How to access free tuition at Michigan colleges
Wayne State will soon provide free tuition to students whose families make $70,000 or less annually, officials announced Monday. With the move, WSU joins several other public universities across the state in ensuring that students of all socioeconomic backgrounds can access higher education.
Here's what you need to know about the tuition-free programs at Michigan colleges.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
The Go Blue Guarantee provides free tuition and tuition support to eligible students across the University of Michigan's three campuses.
To be eligible for free tuition at the Ann Arbor campus, students must have an annual family income of $65,000 or less and assets below $50,000. Funding is also available for some students whose families make above $65,000 annually.
To qualify, students must apply for financial aid by March 31.
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Eligible students at the U-M Dearborn campus can access free tuition or tuition support through the Go Blue Guarantee. Incoming first-time college students and transfer students are eligible for varying levels of free tuition aid.
First-time college students with an incoming 3.5 GPA an annual family income of $65,000 and below and assets below $50,000 are eligible for up to eight semesters of free tuition. Students must maintain full-time enrollment and be Michigan residents.
Transfer students with an incoming 3.5 GPA and an annual family income of $65,000 or below and assets below $50,000 are eligible for up to four semesters of free tuition. Students must maintain full-time enrollment and be Michigan residents.
Tuition support is also available to students with incomes above these levels.
University of Michigan-Flint
The Go Blue Guarantee provides free tuition or tuition support to eligible first-time college students and transfer students at the U-M Flint campus.
First-time college students with an incoming 3.5 GPA and annual family income of $65,000 and below and assets below $50,000 are eligible for up to eight semesters of free tuition. Students must maintain full-time enrollment and be Michigan residents.
Transfer students with an incoming 3.5 GPA and annual family income of $65,000 and below and assets below $50,000 are eligible for up to four semesters of free tuition. Students must maintain full-time enrollment and be Michigan residents.
Tuition support is also available to students with incomes above these levels.
Northern Michigan University
NMU will soon cover tuition costs for eligible first-year students through its NMU Tuition Advantage, beginning in fall 2023. Students must qualify for the federal Pell Grant and Michigan Achievement Scholarship to be eligible. Participating students will see several sources fund their tuition, as the award covers the remaining balance after the Pell Grant, Michigan Achievement Scholarship and any other NMU or external funds apply.
Students must maintain scholarship eligibility, NMU academic requirements, and full-time enrollment to remain eligible for this award for the full eight semesters.
The scholarship does not cover the cost of standard fees. Students attending NMU's Global Campus are not eligible.
Saginaw Valley State University
The Cardinal Commitment offers funding to eligible first-time undergraduate students, covering the remaining tuition balance after other grants and scholarships apply. Eligible students for the fall 2023 must have a combined student and family annual income of $50,000 or less.
To qualify, students must submit their FAFSA, transcript and maintain full-time enrollment. The program can provide funds for up to four years to eligible students. Participating students are also eligible for these funds during spring and summer semesters and are not required to maintain full-time status during those semesters.
Grand Valley State University
The Grand Valley Pledge provides free tuition to eligible students across Michigan. First-year or transfer undergraduate students whose families make $50,000 or less annually qualify for up to four years of aid.
These funds represent an expansion of the program, which previously limited funding to students from six counties in Michigan. The program, initially launched for the fall 2021 semester, first offered funding to eligible students from Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Grand Traverse, Calhoun and Wayne Counties.
Eastern Michigan University
EMU provides the Eastern Tuition Advantage, offering free tuition to eligible students of high academic standing and lower family income. To be eligible, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and have an annual family income of $60,000 or less.
To qualify, students must apply to EMU as an incoming freshmen, file FAFSA by Feb. 15 before the upcoming fall semester and maintain full-time enrollment. The award covers the full tuition balance, combined with other grants if applicable, for up to eight semesters.
Wayne State University
WSU recently unveiled the Wayne State Guarantee, providing free tuition and standard fees to eligible students beginning in the fall 2023 semester. The award comes in partnership with the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, offered by the State of Michigan beginning in fall 2023.
Students must have an annual family income of $70,000 or less and have $50,000 or less in assets or be Pell Grant-eligible to qualify. To maintain eligibility, students must be enrolled full-time, file FAFSA annually, and meet academic requirements. Students can renew the funding for four years and apply for an optional fifth year if needed.
Incoming undergraduate students must apply for admission to WSU and submit their FAFSA form by April 1.
WSU previously provided free tuition to incoming students from Detroit through the Heart of Detroit Tuition Pledge.
Oakland University
OU provides free tuition to eligible incoming freshmen for up to four years through its Golden Grizzlies Tuition Guarantee. To be eligible, students must have an expected family contribution of less than $8,000.
Incoming students must apply to OU by July 1 and complete their FAFSA to qualify. Only Michigan residents are eligible for this award.
Ferris State University
Students eligible for the Ferris Launch get their full tuition balance covered. To be eligible, incoming students have a 3.0 high school GPA and an expected family contribution of zero.
This award is only available to undergraduate students attending the Big Rapids campus. Students must maintain full-time enrollment, Pell Grant eligibility and FSU academic requirements to remain eligible.
Students must apply for FAFSA annually to qualify for this award. Incoming students must complete their FAFSA by March 15 for priority processing.
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Community Colleges
The Michigan Reconnect program offers eligible community college students free tuition. These funds cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees at community colleges. The program also offers scholarships of up to $1,500 toward the cost of tuition at over 70 private training schools in Michigan.
To be eligible, students must be 25 or older, first-time college students, and Michigan residents for at least one year.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the program's launch in 2021, as part of the state's efforts to expand access to higher education for Michigan residents.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How to access free tuition at Michigan colleges
