School Participation in the Tuition Exchange Agreement
Member schools of the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities that agree to participate in this program can change from year to year. A current listing of participating schools is being compiled for the 23-24 academic year. Please email Laurie Hall, Executive Secretary, laurie.hall@baptistschools.org for a current listing until it is populated on this site.
Tuition Exchange Agreement Guidelines
Each college is protected by:
- Maintaining its own admission standards.
- Remitting only the tuition portion of costs.
- Enrolling a combined total of only five students per year under the plan.
- Reviewing the program annually.
- Retaining the right to exclude certain programs from the agreement, and
- Retaining the right to establish conditions on or make exceptions to the agreement.
Who may participate?
Participation is available to the dependent children of full-time teachers and administrators in Baptist colleges which enter into the Tuition Remission Agreement. Those teachers and administrators whose dependent children are eligible to receive tuition benefits at their home institutions will ordinarily be eligible to receive benefits at a host institution. The president of the home institution must certify to the host institution that the teacher or administrator is eligible for such benefits and that he holds full-time appointment. If the parent ceases employment in the home institution, the benefit in the host institution may be withdrawn.
The Internal Revenue Service definition of child dependency will be used to determine a student’s eligibility. If the student ceases to meet the IRS definition, the benefit may be withdrawn by the host institution.
What are the admissions qualifications?
Eligible students must meet the usual requirements for admission to a host institution, and accept its usual academic and social regulations. Enrollment must be in a full-time program of study; guest or transit students may not participate. The host institution reserves the right to refuse admission to certain programs of study which may already be at capacity enrollment.
What is the tuition remission benefit?
That portion of the annual comprehensive charges which is designated as “tuition” by the host institution will be remitted. The benefit will continue if the student is in good standing at the host institution and as long as s/he meets the definitions of eligibility in the first paragraph above.
Other charges (room, board, fees) are the responsibility of the student. Although students may ordinarily live in college residences, no guarantee of residence space can be given in cases of capacity enrollments. Where residence space is available, students may be required to live in the host institution dormitory, depending on its usual residential requirements.
What about other forms of financial aid?
A student may be required by the host institution to apply for any tuition grants (state, federal, or other) for which he is eligible. Any such aid must be applied to the cost of tuition at the host institution, and the balance of the tuition will then be remitted.
If a student can demonstrate need beyond tuition, he will be eligible to receive other forms of financial aid according to the usual regulations of the host institution.
When does the agreement take effect?
Tuition remission benefits will be available immediately and will be in effect until an institution withdraws its participation. The Tuition Remission Agreement is subject to annual review and possible re-negotiation by all institutional parties to the agreement. Each institution may decide annually to accept or refuse new students under the agreement for the following academic year.
Each institution is expected to be willing to accept no fewer students than it exports, but in any case, each institution agrees to accept at least 5 qualified students per year. An institution may, at its discretion, limit enrollment to 5 or more students per year, provided it accepts as many students as it exports.
What other institutional agreements are involved?
It is understood that the host institution reserves the right to make exceptions to the agreement, for good and sufficient reason, in considering the eligibility of a given applicant; but as a matter of policy, each institution accepts the provisions of the agreement and indicates its willingness to work as consistently as possible within them. Where an exception is necessary, notification to the president of the home institution is expected as a matter of courtesy.
Note: Some institutions have qualifying provisions to their participation, e.g., one-for-one exchange, exclusions from specific programs, limitation to undergraduate study, and limitation to specific institutions accepted for mutual participation.
What is the first step?
When contacting the Admissions Office of the prospective host institution, the student should:
(1) make it clear that admission is being sought under the Tuition Exchange Agreement,
(2) present a letter from the president of the home institution certifying eligibility on the terms described in this agreement, and
(3) present a signed copy of the ‘letter of intent’ that is found below (please copy and paste for submission to host school).