Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 36 - University of Wisconsin system.
36.27 - Tuition.

36.27 Tuition.
(1) Board of regents to establish.
(a) Subject to par. (b), the board may establish for different classes of students differing tuition and fees incidental to enrollment in educational programs or use of facilities in the system. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the board may charge any student who is not exempted by this section a nonresident tuition. The board may establish special rates of tuition and fees for the extension and summer sessions and such other studies or courses of instruction as the board deems advisable.
(b) The board shall permit a person who is 60 years of age or older to audit a course without paying an auditor's fee if the person is a resident of this state, as determined under sub. (2) (e), space is available in the course and the instructor approves.
(2) Nonresident tuition exceptions.
(a) Students qualifying under any of the following categories, while they continue to be residents of this state, are entitled to exemption from nonresident tuition but not from incidental or other fees:
1. Any adult student who has been a bona fide resident of the state for 12 months next preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which such student registers at an institution.
2. Any minor student, if one or both of the student's parents have been bona fide residents of this state for at least 12 months next preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the student registers at an institution.
3. Any adult student who is a dependent of his or her parents under 26 USC 152 (a), if one or both of the student's parents have been bona fide residents of this state for at least 12 months next preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the student registers at an institution.
4. Any minor student who has resided substantially in this state during the years of minority and at least 12 months next preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which such student registers at an institution.
5. Any minor student under guardianship in this state whose legal guardian has been a bona fide resident of this state for at least 12 months next preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which such student registers at an institution.
6. Any adult student who has been employed as a migrant worker for at least 2 months each year for 3 of the 5 years next preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the student registers at an institution, or for at least 3 months each year for 2 of the 5 years next preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the student registers at an institution, any adult student whose parent or legal guardian has been so employed while the student was a minor and any minor student whose parent or legal guardian has been so employed. In this subdivision, “migrant worker" has the meaning specified in s. 103.90 (5).
(am) Any person who is a refugee, as defined under 8 USC 1101 (a) (42), who moved to this state immediately upon arrival in the United States and who has resided in this state continuously since then is entitled to the exemption under par. (a) if he or she demonstrates an intent to establish and maintain a permanent home in Wisconsin according to the criteria under par. (e).
(b)
1. Nonresident members of the armed forces and persons engaged in alternative service who are stationed in this state on active duty and their spouses and children are entitled to the exemption under par. (a) during the period that such persons are stationed in this state.
2. Members of the armed forces who reside in this state and are stationed at a federal military installation located within 90 miles of the borders of this state, and their spouses and children, are entitled to the exemption under par. (a).
3. Nonresident persons who served in active duty in the U.S. armed forces for at least 10 years, who were honorably discharged from such service within 4 years before applying at an institution, and who filed state income tax returns for at least 8 of the last 10 years of active duty in the U.S. armed forces, and their spouses and children are entitled to the exemption under par. (a).
4. A person who was a resident of this state at the time of entry into active duty, who is a resident of and living in this state at the time of registering at an institution, and who is a veteran, as defined in s. 45.01 (12) is entitled to the exemption under par. (a).
(br)
1. Subject to subd. 3., a student who meets all of the following requirements is entitled to the exemption under par. (a):
a. The student has resided in this state for 6 months immediately preceding the beginning of any semester or session in which the student enrolls at an institution.
b. The student is a member of the Wisconsin national guard or a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces when he or she enrolls in an institution and has been a member for the 6-month period under subd. 1. a.
c. While enrolled in an institution, the student continues to be a member of the Wisconsin national guard or reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces, or is honorably discharged or released under honorable conditions from the national guard or a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces.
2. If a student receiving the exemption under this paragraph withdraws from an institution during a semester or session because he or she is called into state active duty or into active service with the U.S. armed forces, the student is entitled to the exemption under this paragraph if he or she reenrolls in an institution during the semester in which he or she is discharged, demobilized, or deactivated from active duty or in the next succeeding semester.
3. The exemption under this paragraph is limited to 128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is longer.
(c) Any student who is a graduate of a Wisconsin high school and whose parents are bona fide residents of this state for 12 months next preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the student registers at an institution or whose last surviving parent was a bona fide resident of this state for the 12 months preceding death is entitled to the exemption under par. (a).
