​

​

​

​

�Navigating Tuition Exchange

​

​

​

Fall 2025

1

By the Numbers

2

700+

Member

Institutions

7,800+

TE

Scholars

$328M

In Financial

Assistance

Agenda

• Tuition Exchange Defined
• Terms to Know!
• TE Member Schools
• Eligibility Requirements (Export/Import)
• The TE EZ-Application Process/Timeline
• Scholarship Selection Process
• Special Situations
• Transferring Schools
• Parent separates from employer
• Keep in Mind…

​

3

Tuition Exchange Defined

4

Terms to Know

• TE Central: Employees that support TE member schools/TELOs
• TELO: Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer designated by college to administer TE program. TELO’s support their families!
• Export: TE Scholarship applicant emanating from employee’s home institution
• Import: A student awarded a TE Scholarship by the host institution
• TE Set Rate: TE member schools can offer full tuition scholarship or TE set rate amount $44,000/year for the 2026-2027 year*
• FACHEX: Catholic, Jesuit institution Exchange - 26 schools - full tuition scholarship offered to dependent Exports of other FACHEX schools

​

​

TE Scholarship at public institutions = 50% out-of-state tuition

5

Meet the Clarks!

​

Chris Clark works at Potter University. Chris’ daughter, Cassie Clark, is an eligible dependent acc. to Potter University’s TE policy.

​

Cassie = Export of Potter University

​

Cassie applies for TE to 20 schools, including Griffin College. Griffin offers Cassie a TE Scholarship and she enrolls there.

​

Cassie = Import of Griffin College

TE application process goes hand-in- hand with admissions process…

TE Member Schools

​

​

​

​

7

• A partnership of 710+ colleges/universities offering competitive Tuition Exchange (TE) Scholarships. Not guaranteed!
• See participating school list at tuitionexchange.org
• Click on a school to learn: TELO contact email, application deadline for TE consideration, full tuition or TE set rate amount, FAFSA required (?), offered to freshmen only (?) etc.
• Search for schools based on variety of factors (go to tuitionexchange.org) such as: state, major, etc.

​

​

​

Export Eligibility Requirements

​

​

​

​

8

• Parent’s (or spouse’s) employer (Export School) determines both employee/spouse and dependent eligibility requirements. Varies from school to school. Check with your school’s TELO.
• INSERT YOUR SCHOOL’s SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS/APPLICATION PROCESS
• ​

Sample Text:

• Employee must remain employed FT at XXX for dependent/spouse to have continued eligibility for TE consideration.
• Employee must submit internal XXX form to HR by XXX along with the front page of most recent federal tax return showing student/spouse was claimed as dependent.
• XXX agrees to certify eligible Export for up to 8 semesters (4 years) as undergraduate or 4 semesters (2 years) as a graduate student (generally applies to employee/spouse only).
• What if job ends? When benefits-eligible employment @XXX terminates, tuition benefits continue through semester in progress but will not continue beyond that.

​

​

Import Eligibility Requirements

​

​

​

​

9

• Imports vs. Exports: If your dependent receives a TE Scholarship to Sample University and enrolls, he/she is an “Import” student in Sample University’s view; however, from XXX’s view, your dependent is an “Export”
• Import school may have specific requirements for student to retain scholarship each year. (ex.-Full-time enrollment required, maintain a certain GPA)
• Read TE Scholarship award terms carefully! Questions to consider:
• Is a study abroad semester covered?
• What if my student takes a leave of absence?
• Are there exceptions if student fails to meet GPA renewal requirements?
• Are there any associated TE-related fees charged to Import students?
• Is there a maximum # of credits covered per semester under the TE Scholarship or will TE Scholarship cover course overloads?
• If TE set rate amount is offered, will scholarship amount increase as TE set rate increases in future years?

​

​

​

TE Recap!

​

​

​

​

10

​

• Amount=either full tuition or “optional TE set rate” ($44,000 for 2026-27 year)*
• Host (Import) college determines exact value of the TE Scholarship it awards.
• All colleges/universities are required to minimally offer the optional TE set rate amount (if full tuition is higher) and must offer at least 3 scholarships to incoming, new students.
• Check tuitionexchange.org, view school’s details via School List or via School Search
• Generally, TE is available for maximum of 4 years/8 semesters of undergraduate study. Some TE member schools offer TE at the graduate/professional level.
• At most schools, awards apply to fall/spring semesters or periods of full-time enrollment.
• TE Scholarships are not subject to taxation for undergraduates.
• Some schools charge a TE administration fee.
• Some may deduct any federal/state grant aid from the benefit amount (offset).
• No institution can require a commitment (deposit) from a student prior to May 1st!

​

*Public institution members are obligated to provide a FT tuition award to in-state TE recipients; out-of-state recipients get ½ tuition based on the out-of-state tuition rate.

​

​

​

​

​

Navigating the TE Process

Two Steps:

​

• Student applicant (not the parent!) creates TE account using their own email address that will remain with them after high school.
• Student logs in and completes TE EZ-Application.

https://te.tuitionexchange.org/applicantsignin

​

​

​

• Select 2026-2027 year if seeking a Tuition Exchange Scholarship for Fall 2026/Spring 2027.

​

11

2026-2027

TE EZ-Application opened

July 1, 2025!

​

Scholarship Selection Process/Timeline

​

​

​

​

12

• Application review timelines vary by school.
• Number of awards offered varies (must minimally offer 3 to new students).
• Tuition Exchange Scholarships are competitive. Scholarships are limited and offers are typically based on a student's academic record. Some schools will also give consideration to:
• Financial need (as determined by FAFSA or CSS Profile)
• Athletic ability
• Academic major
• Legacy (parent/sibling)
• Geographic diversity
• Import school
• ​
• Email Import TELO (or ask during school visits) size of pool, # of scholarships offered, criteria used to award, timeline for awards.

​

​

​

Navigating the TE Process

• Chart it!

​

​

​

​

• Cast a wide net!

​

​

​

13

TE EZ-Application Process

​

​

​

​

14

• Continuing TE scholars do not need to submit a TE EZ-Application in future years. Exceptions:
• Student wants to transfer-student logs back into their account and selects CREATE TRANSFER APPLICATION button, listing institutions they are seeking TE at (use the original TE EZ-Application account login created; may need to delete schools to add)

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

• Parent separates from employer (Export school closes out existing TE application and student submits a new application listing parent’s new employer as Export school).

​

​

​

​

Keep in Mind…

​

​

​

​

15

• TE EZ-Application is not a substitute for applying for admission
• TE EZ-Application may be submitted before or after the student has formally applied for admission but TE is generally only offered to accepted students.
• Applying Early Decision is a personal choice but, keep in mind, it is binding!
• Apply early!
• Check with your Export TELO to determine your employer’s TE policy, process and Export application deadlines.
• Click on the SCHOOL LIST at tuitionexchange.org to get all the details, app deadline, TELO contact info., etc. for specific schools student is considering.
• Check with the Import TELO’s at the schools your dependent is considering to learn:
• Size of TE application pool
• How many TE scholarships offered annually
• What criteria do they use when awarding
• If not offered TE at point of entry, and student still enrolls, will they consider for TE in a subsequent year?

​

​

​

My Student Was Awarded! Now What?

​

​

​

​

16

• Carefully review the terms of the scholarship
• Visit campus if student has not yet done so
• Make decision to accept or decline admission/TE
• Confirm acceptance of the scholarship with the Import school TELO
• Submit deposit to hold spot in the entering class

​

​

​

Questions?

​

​

​

​

​

17

​

​

​

​