(WXYZ) — If you're a recent high school graduate in Michigan, listen up. The School Aid Budget now includes tuition-free "community college guarantee," which starts this fall.
I dove into the details to find out who's eligible and what the "guarantee" covers.
I heard from hundreds of you when I posted about Michigan’s new Community College Guarantee on our WXYZ Facebook page.
I got reaction from students and answers to your questions from an enrollment expert at Schoolcraft College.
Alivia Jaros of Canton is an incoming freshman at Schoolcraft College. I had the chance to break the news to her about the new guarantee.
“You now qualify for the Community College Guarantee. Tuition and fees are going to be paid for," I told her:
“Really?! I had no clue,” she said.
“Is this huge for you?” I asked.
"This is huge. This is really huge because I had to pay for my college. So, I’m really happy," she said.
Sophomore Marshall Thore will also benefit.
“How does this news make you feel?” I asked.
“Good! I don’t got to work as much during the school year. Just focus on my studies and my sports," he said.
Fall of 2024 is when the scholarship kicks in. What does it cover?
- Tuition and fees for a degree or skills certificate from an in-district community college or tribal college
- Plus a $1,000 Michigan Achievement Bonus award for Pell Grant-eligible students, which can be used toward additional costs.
Eligibility criteria include:
- Michigan High School graduates from 2023 & beyond
- Must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Must be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous year
- Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or approved refugee
- Must enroll in college full-time within 15 months of graduation
Amer Ali – who's studying electrical engineering at Schoolcraft, graduated before 2023, so he'll miss out.
“When you heard about this Community College Guarantee, what went through your mind?" I asked.
“You know what? It doesn’t apply to me, but I am so glad this is happening because my brother has just graduated high school. And this is going to help him out a lot. So, this is great, great news," Ali said.
Melissa Schultz, the college's chief student enrollment officer, said it's exciting, especially since there are no income requirements. But, she reminds students to make sure they select their "in-district" community college as their No. 1 school on the FAFSA.
I told her about the more than 500 comments that flooded our Facebook page after we posted about the guarantee. People had a lot to say, and had some specific questions.
Mary Holmes Seacor asked, "can we get reimbursed for what we paid already?”
“So if you're a 2023 graduate or a 2024 graduate, and you've already paid your tuition and fees for fall 2024, absolutely," Schultz said.
She said students will need to check their student portal and email for the reimbursement from the financial aid office.
“What if you are not an in-district student? Do you qualify?” I asked.
"Absolutely. You qualify," she said.
But, the scholarship and fees will equal that for an "in-district" student, which at Schoolcraft, will leave about $1,800 each year that an out-of-district student will have to pay.
“So, you'll have that balance or that gap of tuition and fees. However, we always recommend that our students apply for our scholarships. Because they might be able to get that gap covered," Schultz said.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed the Community College Guarantee in her 2024 State of the State address, and in July, announce it would be a realty this fall.
It's taxpayer-funded through the School Aid Budget, saving more than 18,000 students up to $4,800 a year.
“What’s going through your mind right now?” I asked Jaros.
“The relief, the shock, the surprise. I didn’t even know this until I walked in right now," she said.
Eligible students can renew their scholarship for up to three years at a community college or tribal college.