(cm) Any person continuously employed full time in this state, who was relocated to this state by his or her current employer or who moved to this state for employment purposes and accepted his or her current employment before applying for admission to an institution and before moving, and the spouse and dependents of any such person, are entitled to the exemption under par. (a) if the student demonstrates an intent to establish and maintain a permanent home in Wisconsin according to the criteria under par. (e). In this paragraph, “dependents" has the meaning given in 26 USC 152 (a).
(d) Any person who has not been a bona fide resident of the state for 12 months next preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which such person registers at an institution, except as provided in this subsection, is not exempt from the payment of the nonresident tuition.
(e) In determining bona fide residence at the time of the beginning of any semester or session and for the preceding 12 months, all of the following apply:
1. The intent of the person to establish and maintain a permanent home in Wisconsin is determinative. In addition to representations by the student, intent may be demonstrated or disproved by factors including, but not limited to, timely filing of a Wisconsin income tax return of a type that only full-year Wisconsin residents may file, voter registration in Wisconsin, motor vehicle registration in Wisconsin, possession of a Wisconsin operator's license, place of employment, self-support, involvement in community activities in Wisconsin, physical presence in Wisconsin for at least 12 months preceding the beginning of the semester or session for which the student registers, and, if the student is not a U.S. citizen, possession of a visa that permits indefinite residence in the United States.
2. Notwithstanding subd. 1. and par. (a), a student who enters and remains in this state principally to obtain an education is presumed to continue to reside outside this state and such presumption continues in effect until rebutted by clear and convincing evidence of bona fide residence.
3.
a. In this subdivision, “ relocated service member” means an active duty member of the U.S. armed forces who has been relocated from Wisconsin and stationed on active duty in another state.
b. A relocated service member and the service member's spouse and dependents are considered residents of this state for purposes of this subsection during the period in which the service member is relocated on active duty if they demonstrate, under the factors described in subd. 1., that they are bona fide residents during this period.
c. Except as provided in subd. 3. d., subd. 3. b. does not apply after the relocated service member's period of relocation on active duty in another state has ended.
d. A relocated service member's dependent who is considered a resident of this state under subd. 3. b. continues to be considered a resident of this state after the relocated service member's period of relocation on active duty in another state has ended.
(2m) Appeals. Any body designated by the board to determine nonresident tuition exemptions under sub. (2) may require a student who has been granted such an exemption to submit information from which the body may determine the student's eligibility for the exemption, the student's eligibility for a different exemption or the student's residency status.
(3) Tuition remissions. The board may remit nonresident tuition either in whole or in part at each institution, but not other fees:
(a) To nonresident students upon the basis of merit, to be shown by suitable tests, examinations, or scholastic records and continued high standards of scholastic attainment.
(b) To additional students who, in the judgment of the board, are deserving of relief from the assessment of nonresident tuition.
(f) In addition to the remissions of nonresident tuition under this subsection, the board may, as athletic scholarships, grant full remission of fees and nonresident tuition, up to the maximum number allowed by the appropriate athletic conference as recommended by the chancellor of each university.
(g) The board may remit nonresident tuition and fees, in whole or part, to resident and nonresident graduate students who are fellows or who are employed within the system as faculty, instructional academic staff, or assistants with an appointment equal to at least 33 percent of a full-time equivalent position.
(3m) Fee remissions for survivors.
(a) In this subsection:
1. “Correctional officer" has the meaning given in s. 102.475 (8) (a).
1g. “Emergency medical services technician" means an individual under s. 256.01 (4p) or (5).
1m. “Fire fighter" means any person employed by this state or any political subdivision of this state as a member or officer of a fire department whose duties include fire fighting or fire fighting training or a member of a volunteer fire department whose duties include fire fighting or fire fighting training.
2. “Law enforcement officer" has the meaning given in s. 165.85 (2) (c) and includes a person appointed as a conservation warden under s. 23.10.
(b) The board shall grant full remission of fees to any resident undergraduate student who is enrolled in a bachelor's degree program and who is any of the following:
1. The child of an ambulance driver, correctional officer, fire fighter, emergency medical services technician or law enforcement officer who was killed in the line of duty in this state or who qualified for a duty disability benefit, as defined in s. 40.65 (4), under the Wisconsin Retirement System, the Employees' Retirement System of the city of Milwaukee, or the Milwaukee County Employee's Retirement System and died as a result of the qualifying disability. The student must be the child of an ambulance driver, correctional officer, fire fighter, emergency medical services technician or law enforcement officer who was so killed or who died as a result of the qualifying disability when the child was under the age of 21 or before the child was born.
