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VERMILLION, S.D. | Scores of Northwest Iowa students have seized the opportunity to save several thousand dollars by enrolling at the University of South Dakota over the last two years.

Starting with the 2016-2017 school year, the South Dakota Board of Regents has allowed new freshmen and transfer students from Iowa to be eligible for the same tuition rate as South Dakota residents at USD and three other public universities.

The added incentive contributed to a 67 percent increase in Iowans attending USD. The number has jumped from 244 in the 2016-17 academic year to 311 this fall, according to the college.

"We have been thrilled with the initial success," said Scott Pohlson, USD vice president of enrollment, marketing and university relations, adding that how long new Iowa students will continue to receive in-state tuition is an open question.

"This will depend on how Iowans continue to respond to the in-state rate, so hopefully this lasts for years to come," Pohlson said.

Overall, the number of new out-of-state students was slightly down this year, while USD's total enrollment rose 2.2 percent to 10,261 students, the second-highest mark for the fall semester in college history.