21-17-105. Tuition to be as nearly free as possible; number, qualifications and selection of students for reduced tuition; tuition for veterans, their spouses and children; reciprocal residency.

(a) To the end that none of the youth of the state who crave the benefits of higher education may be denied, and that all may be encouraged to avail themselves of the advantages offered by the university or community colleges, tuition shall be as nearly free as possible, and it shall be reduced by five hundred dollars ($500.00) per semester to either the university or any community college in the state, as elected by the student, to three (3) students annually from each county as are selected and appointed by the board of county commissioners therein. Scholarships under this section shall be in addition to any Hathaway scholarship awarded a student under W.S. 21-16-1301 et seq., but shall be considered for purposes of calculating unmet financial need for Hathaway need based scholarships.

(b) Students shall be appointed after due consideration of the individual student's extra curricular activity, scholastic ability and American college testing score. Grade point average and American college testing scores shall be equally weighted. For any entering student who fails a math or English placement test, the reduced tuition scholarship under this section is not effective. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the county commissioners may award one (1) additional scholarship each year as a renewal to a student maintaining above a 2.50 average, provided that the total number of students receiving original and renewal scholarships in any county in any year shall not exceed:

(i) Counties of the first class, four (4) students;

(ii) Counties of the second class, three (3) students; and

(iii) Counties of the third class, two (2) students.

(c) Any honor scholarships granted by the University of Wyoming shall be based on the student's scholastic ability and American college testing scores. Grade point average and American college testing scores shall be equally weighted. For any entering student who fails a math or English placement test, the scholarship is not effective.

(d) Any person including the spouse and any child of that person shall qualify as a resident for purposes of tuition at the university if:

(i) His principal employment is located within Wyoming and the income from his employment is the principal source of income for his family;

(ii) He pays Wyoming taxes as required by law;

(iii) He has been employed within Wyoming for at least a majority of the twelve (12) consecutive months immediately preceding application for resident tuition pursuant to this subsection;

(iv) He resides in a state with a law substantially similar to this subsection; and

(v) At the time of enrollment and in accordance with requirements of the enrolling institution, the person, his spouse or any child of that person submits to the university or community college a notarized affidavit attesting to the requirements of this subsection.

(e) Effective for the 2015 summer school session and each semester thereafter, an applicant for resident tuition who is a veteran, eligible individual or covered individual as described in 38 U.S.C. 3679(c)(2), shall qualify as a resident for purposes of tuition at the University of Wyoming or Wyoming community college if the applicant provides:

(i) A certificate or other evidence of the veteran's or uniformed service member's qualifying service in the uniformed services of the United States;

(ii) Documented evidence at the time of enrollment that:

(A) The applicant for resident tuition intends to live in Wyoming during the term of enrollment;

(B) The veteran was discharged or released from a qualifying period of service in the active military, naval or air service before the date of enrollment or the uniformed service member is currently on active duty;

(C) The applicant is a veteran, eligible individual or covered individual as described in 38 U.S.C. 3679(c)(2).

(f) For purposes of subsection (e) of this section, "uniformed services of the United States" means service in the United States army, navy, air force, marine corps, coast guard, United States public health service commissioned corps, national oceanic and atmospheric administration commissioned corps, national guard or any reserve or auxiliary component thereof.

(g) A person who has qualified for resident tuition under subsection (e) of this section shall remain qualified in subsequent years if the person pursues one or more courses of education while remaining continuously enrolled, other than during regularly scheduled breaks, lives in the state during the term of enrollment and, if the person is eligible through a transfer of eligibility pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 3319, the transfer has not been validly revoked.

(h) Trustees shall through regulation provide that students receiving a Hathaway expand Wyoming scholarship in any amount shall qualify for resident tuition at the university each semester the student receives the scholarship.