Students & Family

All University of Wyoming students pay the same rate for tuition and fees, regardless of major, but financial inequity has remained when it comes to course material costs. By modeling the course material charge after other costs of attendance, this program will reduce this financial inequity so that every student has access to the same academic opportunities, regardless of the field in which they choose to study.

Based on data gathered from various institutions, students saved an estimated average of $275 per semester with a flat rate versus purchasing individual course materials. Having easy access to required course materials by the first day of class means you have more time to focus on preparing for classes instead of spending time sourcing textbooks.

You are provided access to use your course materials during a trial period through the opt-out deadline. As you weigh the benefits and costs of the program tailored to your unique schedule, you have the freedom to make an informed decision about how the program benefits you personally. The goal of this program is to create a more sustainable and convenient process for acquiring the course materials your instructors indicate you must have to be successful in the course. If you decide that the program isn’t right for you for any semester, you may opt-out. Please note that an opt-out deadline is in place; you have until the deadline to opt out for the semester. Students should be checking their UWyo email regularly for communication regarding these deadlines.

The opt-out deadline for Fall 2024 is August 30, 2024.

Course materials which include any written material are included in the program, whether provided to you in eBook or printed format. Course supplies are not considered “written material” and are not included in the program. StartRight+ includes any required printed lab manuals and coursepacks that are not made available in digital format. If digital format for the course material is offered with the program, printed versions will not be available. Exclusions may apply; to request an accommodation, please contact uwyostore-textbooks@uwyo.edu.

To access your digital content/textbooks for any given course, simply log in to the course page in your WyoCourses/Canvas account and open your 'My Textbooks' tab from the navigation menu. Depending on the textbook or content type, you may find additional access information on the Attachments tab for each item displayed.

Digital textbooks are the default option. Traditional print textbooks will only be supplied when a digital option is not available. Lab manuals and other course materials that are traditionally printed may remain in print as part of the program.

Required print textbooks may be picked up by participating students at the University Store or shipped for an additional cost if you are unable to pick up your books in person. If you are in or near Laramie, we highly recommend that you pick up your books at the University Store on campus beginning the week prior to the first day of class (please check store hours). 

The University works closely with the Disability Support Services (UDSS) during the development of this program. If you have questions about accessibility and using digital content or need accommodation, please contact UDSS for assistance.

Custom created lab manuals and coursepacks will be distributed to participating students through the University Store during the start of courses. Students that have opted out of StartRight+ and need to obtain a lab manual or coursepack outside of program participation may email uwyostore-textbooks@uwyo.edu for further assistance.

Students that need assistance with their WyoCourses/Canvas or My Textbooks may contact uwyostore-textbooks@uwyo.edu for further assistance with the program. Also, we encourage you to visit our 'How It Works' webpage.

Only required materials are included as part of StartRight+. If your professor has requested optional materials for your course, these materials are not considered required and will be your decision whether to obtain them on your own or not. If you need assistance with acquiring optional course materials, please contact uwyostore-textbooks@uwyo.edu.

Yes, for certain materials. Many of the digital textbooks in 'My Textbooks' may be downloaded to a device and read after the term is over. Digital textbooks that are a part of the courseware are only usable for the semester during which they were originally provided; unless otherwise noted, access to these materials expires once the term is over.

You may also keep any physical textbooks you receive as part of StartRight+ if you stay enrolled in the program and the applicable course. If you opt out of the program or drop any course with print materials you'll need to return them to the University Store by the return deadline date. Any materials provided digitally will automatically be removed from your account.

Required printed course materials are included and are yours to keep. If you opt out of the program at any point within the semester or drop any course for which you receive printed textbooks, you'll need to return them to the University Store by the return deadline date. If not returned or shipped back to the University Store, the replacement cost for outstanding textbooks will be billed to your student account. Any digital course materials provided will automatically be removed from your account.

The StartRight+ ereader is fully device agnostic, scalable, and allows simultaneous usage across 2 mobile devices and 2 desktop devices. Further, content downloaded to the ereader app can be accessed in offline situations if it was downloaded prior to loss of internet connection. As for saving as a file, copyright laws can restrict licensed content from taking form as re-distributable files. Allowing content to only be downloaded within the ereader puts the onus on the provider to protect copyright and relieves the University of associated risks.

Faculty will always have full academic freedom under StartRight+, and the textbook selection process will remain the same.

The first phase of StartRight+ will only include undergraduate students in the scope of the program. Our goal is to be able to include graduate students in the future phases of the program. Graduate programs are incredibly diverse in scope and each program will need to be evaluated individually.

All undergraduate students are automatically opted into StartRight+. No action is required to opt in. You will have access to your required course materials by the start of the semester within WyoCourses/Canvas. If you decide that you do not want to participate, you may opt-out prior to the opt-out deadline.

The opt-out deadline for Fall 2024 is August 30, 2024.

You will see the flat-rate StartRight+ fee on your first billing statement for the fall and spring semester. If you register after the first billing cycle, it will charge your student account that day.

No, if you decide the program isn’t right for you, you may opt-out. After making an informed decision to opt-out, your access to all course materials provided through the program will end. Access will be removed for digital eBooks and publisher courseware provided in WyoCouses/Canvas. Students who opt out of StartRight+ may purchase individual digital textbooks and other course content online at uwyostore.com or special-order print textbooks from the textbook help desk on the lower level of the University Store.

You can choose to opt-out each semester. However, if you do so, you will need to purchase your course materials at current retail or resale prices, either by special ordering from the University Store or from an outlet of your choice.

Please note the opt-out deadline for Fall 2024 is August 30, 2024.

To opt-out:

• You can opt-out via a digital link sent to you via email.

• You can opt out by logging into WyoCourses/Canvas. Click the 'My Textbooks' tab in any Canvas course, then select “Opt-Out.”

• Once you have opted out, you will receive a confirmation email stating that the opt-out request has been received. After the opt-out deadline, a reverse charge will be processed to your student account.

Need help?

If you have any trouble opting out, please send an email to uwyostore-textbooks@uwyo.edu.

Yes. Before the opt-out deadline, you can opt back into the StartRight+. Once you are in your student textbook portal in WyoCourses/Canvas, simply click the button to opt back in. After the opt-out deadline, please email uwyostore-textbooks@uwyo.edu to request an opt-in. Once your opt-in is confirmed, a StartRight+ charge will be submitted to your student account.

The opt-out deadline for Fall 2024 is August 30, 2024.

Study- and semester-abroad courses may not participate in StartRight+. Please contact uwyostore-textbooks@uwyo.eduto discuss your options, including opt out and StartRight+ fee charge reversal.

When adding a course, the course materials will become available to you on WyoCourses/Canvas. Course enrollment changes can take up to 48 hours to be processed. If printed materials are required for your new course, you will receive an email from the University Store to pick up any required print materials.

When dropping a course, any digital course materials access will be removed in tandem with your enrollment drop. If you drop and have printed course materials that were provided to you by StartRight+, you'll need to return them to the University Store by the return deadline date. Non-returned print materials will be charged to your student account at the publisher’s listed new book price.

Only students fully enrolled in a course will have access to course materials provided by StartRight+.

Undergraduate students are responsible for any additional course fees associated with taking graduate courses. Graduate and professional courses are not within scope of StartRight+ at this time.