New England Board of Higher Education’s New England Regional Student Program

The New England Board of Higher Education’s (NEBHE) Tuition Break, the New England Regional Student Program (RSP), provides an out-of-state tuition discount to Rhode Island residents who enroll in approved degree programs at public colleges and universities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. how it works 2

Established by NEBHE in 1957, the RSP has saved Rhode Island residents an estimated $173 million in current dollars. key facts During academic year : Over 1,100 Rhode Island residents benefited. Rhode Island residents saved an estimated $6.5 million on their annual tuition bills. Average annual tuition savings for a full-time student was $7,025. 3

how to become eligible Must be a permanent resident of Rhode Island (or another New England state). Enroll in an approved degree program at a state college/university in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Vermont. Eligible in some cases when an out-of-state college is closer to home. 4

how programs are approved Programs are approved through an Annual Review conducted by NEBHE. Programs are approved for Rhode Island residents, when they are not offered by the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College or Community College of Rhode Island, and … Are offered under the RSP by one or more public colleges/universities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. More than 500 degree programs are approved for Rhode Island residents. For a list of approved majors, visit and… View a state-specific brochure for Rhode Island residents. Search the program database. View the annual RSP Tuition Break Catalogs (undergraduate and graduate). For a list of approved majors, visit and… View a state-specific brochure for Rhode Island residents. Search the program database. View the annual RSP Tuition Break Catalogs (undergraduate and graduate). 5

how to apply for RSP status A student completes the college’s application for admission and declares a major offered under the RSP by that college. (If possible, also indicates “applying for New England Regional Student Program (RSP) status.” An RSP-eligible student is considered for admission on the same basis as other equally qualified students. A student is notified of RSP status at the time of acceptance, unless RSP status does not take effect until an upper-class year. A student already enrolled at a college, who wishes to switch to an RSP major, applies for a change of major through the registrar’s office. 6

when an out-of- state college is closer to home At certain colleges, students may also qualify under the “Proximity Policy” – when the out-of-state college is closer to home than the in-state college offering the same program. Many community colleges and a few four-year campuses allow this eligibility. Approval is made at the discretion of the institution. Examples: Eastern Connecticut State University; Bristol Community College (MA), University of Massachusetts Dartmouth For details, visit and go to the “Eligibility/FAQs” page; download a list of institutions that participate in the proximity policy at: 7

bachelor’s degrees Examples of programs available to Rhode Island residents: Athletic Training……………………University of Maine (and 9 other institutions) Cognitive Science…………………University of Connecticut Electronic Journalism Arts………..Lyndon State College (VT) Neuroscience and Behavior………University of New Hampshire Tourism Management and Policy…....Plymouth State University (NH) Visual Design (BFA)………………University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Visit for a complete list of degree programs. 8

associate degrees Examples of programs available to Rhode Island residents: Applied Animal Science…………………….. University of New Hampshire Digital Media……………………… Lyndon State College (VT) Landscape Contracting.……………University of Massachusetts Amherst Wind Power Technology……………Northern Maine Community College Visit for a complete list of degree programs. Examples of programs available to Rhode Island residents: Dental Medicine………………… UConn School of Dental Medicine Medicine…………………………..UConn School of Medicine graduate degrees 9

tuition rates and savings Visit for a complete list of current tuition rates for participating institutions. EXAMPLES for RSP Rate*Savings*Tuition + Fees** Bristol Community College, MA$1,080$5,820$5,527 Lyndon State College, VT$14,544$6,216$15,548 Massachusetts College of Art & Design$9,930$9,800$19,900 University of Connecticut$17,252$12,006$20,554 University of Maine$12,570$13,170$14,804 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth$2,126$5,974$14,723 University of New Hampshire$23,923$2,728$26, *RSP Rate = tuition paid by students eligible under the Regional Student Program/Tuition Break. *Savings = discount on the out-of-state tuition provided to RSP students. *Tuition + typical mandatory fees, excluding room and board which typically costs $10,000-$15,000.

Another helpful resource... Guide to New England Colleges and Universities Lists key data for each college, such as admissions application deadlines and acceptance rates; faculty- student ratio; enrollment totals and breakdowns for part-time, commuting, female, international and minority students; cost of attendance; and degrees offered. Produced in association with Boston magazine and published in December. Print copies of the 2015 Guide will be available from NEBHE in December. Online at

connect with us… New England Board of Higher Education 45 Temple Place, Boston, MA Wendy Lindsay or Kiley Danchise-Curtis facebook.com/tuitionbreak twitter.com/tuitionbreak 12