2. The surviving spouse of an ambulance driver, correctional officer, fire fighter, emergency medical services technician or law enforcement officer who was killed in the line of duty in this state or who qualified for a duty disability benefit, as defined in s. 40.65 (4), under the Wisconsin Retirement System, the Employees' Retirement System of the city of Milwaukee, or the Milwaukee County Employee's Retirement System and died as a result of the qualifying disability.
(c) The fee remission under par. (b) shall remain in effect until completion of a sufficient number of credits to be awarded a bachelor's degree in the student's major field of study, except that a student must be in good academic standing to receive the remission for the next semester and may not receive a remission for more than 5 consecutive years.
(3n) Fee remission for spouse, surviving spouse, and children of certain veterans.
(a) In this subsection:
1g. “Academic fees" means the amount charged to a resident student to enroll in a degree credit course, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison Executive MBA Program. In the case of a distance education, online, or other course for which the amount charged to enroll in the course equals at least 100 percent of the cost of offering the course, “academic fees" includes the regular fees charged to a resident student to enroll in the course and any additional fees charged to that student to enroll in that course, other than fees charged for books, supplies, meals, parking, travel, and other miscellaneous expenses incurred for attending the course.
1m. “Eligible veteran" means a person verified by the department of veterans affairs to be either of the following:
a. A person who has served on active duty under honorable conditions in the U.S. armed forces, in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed forces, in the national guard, or in a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces; who was a resident of this state at the time of entry into that service or resided in this state for at least 5 consecutive years after the person attained the age of 18; and who, while a resident of this state, died on active duty, died as the result of a service-connected disability, or died in the line of duty while on active or inactive duty for training purposes.
b. A person who was a resident of this state at the time of entry into service described in subd. 1m. a. or resided in this state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the person's spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or 3. registers at an institution, and who the U.S. department of veteran affairs has awarded at least a 30 percent service-connected disability rating under 38 USC 1114 or 1134.
(am) In determining a person's residency at the time of entry into service under par. (a) 1m. a. or b., the state from which the person entered service is irrelevant.
(b) Except as provided in pars. (bd) and (bg), the board shall grant full remission of academic fees and segregated fees for 128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is longer, less the number of credits or semesters for which the person received remission of fees under s. 38.24 (7) or tuition offsets under grants under s. 39.49 (2) (a) 1. and less the amount of any academic fees or segregated fees paid under 38 USC 3319, to any resident student who maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 and is also any of the following:
1. A spouse of an eligible veteran.
2. An unremarried surviving spouse of an eligible veteran.
3. A child of an eligible veteran, if the child is at least 17 but not yet 26 years of age.
(bd) If an eligible veteran was not a resident of this state at the time of entry into service described in par. (a) 1m. a., the board may grant a remission of academic fees and segregated fees under this subsection only if the eligible veteran's spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or 3. has resided in this state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately preceding the spouse's or child's enrollment in an institution.
(bg) Before the Board of Regents may grant a remission of academic fees and segregated fees under par. (b), the Board of Regents shall require the resident student to apply to the payment of those fees all educational assistance to which the resident student is entitled under 38 USC 3319. If that educational assistance covers 100 percent of those fees for a credit or semester, that credit or semester shall not count against the 128 credit or 8 semester limit provided in par. (b). If that educational assistance covers less than 100 percent of those fees for a credit or semester and the remission under par. (b) covers the remainder of those fees, the credit or semester shall count against that limit in the proportion that the remission bears to the total academic fees and segregated fees charged for that credit or semester. This requirement applies notwithstanding the fact that the resident student may be entitled to educational assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 as well as under 38 USC 3319, unless the resident student has 12 months or less of eligibility remaining for educational assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566.
(bm)
1. For a resident student who is entitled to educational assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 and under 38 USC 3319, if the amount of educational assistance, not including educational assistance for tuition, to which the resident student is entitled under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 is greater than the amount of educational assistance, not including educational assistance for tuition, that the resident student received under 38 USC 3319, as determined by the higher educational aids board, in the academic year the higher educational aids board shall reimburse the resident student for the difference in those amounts of educational assistance, as calculated by the higher educational aids board, from the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz). The higher educational aids board shall make that determination and calculation in consultation with the Board of Regents.
