Tuition-Free Community College Available to All Michigan High School Grads
Credit: Monica Morgan / Getty Images- The new Community College Guarantee provides free tuition to all high school graduates and an additional $1,000 for students with “higher financial need.”
- Michigan previously offered free community college to students 21 and older, but the new guarantee offers free tuition to more residents.
- The guarantee is a part of the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which provides students with financial aid for community colleges, private and public institutions, and career training programs.
- Other funding initiatives in the budget support free college for Indigenous students and tuition assistance for students from lower-income families.
Michigan just became the latest state to offer tuition-free community college to all high school graduates.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer approved the fiscal year 2025 $82.5 billion budget on July 23 creating the Community College Guarantee. Michigan will continue to support the Michigan Reconnect free-tuition program for students 21 and up with $52 million. The budget, first proposed by Whitmer in February, will go into effect Oct. 1.
“This balanced education budget—my sixth—makes record-breaking investments to support our students, invest in our schools, and empower our educators,” Whitmer said after signing the budget.
“With access to free pre-K for all, record funding for students, free school meals, on-campus mental health resources, and tuition-free community college for every high school graduate, this budget will improve outcomes, lower costs, and strengthen our education system.”
The Community College Guarantee (CCG) covers tuition costs for all Michigan high school grads working toward an associate degree or certificate at a state community college. Students with “higher financial need” will receive $1,000 for other costs like food, housing, transportation, and childcare. The CCG could save over 18,000 students around $4,820 annually on tuition.
“By placing the hardworking people of our state at the forefront of our budget negotiations, we are building up a Michigan where everyone has an equitable opportunity to succeed,” state Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, said after the budget passed the state Senate.
The CCG is included in the Michigan Achievement Scholarship for recent high school graduates attending a college, university, or career training program. The Achievement Scholarship provides:
- Up to $2,750 per year for community college students
- Up to $4,000 per year for private college or university students
- Up to $5,500 per year for students attending a public university or four-year degree program at a community college
- Up to $2,000 a year for learners in a career training program
Other Higher Education Investments in the Budget
Other higher education initiatives getting funded in the 2025 state budget include:
- $14.5 million toward the North American Indian Tuition Waiver for free education for eligible Native American students at public universities and community colleges
- $20 million toward the Tuition Incentive Program, which provides tuition support at public and private colleges and universities for students from lower-income families
- $30 million for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship
- A 1.5% ongoing and 1% one-time increase for all public university and community college operations