The Live and Learn in Alaska initiative provides out-of-state and international students who choose to live on campus the opportunity to pay the equivalent of in-state tuition for both online and in-person courses taught through UAA. That is a savings of up to $566 per credit, or potentially more than $20,000 annually, with the added benefits that come with being a part of an academically-focused and supportive community set in the beauty of the State of Alaska. Visit the Financial Aid Office’s Cost of Attendance calculator for more information.

This is just one more way students who choose to live on campus can save on the cost of college! UA Scholars and students in the University Honors College can save even more with the Academic Honors Housing Scholarship valued at $1,500 annually. 

Eligibility

Students who are not residents of the state of Alaska and have a Residency Code of non-resident or international student will have their tuition bill adjusted by the Office of the Bursar once they have moved into student housing. Students with “pending” residency status must first complete the process with the Office of Admissions before being eligible to receive the Live and Learn in Alaska tuition benefit. You can view your residency status on UAOnline under Student Services and Account Information/Student Records/View Student Information. Please see the Alaska Resident Tuition webpage for more information. If you have any questions about your residency status, you can contact the Office of Admissions at uaaresidency@alaska.edu. Leaving your residency status unresolved could significantly impact your tuition or housing rates.

Students must meet all eligibility requirements for living on campus and have an active housing agreement on file with the Department of Residence Life. At this time, UAA does not offer family housing and cannot accommodate non-student spouses or dependents. For more information on how to apply for student housing or to learn more about student housing eligibility, please visit our How to Apply for Housing webpage.  

International students and graduate students are eligible for participation in the initiative. Additionally, students who are currently paying the 150% of the residency tuition rate through the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program are eligible for participation in the initiative with no action required on their part. 

The initiative is specific to UAA and therefore only applies to credits taught through UAA's Anchorage campus. While we pride ourselves on making courses taught through UAF and UAS available to our students in an effort to give students as many options as possible to fit their schedules, we do not have the authority to adjust the tuition rates of another institution. This also applies to partner programs with other universities. On the course registration page, the campus must be listed as Anchorage. 

Initiative Duration

The Live and Learn in Alaska initiative has been approved by the UAA Chancellor to continue through the 2025-2026 academic year. During that year, we will engage in discussions about the initiatives future and determine whether or not it will continue beyond its current iteration. The initiative was originally approved for a two year pilot period beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition to the two-year extension through the spring 2026 semester, students who move onto campus at any point during the initiative’s approved period will receive the tuition reduction benefit for up to four years, as long as they continue to live on campus for the fall and spring semesters. 

Adjustment of the Tuition Rate

Tuition rate adjustments will be applied for eligible students in the fall, spring and summer semesters. The student account of eligible residents will be reviewed by the Office of the Bursar once the resident has checked in to student housing at the beginning of the semester and may take up to two weeks to process. This means that residents who were initially charged a higher tuition rate may see that price reflected in their student account before the payment deadline.

The Office of the Bursar will continue to review and adjust the tuition rates of residential students periodically throughout the semester to accommodate updates to residency status, as well as residents who move in later in the semester. Tuition rates will be considered final once the withdrawal deadline has passed each semester. Residents who move onto campus after the withdrawal deadline will not be eligible for a tuition reduction through the Live and Learn in Alaska initiative for that semester. Once adjusted, the resident's tuition rate will not be readjusted should a student move off campus. However, evidence of abuse of the initiative may be grounds for UAA to revoke a student’s eligibility to participate in future semesters. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I have to submit a separate application to qualify for the initiative?

  No! Students who have completed the residency status determination process and are not residents of the state of Alaska will have their tuition bill adjusted by the Office of the Bursar within two weeks of moving into student housing.

• The semester has already started and my student account still shows the out-of-state tuition rate. Is there an issue?

  Eligibility determinations may last through the add/drop deadline. If the add/drop deadline for the semester has passed, and your residency status is listed as either out-of-state or international student, you can contact the Office of the Bursar at 907-786-1440 to inquire about the status of the discount to your student account.

• I already receive a tuition discount from WUE, but this is a better deal! Can I receive the Live and Learn in Alaska initiative instead of or in addition to WUE?

  Yes! Students who are currently part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) are eligible to participate in the initiative with no additional action needed on their part. The student accounts of these residents will be reviewed by the Office of the Bursar and have their tuition rate reduced by an additional 50% if they are determined to be eligible for the initiative while maintaining their WUE status.

• I live on campus at UAA, but I’m taking a few online classes through UAF. Will the initiative reduce my tuition for all my classes?   

  Only credits offered through UAA's Anchorage campus are eligible for the tuition reduction. Within the University’s registration system, courses with Anchorage designated as the associated campus will have the corresponding tuition reduced while courses associated with other campuses will not. 

 

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