2. If in any fiscal year there are insufficient moneys available in the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz) to provide full reimbursement under subd. 1. to all resident students who are eligible for that reimbursement, the higher educational aids board and the Board of Regents shall reimburse those resident students as provided in s. 39.50 (4).
(c) The higher educational aids board shall reimburse the board of regents for all academic fees and segregated fees remitted under par. (b) as provided in s. 39.50 (1) and (3m).
(3p) Fee remission for veterans.
(a) In this subsection:
1g. “Academic fees" has the meaning given in sub. (3n) (a) 1g.
1m. “Nonresident tuition" means the amount charged to a nonresident student to enroll in a degree credit course, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison Executive MBA Program. In the case of a distance education, online, or other course for which the amount charged to enroll in the course equals at least 100 percent of the cost of offering the course, “nonresident tuition" includes the regular fees charged to a nonresident student to enroll in the course and any additional fees charged to that student to enroll in that course, other than fees charged for books, supplies, meals, parking, travel, and other miscellaneous expenses incurred for attending the course.
1r. “Veteran" means a person who is verified by the department of veterans affairs as being a resident of this state for purposes of receiving benefits under ch. 45; as being a resident of this state at the time of his or her entry into the U.S. armed forces or forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces or as being a resident of this state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the person registers at an institution; and as meeting any of the following conditions:
a. The person has served on active duty for at least one qualifying term of service under subd. 1r. b. to d. under honorable conditions in the U.S. armed forces or in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed forces during a war period or in a crisis zone.
b. The person has served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or in forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces under honorable conditions, for 2 continuous years or more or for the full period of his or her initial service obligation, whichever is less.
c. The person has served on active duty for 90 days or more under honorable conditions in the U.S. armed forces or in forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces during a war period or for any period of service under section 1 of executive order 10957 dated August 10, 1961.
d. The term of service in the U.S. armed forces or in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed forces under honorable conditions entitled the person to receive the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, established by executive order 10977 on December 4, 1961, the Vietnam Service Medal established by executive order 11231 on July 8, 1965, the Navy Expeditionary Medal, the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, or an equivalent expeditionary or service medal.
e. The person was honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces or from forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces for a service-connected disability, for a disability subsequently adjudicated to have been service connected, or for reasons of hardship.
f. The person was released under honorable conditions from the U.S. armed forces or from forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces due to a reduction in the U.S. armed forces.
(am) In determining a person's residence at the time of entry into service under par. (a) 1r., the state from which the person entered service is irrelevant.
(b) Except as provided in par. (bg), the board shall grant full remission of nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees charged for 128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is longer, less the number of credits or semesters for which the person received remission of fees under s. 38.24 (8) or tuition offsets under grants under s. 39.49 (2) (a) 1. and less the amount of any academic fees or segregated fees paid under 10 USC 2107 (c), 38 USC 3104 (a) (7) (A), or 38 USC 3313, to any student who is a veteran and maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.
(bg) Before the Board of Regents may grant a remission of nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees under par. (b), the board shall require the student to apply to the payment of that tuition and those fees all educational assistance to which the student is entitled under 38 USC 3313. If that educational assistance covers 100 percent of that tuition and those fees for a credit or semester, that credit or semester shall not count against the 128 credit or 8 semester limit provided in par. (b). If that educational assistance covers less than 100 percent of that tuition and those fees for a credit or semester and the remission under par. (b) covers the remainder of that tuition and those fees, the credit or semester shall count against that limit in the proportion that the remission bears to the total nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees charged for that credit or semester. This requirement applies notwithstanding the fact that the student may be entitled to educational assistance under 10 USC 16131 to 16137, 10 USC 16161 to 16166, or 38 USC 3001 to 3036 as well as under 38 USC 3313, unless the student has 12 months or less of eligibility remaining for educational assistance under 10 USC 16131 to 16137, 10 USC 16161 to 16166, or 38 USC 3001 to 3036.
(bm)
1. For a student who is entitled to educational assistance under 10 USC 16131 to 16137, 10 USC 16161 to 16166, or 38 USC 3001 to 3036 and under 38 USC 3313, if the amount of educational assistance, not including educational assistance for tuition, to which the student is entitled under 10 USC 16131 to 16137, 10 USC 16161 to 16166, or 38 USC 3001 to 3036 is greater than the amount of educational assistance, not including educational assistance for tuition, that the student received under 38 USC 3313, as determined by the higher educational aids board, in the academic year the higher educational aids board shall reimburse the student for the difference in those amounts of educational assistance, as calculated by the higher educational aids board, from the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz). The higher educational aids board shall make that determination and calculation in consultation with the Board of Regents.
