Visiting Students

General Regulations

Substitute House Bill 184, passed by the Washington Legislature in May of 1975, makes it possible for colleges and universities to waive, in whole or in part, tuition and fees for Washington residents who are sixty years of age or older. The Board of Trustees of Western Washington University, in response to this legislation, has authorized the President to waive tuition for qualified Washington residents for fall, winter and spring quarters whether courses are taken for credit or audit.

Beginning fall quarter 2015, a non-refundable quarterly service fee of $25 will be charged to all persons using this waiver and registering for classes for grade or Pass/No Pass. Persons using this waiver who register to audit a class will be charged a non-refundable quarterly fee of $5. The waiver does not cover the cost of books or individual course fees, such as those for laboratory use, PE activity fees, or materials fees. If incurred, course fees must be paid by the payment deadline listed on the Registrar’s Office home page under Important Dates and Deadlines.

Additional Guidelines

• An individual must have a valid Washington driver’s license or ID card, or other proof of residency.
• An individual may not enroll for more than two main-campus courses per quarter (fall, winter or spring—tuition waiver does not apply to summer quarter). If you wish to enroll for more than two courses, you must pay regular tuition and fees for the quarter. It is not possible to enroll for two courses under SHB 184 and pay tuition for additional courses.
• Enrollment is on a space-available basis, which means that registration under SHB 184 must follow registration for students paying regular tuition and fees. No registration or waitlisting prior to the first day of the quarter is allowed. Registration is not permitted in at-capacity classes with this waiver. Further, registration in individualized courses is not possible except with payment of regular tuition and fees. These courses include but are not limited to: independent study, thesis or research, online courses, student teaching, internships, self-supporting courses, practicums, and travel courses through extended education. The University reserves the right to exclude, at its discretion, registration in certain programs and courses.
• The deadline for submitting the waiver application and/or registering is 5 pm on Friday of the second week of the quarter. Tuition/fee waiver applications will not be accepted, and tuition/fees will not be waived for any registration after the deadline. Full tuition, fees, and late registration fees ($10 per credit) apply beginning Monday of the third week of the quarter.
• An individual may not enroll under the provisions of this act if they plan to use the course credits for increasing credentials or salary schedule increases or intends to complete a degree from WWU. For example, a practicing teacher may not enroll under SHB 184 if they will advance on a salary schedule as a result.
• It is the responsibility of the recipient of the Waiver of Tuition and Fees for Persons 60 Years of Age or Older to be aware of and adhere to the deadlines and restrictions of the Program. Individuals enrolled in this program are subject to all of Western's academic policies, regulations, and procedures, and to Western's code of conduct.

Chapter 28B 15 RCW permits tuition-free enrollment for purposes of career enhancement. Enrollment requires the payment of a $30 fee. WWU staff and state employees must submit the tuition waiver form to the Registrar’s Office prior to the start of the term.

Auditors do not earn credits and, according to University policy, may not register for courses that are participatory in nature, such as physical education activities, laboratory courses, studio courses or similar courses in which the content requires active participation on the part of the student. Auditors do not participate in class discussions, write papers, take tests or complete class projects. No grades are assigned, but an official WWU transcript is created. Self-supporting courses must pay full fees and other auditors pay $10 per credit.

Before you complete this form, you should contact International Student & Scholar Services to determine your eligibility. International students who have never attended Western must have a current U.S. visa status which allows them to study or be formally admitted to a degree program. If you are eligible to apply as a visiting student, you will also be required to provide visa status documentation and English language proficiency, such as a TOEFL score.

If you are currently attending high school, in addition to the form requirements shown here, you will need to provide: 1) Letter of recommendation from you school counselor or principal; 2) Letter of permission from your parent or guardian. You can upload those documents with this application, so it is recommended that you gather your materials before starting your form.