Skip to main content
Financial Support

Financial Support

Financial Help for Your Future

Financial support options are available for completing preparation either as a first-time teacher or a certified teacher seeking to expand the content areas in which you can teach. 

Many of these programs are not operated by the Michigan Department of Education. For questions, please contact the organizations within the links.

Support Options

Abstract blue graduates dance by a green star over the words Future Proud Michigan Educator

State School Aid Budget

The governor and the legislature worked together on a budget that supports the state's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan goals, specifically, an unprecedented $555 million to support Future Proud Michigan Educator (Future PME) programs in fiscal year 2023.
Learn more about scholarships and grants
Green icon representing the College-Level Examination Program or CLEP

Free CLEP Tests and Courses

As citizens of Michigan are looking to further their education and potentially earn additional college credits, the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) has entered into a partnership with Modern States, which will offer 10,000 free College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests for Michigan adult learners. Successful passage of a CLEP exam will allow learners to test out of core college courses and save tuition dollars. The partnership will also provide test preparation courses for eligible adult learners.
More about Free CLEP Tests and Courses
A diploma is rolled up with a red ribbon and gold seal.

Michigan Achievement Scholarship

Students who graduate from high school in Michigan with a diploma or certificate of completion, or achieved a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after, will be eligible for more financial aid from the State of Michigan:

  • Up to $2,000 if they attend an eligible training provider in Michigan, per year, up to two years
  • Up to $2,750 if they attend a Michigan community college, per year, up to three years
  • Up to $4,000 if they attend a Michigan private college or university, per year, up to five years
  • Up to $5,500 if they attend a Michigan public university, per year, up to five years
More about the Michigan Achievement Scholarship
Circular red, white and blue logo for the Michigan National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program

Michigan National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (MINGSTAP)

MINGSTAP provides tuition assistance to members of the Michigan National Guard who are attending any public or private college, university, vocational school, technical school, or trade school located in Michigan.

MINGSTAP is available to members of the Michigan National Guard who (1) are active in the National Guard (including the traditional service of one weekend/month and two weeks/year; (2) are not absent without leave or under UCMJ charges; and (3) meet the additional criteria established by the TAG consistent with the guard’s recruiting and retention requirements.

More about MINGSTAP
Abstract green graduation cap sits atop the words Michigan Reconnect

Michigan Reconnect

Receive free tuition at your in-district community college to earn an associate degree or Pell-eligible skill certificate if you're at least 25 years of age, have lived in Michigan for a year or more, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and have not yet completed a college degree.

Learn more about your eligibility and get started today
An abstract illustration of a pinned map location.

Promise Zones

Promise Zones open the door for local students to attend at least one Michigan institution of higher learning without paying tuition or mandatory fees. If a student lives and graduates from high school within a Promise Zone boundary, their scholarship covers whatever tuition and mandatory fees remain after other need‑based aid, making college truly affordable.
Explore the Promise Zones map and application process
Grey text reads Federal Student Aid, an office of the Department of Education

TEACH Grant

A TEACH Grant can help you pay for college if you plan to become a teacher in a high-need field in a low-income area. A Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is different from other federal student grants because it requires you to agree to complete four years of qualifying teaching as a condition for getting the grant; and if you don't complete your teaching service obligation, the grant will turn into a loan that you must repay in full, with interest.
More about the Teach Grant
Blue logo featuring an abstract sun over the words TEACH Early Childhood Michigan, a program of Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood 

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Michigan is a statewide scholarship program designed to help child care center teaching staff, preschool teachers, family child care providers, group home owners, center directors, early childhood professionals, and administrators meet their professional development goals, while continuing their current employment in regulated early childhood and school age care settings.
More about T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood
Illustration of a green piggy bank

Paying for College in Michigan

Paying for education after high school is a lifelong investment in achieving life's goals. Getting there may require the assistance of resources from federal and state governments, other public sources, private financial institutions, family contributions, and individual savings.
More about paying for college in Michigan
An abstract graduation cap, thought bubble, and stack of coins.

Understanding Student Loans

Student loans can be confusing, but Michigan offers clear, easy‑to‑use tools to help students make smart borrowing decisions. Resources include net price calculators, explanations of federal loan programs, FAFSA guidance, and side‑by‑side comparisons of financial aid offers. Together, they help students understand real college costs, explore loan options, and plan for repayment with confidence.
More information about student loans
Green icon representing loan forgiveness shows an abstract hand using an automated teller machine.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

If you are employed by a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government or not-for-profit organization, you might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. This includes public schools, public colleges and universities, and public child and family service agencies.
More about Public Service Loan Forgiveness