2. If in any fiscal year there are insufficient moneys available in the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz) to provide full reimbursement under subd. 1. to all students who are eligible for that reimbursement, the higher educational aids board and the Board of Regents shall reimburse those students as provided in s. 39.50 (4).
(c) The higher educational aids board shall reimburse the board of regents for all nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees remitted under par. (b) as provided in s. 39.50 (1) and (3m).
(3r) Fee remissions for funeral assistants. The board shall grant a $25 remission of nonresident tuition or academic fees to any student enrolled in the system as an undergraduate for each valid voucher issued to the student under s. 45.60 (3).
(4) Tuition award program.
(a) The board may annually exempt from nonresident tuition, but not from incidental or other fees, up to 300 students enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside as juniors or seniors in programs identified by that institution as having surplus capacity and up to 225 students enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Superior in programs identified by that institution as having surplus capacity.
(d) The University of Wisconsin-Parkside and the University of Wisconsin-Superior shall give preference in admissions to residents of this state over nonresidents who would be exempt from nonresident tuition under par. (a).
(5) Fee statement.
(a) In this subsection, “state funds" means the total amount of general purpose revenue appropriated under s. 20.285 in any fiscal year.
(b)
1. The board shall ensure that every student's bill for academic fees or nonresident tuition includes the following statement: “The legislature and the governor have authorized $.... in state funds for the University of Wisconsin System during the .... academic year. This amount represents an average subsidy of $.... from the taxpayers of Wisconsin for each student enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System."
2. The board shall calculate the average subsidy for the purpose of the fee statement under subd. 1. by dividing state funds in the appropriate fiscal year by the number of full-time equivalent students enrolled in the system in the most recent fall semester.
(d)
1. The board shall ensure that the segregated fees applicable at each institution and college campus are posted on the Internet website of the institution or college campus. The board shall also ensure that detailed information on the organizations and activities for which allocable segregated fees are expended at each institution and college campus are posted on the Internet web site of the institution or college campus.
2. The board shall ensure that each student's bill for academic fees or nonresident tuition for a semester or session includes each of the following:
a. The total amount of academic fees or nonresident tuition assessed on the student, which shall be listed separately from the amount specified in subd. 2. b.
b. The total amount of segregated fees assessed on the student, which shall be listed separately from the amount specified in subd. 2. a.
c. The Internet website address specified in subd. 1. for the institution or college campus at which the student is enrolled.
(6) Segregated Fees.
(a) The board shall ensure that segregated fees are used only for the purpose for which they are charged.
(b) The board may provide students with the opportunity to pay an additional fee to support an inter-institutional student government organization. The board may not require students to pay the fee.
(7) Late receipt of student's veterans benefits. If a student receives federal veterans benefits that may be applied against the student's payment obligations for academic fees or nonresident tuition, the institution in which the student is enrolled may not take any adverse action against the student as a result of the institution's failure to receive payment of the federal veterans benefits by the deadline established by the institution for payment of tuition or fees.
History: 1973 c. 333 ss. 68g, 68k, 201f (2); 1973 c. 335; 1975 c. 39, 199; 1977 c. 29; 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 407; 1985 a. 51, 192; 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 31 ss. 709p to 710, 2908; 1989 a. 67, 181, 359; 1991 a. 39, 168, 169; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27, 228; 1997 a. 27, 163, 237; 1999 a. 9, 130, 154, 186; 2001 a. 16, 38; 2003 a. 33 ss. 936, 9160; 2003 a. 42, 185, 320; 2005 a. 22, 25, 320, 387, 404, 468; 2007 a. 20, 130; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20, 173; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 12, 59; 2017 a. 365 s. 112; 2019 a. 47, 75, 149; 2021 a. 159.
A student who challenges his or her nonresident status unsuccessfully must reapply before the beginning of any new semester when he or she claims that status has changed. Hancock v. Regents of University of Wisconsin, 61 Wis. 2d 484, 213 N.W.2d 45 (1973).
The 11th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which bars private litigants' suits against nonconsenting states in federal courts, barred a nonresident student's action asserting that the university violated his constitutional rights to equal protection by charging him out-of-state tuition. Joseph v. Board of Regents, 432 F.3d 746 (2005).

Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations