Exports: Tuition Exchange, Inc.

Our favorable import/export balances allow the University of Richmond to sponsor unmarried, dependent exports, ages 23 and under, for undergraduate study only. Please note that the University cannot guarantee that admitted TE, Inc. export applicants will receive tuition exchange awards from the school(s) of their choosing. First, the student must be admitted and then he/she will compete with other admitted applicants for a limited number of new TE, Inc. scholarships. A TE, Inc. applicant may not find out until April or May if they have received tuition exchange. The guidelines and timelines vary for the TE, Inc. member schools so please read the information for each carefully.

Where to Apply

You are encouraged to research the available profiles of many Tuition Exchange, Inc. member schools by using the 'Conducting a School Search' link on the main page of the Tuition Exchange, Inc. website. This tool can be used to identify a school's criteria for awarding TE, Inc. scholarships, deadlines, percentage of scholarships awarded, special requirements, and the dollar value of their tuition scholarship. If you have additional questions, your benefits and compensation specialist will be happy to provide you with the contact information of the tuition exchange liaison officers at the colleges in which you are interested. They are usually receptive to email inquiries.

It is recommended that you apply to three or four institutions on the Tuition Exchange or ACS list in case your first choice institution is unable to award you an TE scholarship. It is also recommended that you apply for financial aid at each institution. If you do not receive a TE, Inc. scholarship, other financial aid may be available.

In the majority of cases, the exchange vacancies available at an institution are determined by the number of exports an institution expects to have. It is difficult for a college to predict the exact number of new scholarships available until all the admissions decisions are made on or about April 1. A student must be accepted by a participating college or university through the normal admission process before he/she will be considered for a tuition exchange opportunity. Each member school sets its own criteria, and criteria can vary greatly from school to school. For example, some institutions will rank the accepted exchange applicants on the basis of grades, strength of academic schedule, test scores, and extracurricular activities. Others will grant exchange to the majority who are accepted through the normal admission process, and still others will award exchange based on financial need. Some colleges will be able to award only one or two new TE scholarships in a given year because they already have a significant surplus of TE, Inc. imports.

Please review the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) tuition exchange information also.

Application Process

Please complete the Tuition Exchange application between October 1 and January 10 of your dependent's senior year and research guidelines and deadlines for each member school to avoid missing any deadlines. It is recommended that TE applications are submitted at the same time the student applies for admission. Faculty and staff eligibility will be verified by Human Resources after the dependent's application is submitted. Please list only the colleges to which your dependent will definitely apply; additional schools may be added to one's original list at a later date, if necessary. If your dependent ultimately decides not to apply to all the schools that were listed on the form, please let the benefits and compensation specialist know. Note that TE, Inc. scholarships are awarded for a total of eight consecutive semesters (fall and spring only) or an undergraduate degree, whichever is less. Participants in the program must be full-time undergraduate degree candidates, and only tuition charges for the regular academic year are covered by tuition exchange. If one applies for TE, Inc. through this or any tuition exchange program, he/she must also apply independently and be admitted through each institution's Office of Admission before he/she will be considered for a scholarship.

If UR exports have to be limited in a given year, eligibility will be determined by the seniority in length of service of the faculty or staff member.

An applicant is encouraged to apply for financial aid at each member institution.

What Happens After Receiving a TE Award

Virginia residents who receive a TE, Inc. award at a private Virginia institution are responsible for applying for the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG) through their sponsor institution's Financial Aid office. Failure to apply for the VTAG will result in the student being charged tuition for the amount of the VTAG award for that semester; tuition exchange will not cover this amount.

Tuition Exchange, Inc. is available for eight consecutive semesters of study or until the requirements for the undergraduate degree are met, whichever is less. If a student plans to withdraw from TE, Inc. at any time, they must notify UR’s benefits and compensation specialist.

Participants must make satisfactory academic progress and remain in good standing and apply for recertification through the TE, Inc. officer at their sponsor institution in the spring of each academic year. The program policies, guidelines, and participation fee are reviewed each year and may change from time to time.

If you have further questions about Tuition Exchange at the University of Richmond, please contact URHR at URHR@richmond.edu or 804-289-URHR (8747).