Do Virginia Residents Get In-State Tuition in Delaware? (Undergraduate, 2026)
ACM — in-state rate
Sometimes — Virginia and Delaware both belong to Academic Common Market, which can bring undergraduate tuition at University of Delaware down to the in-state rate of about $15,900 from $40,600, but only for approved majors. It is not automatic in-state status.
- You would pay
- $15,900/yr
- Resident pays
- $15,900/yr
- Non-resident rate
- $40,600/yr
- Saved over 4 yrs
- $98,800
Conditional: Applies only to approved majors at participating campuses — confirm both before you apply.
Tuition and mandatory fees only, compiled from published rates and rounded. Excludes housing, books and course differentials. Eligibility is decided by the institution, not by this page.
Open this pair in the checker to switch level, compare other states, or copy a link to the result.
The route from Virginia to Delaware runs through Academic Common Market. Unlike the rate-cap programs, it pays the in-state rate outright — $15,900 at University of Delaware — but only for a specific approved degree.
Virginia residents start from $22,300 a year, the in-state undergraduate rate at University of Virginia. Measured against that, Delaware costs $6,400 a year less than staying home. 11 other states offer Virginia residents a reduced undergraduate rate, the lowest being Mississippi at about $9,900.
Treat the figure below as a planning number rather than a quote. Rates are set per campus and per college within the campus, and a program in engineering or nursing frequently carries a differential the headline rate does not include.
Every route from Virginia to Delaware
| Route | What it gives you | Per year | Saving | Guaranteed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Common Market | An approved ACM student pays the receiving institution's full in-state tuition rate. The gate is availability at home: the program must appear on SREB's approved inventory for your state, which in practice means your own state's public universities do not offer that specific degree. You are certified as ACM-eligible by your home state's ACM coordinator before the receiving institution will apply the rate. | $15,900 | $24,700 | Conditional |
Where Virginia residents pay less
Staying home, a Virginia resident pays $22,300 a year for in-state undergraduate tuition at University of Virginia. The cheapest Delaware option for you is $15,900 at University of Delaware, which is $6,400 a year less than Virginia's own in-state rate at University of Virginia.
Virginia belongs to Academic Common Market (ACM) at undergraduate level, so 12 of 50 states offer Virginia undergraduate students a reduced rate, and Delaware is one of them.
| State | Route | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia to Mississippi | Academic Common Market · University of Mississippi | $9,900 |
| Virginia to West Virginia | Academic Common Market · West Virginia University | $9,900 |
| Virginia to Arkansas | Academic Common Market · University of Arkansas | $10,300 |
| Virginia to Maryland | Academic Common Market · University of Maryland, College Park | $11,900 |
| Virginia to Louisiana | Academic Common Market · Louisiana State University | $12,000 |
Virginia's neighboring states, compared
What a Virginia resident pays for undergraduate tuition in each state that borders Virginia, cheapest first:
- West Virginia$9,900/yr · Academic Common Market
- Maryland$11,900/yr · Academic Common Market
- Kentucky$13,700/yr · Academic Common Market
- Tennessee$14,100/yr · Academic Common Market
- District of Columbia$16,700/yr · non-resident
- North Carolina$39,300/yr · non-resident
Compare all 50 states from Virginia in the checker. Each figure is one reference campus per state, not a state average.
Delaware residency, in brief
Delaware grants in-state tuition after 12 months of domicile before the term begins (14 Del. C. § 3401), and a financially dependent student takes the parents' domicile. Moving to Delaware to enroll does not by itself start the clock.
Delaware residency requirements in full · how long every state requires
Step by step
- Check that your chosen Delaware campus participates in Academic Common Market — membership is a state-level agreement, but each campus decides whether to offer it and how many awards to fund.
- Confirm your intended major is on the approved list. Applies only to approved majors at participating campuses — confirm both before you apply.
- Apply for the award at the same time as admission, and well before the campus deadline — most participating institutions award on a first-come basis and close early.
- Keep your Virginia residency documentation current; the program is only open to residents of a member state.
- Compare the result against the residency route: Delaware grants in-state status after 12 months of domicile, currently $15,900 a year.
Official links
Related
Asked and answered
›Do Virginia residents get in-state tuition in Delaware?
Effectively yes, through Academic Common Market, but it is not residency. You pay the in-state rate of about $15,900 while remaining a Virginia resident for every other purpose, and the benefit ends if you leave the approved program.
›How long does it take to get in-state tuition in Delaware?
Delaware requires 12 months of domicile before the term begins (14 Del. C. § 3401), and a financially dependent student takes the parents' domicile.
›How much would undergraduate study in Delaware actually cost a Virginia resident?
About $15,900 a year in tuition and mandatory fees under Academic Common Market, against $40,600 at the published non-resident rate and $15,900 for a Delaware resident. Over 4 years that is roughly $98,800 saved. Figures are compiled 2025–26 published rates and exclude housing, books and course-specific differentials.
›Where can Virginia residents get reduced undergraduate tuition?
In 12 states at undergraduate level. Outside Delaware, the lowest are Mississippi ($9,900), West Virginia ($9,900), Arkansas ($10,300). Each figure is one reference campus, and awards are made campus by campus.
›Is studying in Delaware cheaper than staying in Virginia?
On tuition, yes. The cheapest Delaware option for a Virginia resident is $15,900 a year, which is $6,400 below Virginia's own in-state rate of $22,300 at University of Virginia. Housing and travel are not included.
Sources
Every eligibility rule on this page is checked against the operating compact commission or the state's own residency authority. Last verified 2026-08-07.
Tuition figures on this page are compiled 2025–26 published rates (basis: published compiled), rounded to the nearest $100 and refreshed each June. Eligibility rules are checked against the cited compact commission or residency authority.
- Delaware Higher Education Office — residency for tuition purposes ↗Accessed 2026-08-07
- University of Delaware — tuition and fees ↗Accessed 2026-08-07
- University of Virginia — tuition and fees ↗Accessed 2026-08-07
How this page was made
Compiled and checked by Billy Reiner, editor of In-State Check. Last verified 2026-08-07.
- Compiled from published rate pages
- The in-state and non-resident figures are tuition and mandatory fees for one full-time year, read from University of Delaware’s own 2025–26 rate page and rounded to the nearest $100. Housing, books, travel and course-specific differentials are not included in them.
- Checked against the administering body
- Compact membership at this level was checked against the commission that runs the program (SREB). The residency test — the durational requirement, the domicile evidence and the dependent-student rule — was checked against Delaware Higher Education Office, 14 Del. C. § 3401. Nothing here is taken from another comparison site.
Not advice. In-State Check is independent of every college, compact and state agency named here. Residency classification and award decisions are made by the institution you apply to. Found an error? Send the page URL and the source that contradicts it to [email protected], and the page is corrected and re-dated. Full methodology.