Tuition Exchange Program
The Tuition Exchange Program gives eligible dependent children of Skidmore employees an opportunity to apply for undergraduate tuition scholarships at participating colleges and universities.
Tuition Exchange is a College-administered opportunity rather than a guaranteed employee benefit. Skidmore determines whether an employee and dependent are eligible to participate, but each participating college makes its own admission and scholarship decisions.
Looking for Skidmore’s tuition benefits? Skidmore’s internal and external tuition benefits for employees are separate from the Tuition Exchange Program. Learn about internal and external tuition benefits.
How Tuition Exchange works
Skidmore is an exporting institution in the Tuition Exchange network. This means that Skidmore may certify eligible dependent children to be considered for Tuition Exchange Scholarships at other participating colleges and universities.
The process has two distinct parts:
- Skidmore certifies eligibility. Human Resources confirms that the employee and dependent meet Skidmore’s eligibility requirements. Skidmore’s Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer then certifies the student’s application.
- The participating college decides whether to offer a scholarship. Each college establishes its own selection criteria, deadlines, scholarship availability, and renewal requirements.
Certification by Skidmore does not guarantee admission or a Tuition Exchange Scholarship.
Employee eligibility
Full-time faculty and staff, including employees holding approved shared appointments, may apply on behalf of eligible dependent children after completing three consecutive years of full-time employment.
Human Resources determines whether the employee’s appointment and service meet Skidmore’s eligibility requirements.
Employees with questions about qualifying appointments, shared appointments, leaves of absence, retirement, or separation from employment should contact Human Resources before beginning the application process.
Dependent eligibility
Tuition Exchange is available for eligible dependent children.
Dependent status is determined according to Skidmore’s Tuition Exchange policy and applicable federal tax requirements. Human Resources may request documentation confirming the child’s relationship to the employee and dependent status.
Students who do not meet the requirements for tax-free educational benefits may create a taxable benefit for the employee. Employees with questions about dependent or tax eligibility should contact Human Resources.
Skidmore certification
Throughout Skidmore’s participation in Tuition Exchange, the College has certified all eligible employee dependents rather than selecting among eligible applicants through a seniority or lottery system.
Skidmore anticipates continuing this practice for applications submitted for the 2026–27 academic year.
Certification does not guarantee that a participating college will offer the student a scholarship.
Scholarship value
For the 2026–27 academic year, participating Tuition Exchange colleges must cover at least $44,000 of their charged tuition. This minimum scholarship amount is known as the Tuition Exchange set rate.
When a college’s tuition is higher than the set rate, the college may choose to cover all or part of the remaining tuition.
When tuition is lower than the set rate, the college may coordinate or reduce the Tuition Exchange Scholarship based on federal, state, or institutional scholarships.
The Tuition Exchange Board of Directors establishes the set rate each year using a weighted average of tuition among participating institutions. Because the value changes annually, students and families should review the current information for the academic year in which the student will enroll.
Is a scholarship guaranteed?
No. Tuition Exchange can be highly competitive, particularly at institutions that receive more applications than they have scholarships available.
Each participating college determines:
- How many Tuition Exchange Scholarships it will offer
- Which eligible students receive scholarships
- Whether scholarships are renewable
- What academic or enrollment requirements students must meet
- Whether other grants or scholarships affect the award
Selection criteria may include:
- Academic performance
- Standardized test scores, when considered
- Class rank
- Teacher recommendations
- Activities and involvement
- Financial need
- The Skidmore employee’s length of service
- Other criteria established by the participating college
Students and families should review each institution’s Tuition Exchange profile and contact that college’s Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer with institution-specific questions.
Find participating colleges
Students can use the Tuition Exchange School Search to identify participating institutions and review their program profiles.
A college’s profile may include:
- Scholarship competitiveness
- Application and admission deadlines
- Scholarship value
- Eligibility or renewal requirements
- The number or percentage of applicants who receive scholarships
- Contact information for the institution’s Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer
Search participating Tuition Exchange schools.
Because competitiveness varies significantly among institutions, students should consider applying to several colleges that meet their academic, financial, and personal needs.
When to apply
Students should submit the Tuition Exchange application no later than the earliest admission deadline among the colleges they are considering.
Students must also complete each college’s regular admission application by its published deadline. A Tuition Exchange application is not an application for admission.
