base tuition rate of $2,500 if they were enrolled in Summer 2025, Fall 2025, or Spring 2026 and have not experienced a break in continuous enrollment as defined by WCU. A break in continuous enrollment occurs when a student is not enrolled for three consecutive terms, including summer, consistent with our Leave of Absence policy.
These statutes guarantee only certain tuition rates. Fees and other costs may increase annually. The guarantee does not apply to room and board, mandatory fees, special fees, program fees, or other course-specific charges.
Guaranteed Tuition Information
Fixed tuition rates are available to North Carolina residents (in-state) who are first-time college students enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program. To maintain eligibility, students must remain continuously enrolled during the tuition period in fall and spring semesters and be enrolled in courses that count toward their degree.
Students who are initially classified as non-resident (out-of-state) for tuition purposes but are later reclassified as a resident for tuition purposes qualify for fixed tuition at WCU’s current rate for the balance of their remaining eligibility period.
Eligible transfer students receive fixed tuition rates for a prorated time period, based on certain credits accepted from the transferring institution(s).
Non-Eligible Students
The following students are not eligible for in-state fixed tuition and will be billed based on current tuition rates:
- Non-resident students (students from outside of North Carolina)
- Graduate students
- Continuing Education students
- Students currently enrolled in a cooperative innovative high school/early college
- Consortium or dual-enrollment program students
- Second degree-seeking students
- Non-degree seeking students
- Distance program students
- Students whose fixed tuition eligibility (cohort) has expired
Non-resident undergraduate students eligible under NC Promise for the $2,500 tuition rate who were enrolled in Summer 2025, Fall 2025, or Spring 2026, and have not experienced a break in continuous enrollment will be grandfathered into that rate.
Non-resident undergraduate students who are not eligible for the $2,500 cohort (GT2500) will be assessed the current pubished tuition rate of $3,500.
Eligible in-state students are assigned a fixed tuition rate for up to eight semesters based on the assessed rate during their first semester of study at WCU. The tuition rate assigned to a student is based on the term in which the student first enrolls at WCU.
For example, if a newly enrolled first-time student enters WCU in the Fall 2027 semester, the fixed tuition rate for that student will generally expire at the end of the Spring 2030 semester.
Transfer students and current students with newly reclassified residency may receive fixed tuition for a prorated number of consecutive semesters.
At the end of the fixed tuition period, the cost of tuition for any additional academic semesters reverts to the current tuition rate at WCU.
Students are no longer eligible for fixed tuition rates at WCU if they break continuous enrollment or otherwise fail to maintain eligibility. This typically occurs when a student is not enrolled for three consecutive terms, including Summer, consistent with WCU's Leave of Absence policy. Additional reasons include changes in residency (RDS status), cohort expiration, or failure to meet eligibility requirements.
Tuition rate appeal requests may be submitted to the Student Accounts Office for review
by an appeal committee. Requests must be submitted via email to studentaccounts@wcu.edu with the subject line “Tuition Appeal" and should include any relevant documentation
supporting the request.
The committee may take up to four weeks to issue a decision.
Additional information about the Fixed Tuition Program is available in the .