1. (1) "Certifying officer" means the designated Commissioner's office employee who:

   1. (a) promotes PSEP opportunities to Utah residents;
   2. (b) processes certification applications for prospective students seeking to enroll through eligible PSEP programs; and
   3. (c) serves as the office liaison with WICHE staff for the purposes of processing funds for each student and tracking the student's academic progress through graduation.
2. (2) "Commissioner's Office" means the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.
3. (3) "Bona fide resident" means, for purposes of PSEP eligibility, an applicant who is a resident of Utah and who has maintained residency within Utah for a consecutive period of at least five years before the time of application. The applicant may provide evidence of Utah residency including Utah voter registration, Utah vehicle registration, Utah driver's license or identification card, Utah state income tax return, Utah high school transcripts, Utah college transcripts, rental contract or mortgage documents and utility bills for five consecutive years before their application. Temporary absences from the state for education, religious service, humanitarian service, military service, or medical reasons, may not interrupt the continuity of the residency period for purposes of PSEP eligibility, provided that the individual maintains the intent to return to Utah as their permanent home and provides documentation to verify the applicant's continued connection to the state during their period of physical absence. The determination of whether a student qualifies as a bona fide resident for purposes of PSEP eligibility shall be based on the totality of circumstances.
4. (4) "PSEP" means the WICHE Professional Student Exchange Program, which is a regional exchange program for students pursuing certain professional healthcare degrees at participating universities in other WICHE states and territories whereby the student pays reduced tuition because the student's home state pays a fee to the enrolling institution to reduce tuition costs.
5. (5) "Support fee" means the agreed upon award amount set for each eligible program and academic year, as negotiated between WICHE and the cooperating programs and approved biennially, in even years, by the WICHE Commission.
6. (6) "WICHE" means the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

KEY: Utah Board of Higher Education, WICHE Professional Student Exchange Program, Student Financial Aid

Date of Last Change: May 5, 2026

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 53H-1-702