Tuition Exchange

Tuition Exchange Website

The Tuition Exchange program is a reciprocal scholarship opportunity for eligible faculty and staff dependents at hundreds of individual member schools. The Tuition Exchange Inc. association serves higher education by making careers at colleges and universities more attractive.

Each participating institution determines the number of tuition exchange scholarships it will grant to incoming students each year. As a result, tuition exchange scholarships are highly competitive. There are no guarantees to the children of any given faculty or staff member that they will be able to use them at the institution of their choice.

For more information on the number of tuition exchange scholarships available at a particular institution, contact the institution's tuition exchange coordinator.

Eligibility

The home institution determines eligibility requirements. If the home institution grants a full-tuition-remission benefit to the child of a faculty or staff member, then the child is eligible to apply for a possible tuition exchange award at the participating institution(s) of their choice.

It is important to realize that each institution sets its own rules about how students are selected for a tuition exchange scholarship. Many schools use academic achievement as a determining factor and only consider incoming freshmen as applicants.

At Saint Louis University, an employee must have completed at least three years of continuous full-time service to be considered eligible to apply for tuition exchange at participating institutions. However, three or more years of service does not automatically guarantee certification for tuition exchange.

Deadlines

Each participating institution sets its deadline for tuition-exchange certifications. It is imperative that students follow each school’s deadline, as there is no guarantee that a late certification will be honored.

Allowances and Duration

The value of the tuition exchange scholarship is tuition or the annual set rate. Be aware that tuition exchange funding may include federal and state grant dollars and any institutional scholarships, co-curricular awards, and institutional grants. The set rate is adjusted annually. For 2024-2025, the set rate is $42,000 and for 2025-2026 the set rate is $43,000. Check with your import school for its tuition exchange scholarship maximum. Tuition exchange allows member schools flexibility in providing funds beyond the required set rate. 

Some colleges allow the scholarship to cover other expenses, such as room and board, while others do not. Any expenses incurred by the student but not covered by the scholarship — such as room, board, travel-related expenses or books — are the sole responsibility of your student and/or you. Tuition exchange is for eight semesters (fall and spring only), four years of school, or upon completion of a bachelor's degree, whichever comes first.

Application Process for Saint Louis University Employees

  1. By Oct. 1, of the year prior to anticipated enrollment, complete the tuition exchange Google Form from SLU Benefits, along with the names of the participating institution(s) to which your child is planning to apply for admission. Applying for tuition exchange to human resources does not guarantee that students will be certified for tuition exchange.
  2. The benefits specialist will confirm your eligibility ​and update the Tuition Exchange website for the Tuition Exchange school(s) to which your student is applying. Tuition Exchange automatically sends an email notification to the parent and student using the email addresses provided on the Google Form.  
  3. Your student will apply to the participating institution(s). We also recommend the employee or student contact the tuition exchange coordinator at their desired school(s) to inquire about special admissions dates — it’s not uncommon to require early applications, and it is your responsibility to follow those admission guidelines.
  4. The tuition exchange coordinator at each institution where your child applied will inform students whether or not the student will receive a tuition exchange scholarship. Most schools make tuition exchange decisions after March 1.
  5. Once the child enrolls the Tuition Exchange website will be updated by the school and an email is automatically sent to the Tuition Exchange Coordinator(s) at SLU. If students are eligible, a $40 processing fee will be completed via payroll deduction.

Re-Certification

If given a Tuition Exchange scholarship, students must be re-certified each year.

Recertification is completed each spring by the SLU Benefits Office via the Tuition Exchange website for the students that have remaining semesters of eligibility and the employee is still meeting the criteria to be eligible.