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Michigan offers free community college tuition to residents 25 and older -- Here’s how to apply

LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Michigan is accepting applications for tuition-free assistance for adults 25 and older to earn an associate’s degree or postsecondary certificate at their local community college or a private training school.

The program, called “Michigan Reconnect,” is being supported with an initial $30 million in state funding.

“To succeed as a state, Michigan must be a state of successful people,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said during a press conference Tuesday.

Applicants must be at least 25, have lived in the state a year or more, have a high school diploma or equivalent and not have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. More than 4.1 million residents could be eligible.

“Regardless of whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, we can all agree on the importance of making sure every Michigander has a path to a good paying job here in our state,” Whitmer said.

Click here to learn more or apply.

Do I qualify?

Free tuition is being offered at a resident‘s in-district community college where they can earn an associate degree or Pell-eligible skill certificate if they’re 25 years old and older.

To be eligible you have to be at least 25 years old when you applied, lived in Michigan for a year or more, have a high school diploma or the equivalent. You can’t have completed a college degree yet, so you can’t already have an associate or bachelor’s degree.

If you don’t have a high school diploma or equivalent, click here.

Note: If you attend college in the district where you live, tuition is free. If you attend a college in a district where you don’t live, Reconnect only pays the in-district part of the tuition and the student will need to pay the remaining balance.

Click here to learn more or apply.


About the Authors
Victor Williams headshot

Victor Williams joined Local 4 News in October of 2019 after working for WOIO in Cleveland, OH, WLOX News in Biloxi, MS, and WBBJ in Jackson, TN. Victor developed a love for journalism after realizing he was a great speaker and writer at an early age.

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