Former Marine facing out-of-state costs granted in-state tuition by UNCW | Education

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – An American veteran facing expensive out-of-state tuition costs says he will no longer be forced to drop out of school at UNC Wilmington.

Bill Bitting, who served the U.S.A. for eight years, was contacted by UNCW Wednesday and told that he had been granted in-state tuition.

Bitting said he's owned a home in Hampstead for years, and that's why he applied for in-state tuition. However, previously, the university had charged him as an out-of-state student.

Bitting said he sent his residency and application to UNCW from Iraq, but according to university officials the paperwork never made it to campus.

Before hearing the news Wednesday, Bitting said that he had tried to sort out the problem, but was told by university officials it was too late and that the deadline had passed.

UNCW is in the process of expanding its website for military members interested in studying at the campus. Officials hope to have it up and running by the end of this semester.

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