Beginning this fall, students from the Class of 2023 and beyond are eligible for Michigan’s new Community College Guarantee. Passed by Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature for Fiscal Year 2025, the Community College Guarantee will cover in-district tuition costs and fees for graduating high school seniors to earn a degree or skill certificate at their local community college.
Eligible students are those who graduated from a Michigan high school or earned a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or beyond. The Guarantee includes in-district tuition based on contact hours and mandatory fees. Also included is an additional $1,000 bonus living expenses award for students eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and are potentially eligible for the Guarantee regardless of the Student Aid Index (SAI) as calculated by the FAFSA.
To receive the award, recent Michigan high school graduates must do the following:
- Complete the 2024-25 FAFSA if haven’t already done so
- Be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year. If a student is a dependent per the FAFSA, then parent(s) must also be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year
- Graduate from a Michigan high school or earn a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after
- Enroll full-time in college within 15 months of your high school graduation
“The Community College Guarantee is a critical building block toward the educated workforce we need,” stated GRCC President Dr. Charles W. Lepper. “By 2030, 70% of Michigan jobs will require at least some post-secondary education. And while community college is relatively affordable, it still poses a financial barrier to many families. The Community College Guarantee removes that barrier for students.”
In-district students are those who reside within the Kent Intermediate School District (KISD) and pay property taxes to support GRCC. All Michigan residents contribute to GRCC, along with the other state community colleges, through state taxes which help supplement student tuition. Since GRCC is partially funded by taxpayers, different tuition rates exist for students who are resident, non-resident and out of state.