Michigan Indian Tuition Waiver (MITW) FAQ Page

Yes, the MITW can be applied at more than one institution as long as they are public, state-funded 
colleges/universities in Michigan.

Yes, the MITW can be used for either part-time or full-time enrollment during any term; and, yes, 
the student can use the MITW through post-graduate work and for multiple degrees.

No, the student must be a citizen of a Federally Recognized Tribe as identified by the United States. The student must be able to submit the application to their Tribal Enrollment Department for certification by an enrollment officer. State/historic Tribes and Canadian First Nations are not recognized by the U.S. government and, therefore, are not eligible. 

No. Only Federally Recognized Tribes have the sovereign authority to determine their own
citizenship. MiLEAP does not certify enrollment in a Federally Recognized Tribe or the student’s
blood quantum.  MiLEAP is responsible for reviewing the application to determine  all necessary
information has been submitted and all eligibility criteria has been met (residency requirement;
eligible college/university; federally recognized Tribal Nation/Alaskan Native Village; Tribally
certified membership and blood quantum).

No. As long as the student is continuously attending the same school, the statute does not require 
that a student’s tuition waiver status needs to be renewed once it is in place. A college or university 
is, however, free to require that a student’s eligibility be re-verified at any time, and might determine 
it is legally required under some circumstances.

To be considered eligible, Native American students must be a Michigan resident and resided in 
Michigan for twelve consecutive months at the time of application; must qualify for admission at a 
public, state-funded institution in Michigan; and must be one-quarter (1/4) Native American blood 
quantum AND an enrolled citizen of a U.S. Federally Recognized Tribe (this does not include First 
Nations from Canada). 

The blood quantum calculation must be determined before the application is submitted. The State 
of Michigan does not determine blood quantum.  A Tribal Enrollment/Membership Department or 
Tribal genealogy office must complete this process. A blood test will not provide this information. 
Native American blood quantum is calculated by tracing ancestors and establishing genealogy 
according to federal and Tribal records.

No. Reimbursement for prior semesters is not permitted. The MITW is only applied to the student’s 
current and subsequent future semesters.

The student must have a verified MITW application with MiLEAP before requesting a transfer. If a 
student has already applied and been verified, the student can submit an updated application to 
MiLEAP, utilizing the ‘Continuing Student’ box to make the request.

No, the MITW Act was not passed to enforce a particular treaty obligation and there is no particular
treaty obligation requiring a college and/or university to waive tuition.  Public Act 174 of 1976
(MITW Act) does, however, have a basis which is rooted in treaty history and treaty provisions
(specifically the Treaty of Fort Meigs, 1817) and in the Indian Child Removal Policies, specifically
the boarding schools, via the Comstock Agreement of 1934.

No. The applicant must be a legal resident of Michigan and resided in Michigan for at least twelve 
consecutive months prior to the time of application.  

It is a program enacted by Public Act 174 of 1976, which waives the tuition costs for eligible Native 
American students in a public community college/university within Michigan. 

The student should begin at the same time as the admissions process and financial aid process. MITW applications may take 2-4 weeks to process. It is the student’s responsibility to allow the appropriate amount of time for processing to ensure that the waiver can be sent to the institution. After the application has been processed and if the student is determined eligible, a verification letter will be sent to the institution. If determined ineligible, a denial letter will be sent to the student stating for the reasons for denial.

No actual funds are received by the student. Tuition is “waived;” therefore, no monies are applied to 
the student’s account. All additional expenses (student fees, lab fees, room and board, books, etc.) 
are the responsibility of the student.  

In 2006, Michigan voters passed Proposal 2, (now Article 1, Section 26, of the Michigan 
Constitution). As a result, it is unconstitutional to provide a benefit to persons based only upon their 
race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. The MITW statute remains constitutional only to the 
extent that it is not based on a student’s race or national origin, but on the political interrelationship 
that exists with sovereign Tribes. The political relationship a student has with their Tribe and the 
Tribe has with the federal government is what must be evidenced through Tribal citizenship and by 
a Tribe’s sovereign status.   

Institutions may have a short financial aid application that is necessary to process the MITW and activate the student’s account. However, completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is not a requirement but is highly encouraged, regardless of financial status.