Students should not wait for a Tuition Exchange decision before completing required financial aid applications. Waiting may cause the student to miss deadlines for institutional grants or other financial assistance.
Even when a Tuition Exchange Scholarship is offered, a student may need additional assistance to cover remaining tuition, fees, room and board, books, travel, and other expenses.
How to apply
1. Research participating colleges
Use the Tuition Exchange School Search to review the profiles, deadlines, scholarship availability, and requirements of participating institutions.
2. Create a student account
The student applicant should create an account through the Tuition Exchange application website.
The student should use an email address that will remain active after high school graduation rather than a school-issued email account that may expire.
Create a Tuition Exchange account.
3. Complete the EZ-Application
After creating an account, the student should log in and complete the Tuition Exchange EZ-Application.
The student will:
- Enter their own information
- Enter the Skidmore employee’s information
- Add the participating colleges they are considering
- Submit the application for Skidmore’s review
The Skidmore employer identification number is not required.
Students may add or remove colleges from their application and may have up to 20 active colleges listed at one time.
4. Submit the application
Once the student selects “Submit,” the application is shared with Skidmore’s Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer.
The liaison reviews the application and confirms the employee’s eligibility with Human Resources.
5. Skidmore certifies eligibility
When Human Resources confirms that the employee and dependent meet Skidmore’s requirements, the Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer certifies the application.
The participating colleges listed on the application then receive the student’s Tuition Exchange information.
6. Participating colleges review the application
After certification, each participating college conducts its own review.
The college will notify:
- The student applicant
- The Skidmore employee
- Skidmore’s Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer
Decisions are generally communicated in early spring. Students applying through an early-decision process may receive an earlier response.
Students should monitor the email addresses entered on the EZ-Application and respond promptly to any requests from participating institutions.
Complete admission and financial aid applications
In addition to the Tuition Exchange EZ-Application, the student must complete:
- The regular admission application for each college
- Any required financial aid applications
- Any additional Tuition Exchange materials required by the college
- All applications by the institution’s published deadlines
A college may require the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or other financial aid forms even when the family is primarily seeking a Tuition Exchange Scholarship.
Employee cost
An employee whose dependent receives a Tuition Exchange Scholarship must pay an annual administrative fee charged by Tuition Exchange.
Skidmore’s Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer will contact the employee, generally in mid- to late August, to:
- Confirm that the dependent will use the scholarship for the upcoming academic year
- Provide the current administrative fee amount
- Explain how the fee should be paid
The administrative fee may change from year to year.
Scholarship renewal
Participating institutions determine whether a Tuition Exchange Scholarship is renewable and establish their own renewal requirements.
Students may be required to:
- Remain enrolled full time
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
- Meet a required grade-point average
- Submit annual financial aid materials
- Complete annual Tuition Exchange certification
- Meet other institutional requirements
Employees and students should review the participating college’s scholarship terms carefully and ask whether any annual action is required through Skidmore.
Tuition Exchange and the external tuition benefit
A dependent may receive either:
- A Tuition Exchange Scholarship; or
- Skidmore’s external tuition benefit
A dependent may not receive both programs during the same semester.
When a student is eligible for both, the family must determine which program to use for that academic term.
Learn about the external tuition benefit.
Changes in employment
A change in the employee’s appointment or employment status may affect the dependent’s eligibility for initial certification or continued participation.
Employees should contact Human Resources as early as possible when anticipating:
- Retirement
- Resignation or separation from employment
- A change from full-time to part-time employment
- A change involving a shared appointment
- A leave of absence
- Another employment change that could affect eligibility
The participating college also determines whether a scholarship continues after a change in the exporting employee’s eligibility.
Who administers the program?
Skidmore’s Associate Director of Financial Aid serves as the College’s Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer and administers the program’s application and certification process.
Human Resources maintains Skidmore’s Tuition Exchange eligibility policies and confirms employee and dependent eligibility.
Contact Human Resources about:
- Employee eligibility
- Dependent eligibility
- Length-of-service requirements
- Appointment status
- Changes in employment
- Tuition Exchange policies
Contact Financial Aid about:
- The EZ-Application
- Skidmore certification
- Participating colleges
- Application status
- Scholarship decisions
- Tuition Exchange procedures