CIC’s Tuition Exchange Program (CIC–TEP) is a network of CIC member institutions that are willing to accept full-time employees, their spouses, and their dependents as students, tuition-free. Each participating institution in the network agrees to import a limited number of students on the same admission basis as they accept all other students, without regard to the number of students it exports.
CIC–TEP began almost 40 years ago when a small group of member presidents suggested CIC create a program with minimal rules and low fees to offer as a benefit to employees. Tens of thousands of employees and their spouses and dependents have attended college, tuition-free.
Contact tep@cic.edu to enroll your institution in CIC-TEP.
Starting with the 2027–28 application cycle, CIC-TEP participants will access award information and apply using the Tuition Exchange platform. Please view the original announcement and for more information.
Quick Facts
- CIC–TEP consists of nearly 420 colleges and universities (roughly two-thirds of all CIC Members) from 47 states and five countries, giving families a wide range of choice, including baccalaureate, masters, doctoral research, arts, business, faith-related, health professions, and technology-related specialties.
- Last year, almost 2,000 students applied for the CIC–TEP benefit.
- On average, 50% of applicants receive at least one offer of admission.
- On average, five students per participating institution apply to participate in the program annually. There are no limits on export considerations.
How to Apply for Tuition Exchange
- Application Procedure and Guidelines for Students
- 2026-2027 Application Form
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A list of general questions relevant to institutions, students, and liaisons.
Details for Administering the Tuition Exchange Program
- Overview and Instructions for CIC–TEP Liaison administering the program.
- Profile Update for institutions or the liaison officer.
- CIC–TEP Online Portal for CIC–TEP Liaisons to manage CIC–TEP applications sent and received by your institution.
- Beginning with the 2027–28 application cycle, launching July 1, 2026, administration of CIC-TEP will transition to the Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer system, hosted by Tuition Exchange. Please view the original announcement and FAQs for more information. All users must view a training session to access the TELO system. Email tep@cic.edu for a recording of the training session.
Special Features of CIC–TEP
- Full tuition benefit. The CIC–TEP benefit covers the full cost of tuition for students at all participating institutions.
- No balance requirements. Since there are no limitations on the number of students who can use the benefit, institutions do not need to monitor whether “import” and “export” students are in balance.
- Broad eligibility for employees. All employees designated as full-time by a participating institution are eligible to receive exchange benefits.
- Spouses and dependents are also eligible. In addition, spouses and dependents of full-time employees may also receive tuition benefits.
- No hidden fees. Students can apply to multiple institutions without paying application or placement fees.
- Flexible study options. In addition to full-time undergraduate study, institutions can allow “import” students to enroll in part-time, graduate, doctoral, online, and/or study-abroad programs.
- Easy administration. Administering CIC–TEP is easy and can be done through a fully interactive, real-time, online portal, with no added annual reporting requirements.
New CIC-TEP Members
2025–2026 (for exchanges beginning in the 2026–2027 year)
- Indiana Wesleyan University (IN)
- McDaniel College (MD)
- Otterbein University (OH)
- San Francisco Bay University (CA)
- Schreiner University (TX)
Contact Information
Contact tep@cic.edu with questions.