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Eligibility
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After submitting the FAFSA, how will students receive the notification of their Expected Family Contribution (EFC)?The U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid usually emails this to the student within 1-3 business days after submitting a FAFSA.
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Am I eligible for the scholarship?
To receive a Michigan Achievement Scholarship, students must:
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year.
- If you are a dependent student, your parent must also be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year.
- Graduate from high school in Michigan in 2023 or after OR complete a certificate of high school completion or equivalency certificate in 2023 or after.
- Demonstrate financial need when they complete the FAFSA—by having an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $25,000 or less.
- Enroll full-time at an eligible institution—including Michigan community colleges, tribal colleges, and public or private universities.
- Enroll at an eligible institution within 15 months of high school graduation or earning a high school equivalency certificate.
Students are not eligible if they are incarcerated or are in default on a federal student loan.
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Are Certificate of Completion students eligible?Yes, students who graduate from high school in Michigan with a diploma, certificate of completion, or achieved a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after may be eligible.
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Are Early Middle College (EMC) students eligible?Yes, as long as the student graduates from high school in Michigan with a diploma, certificate of completion, or achieved a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after.
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Are home-schooled students eligible for this program?Yes, home-schooled students may be eligible if the institution accepts the home-school documents as proof of Michigan high school completion in 2023 or after.
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Can a student use the Michigan Achievement Scholarship in Summer?The Michigan Achievement Scholarship can be used in the Summer semester if the student remains enrolled full-time and has not exceeded their maximum annual limit.
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Can a student attend a career or trade program and receive the Michigan Achievement Scholarship?Yes, through the Michigan Achievement Skills Scholarship at an eligible training provider. We are still working on the details for that program and we recommend signing up for the email updates at michigan.gov/achievement to be the first to hear when updates are available.
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Can a student receive both the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and the Michigan Competitive Scholarship at the same time?No, a student cannot receive funding from Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Michigan Competitive Scholarship at the same time.
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Can a student receive both the Michigan Tuition Grant and the Michigan Achievement Scholarship at the same time?Yes, at private colleges; a student may receive Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Michigan Tuition Grant. Award amounts may vary depending on your financial aid package.
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Can a student who attends an out-of-state institution use the Michigan Achievement Scholarship in Michigan during the summer?Yes, students must meet all eligibility requirements for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, and the following:
- Credits earned at the students institution will be transferred and applied to a certificate or degree at their home institution, and
- They are currently enrolled in a degree-granting or certification program at their home institution, and
- Be an approved Guest Student as determined by the institution, and
- Be enrolled full-time at their guest institution
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Can Michigan Achievement Scholarship be used at an out-of-state institution?No, students must attend a Michigan participating institution.
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Can students transfer from a Community College to a University?Students may be eligible to receive Michigan Achievement Scholarship for up to five consecutive years total, with no more than three years at a Michigan community college and tribal college.
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Can a student use the Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) and Michigan Achievement Scholarship at the same time?Students may be eligible to receive both Tuition Incentive Program and Michigan Achievement Scholarship at the same time up to the allowable expenses.
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Do you have to include a step-parent's information on the FAFSA?Visit the Federal Student Aid resource for clarification.
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Does an adult or alternative education student who is over the age 18 qualify?Yes, students who graduate from high school in Michigan with a diploma, certificate of completion, or achieved a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after may be eligible regardless of age.
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Is Michigan Achievement Scholarship a merit based scholarship?No, Michigan Achievement Scholarship is based on demonstrated need (Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $25,000 or less).
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Is the Michigan Achievement Scholarship only for low-income families?No, we strongly encourage everyone to complete the FAFSA to determine eligibility for Michigan Achievement Scholarship.
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Is there an age requirement to receive the Michigan Achievement Scholarship?There is no age requirement as long as you are a graduate from a Michigan high school with a diploma, certificate of completion, or achieved a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after. Students must enroll at an eligible institution within 15 months of high school graduation or earning a high school equivalency certificate.
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What is the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and how do students figure out what their EFC is?Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is an index number used to determine your eligibility for federal student financial aid. Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov.
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What is the Michigan residency requirement?Be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year.
- If you are a dependent student, your parent must also be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year.
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When can the Class of 2024 students fill out the FAFSA to apply for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship?Class of 2024 graduates must wait until the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens on October 1, 2023.
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When can I apply?
You can apply today by completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). A separate application is not required.
Students are also encouraged to create an account in the MiSSG Portal so you can track the status of your scholarship. You can create a MiSSG Student Portal account 3 – 5 business days after completing your FAFSA.
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Are students who graduate in December 2022 eligible to receive the Michigan Achievement Scholarship?No. Students must graduate from high school in Michigan with a diploma or a certificate of completion or achieved a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after.