Minnesota signs off on tuition deal with Wis.

Wisconsin residents who study in Minnesota next year will pay more under a renewed reciprocity agreement announced Monday.

Students from Wisconsin and Minnesota can continue to pay in-state tuition at each other's colleges. But Wisconsin is phasing out a subsidy that reduced tuition below its own state for its residents studying at Minnesota schools.

Losing the subsidy probably won't affect many school decisions, said Sherrie Nelson of the Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board.

"Because it's still a really good deal," Nelson said. "(Students) are still able to go to Minnesota to school, and they won't have to pay out-of-state tuition.

Next year, Wisconsin freshmen enrolling at the U of M Twin Cities campus will have to pay about $2,300 more annually. Those attending a Minnesota state two-year college or university would pay up to several hundred dollars more.

Most Wisconsin students don't rely on the subsidy, said Ginny Dodds of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

"They never really made their decision based on the supplement being in place," Dodds said. "They just wanted to come to the Minnesota school and would have been happy with just paying the Minnesota resident rate instead of the nonresident rate."

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