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Eligibility

Eligibility

  • The 15-month requirement is based on the MiSSG system start date for the semester in question. 15-Month periods area also shown on Page 36 of the State Programs Procedures Manual.

    • January-March graduation months have until the Summer Semester in the next academic year to enroll.
    • April-August graduation months have until the Fall Semester in the next academic year to enroll.
    • September-December graduation months have until the Winter/Spring Semester in the next academic year to enroll.

    If a student is otherwise eligible but has other awards that cause the student to not have room for Michigan Achievement Scholarship to be administered, they should be certified as "No", "Full Time", with the reason "Exceeds COA" for tracking purposes for the 15 month activation period. 

  • Yes, institutions can retroactively award Michigan Achievement Scholarship during the active academic year. For example, if a student becomes eligible for Fall in the following Summer semester/term, they can be awarded, so long as the final payment deadline for the academic year has not passed.
  • Yes, if the student is deemed independent, institutions should only use the student’s residency status.

  • Yes, consortium students are eligible to receive the Michigan Achievement Scholarship. The home institution will determine the award amount using their semester program limits highlighted in our Packaging Order Guidance.

  • Yes, students must meet all eligibility requirements for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, and the following:

      • Credits earned at the student’s 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
  • Home-schooled students may be eligible if the institution accepts the home-school documents as proof of high school completion. For Michigan Achievement Scholarship, if the institution accepts the home-school documents as proof of high school completion and the student meets all other eligibility requirements, they will be eligible for the award.
  • The Michigan Achievement Scholarship does not restrict what classes a student can enroll in. Students are limited to receiving the Michigan Achievement Scholarship for 5 years total. Courses outside of the degree program may count towards the enrollment requirement and covered costs.
  • No, the Community College Guarantee will exist in MiSSG as part of the Michigan Achievement Scholarship.
  • Yes, so long as the in-district rate is used.
  • Yes, if the program is equivalent to Full-time status at your institution.
  • Yes, the student can earn more than one Associate Degree or Certificate when using the Michigan Achievement Scholarship Community College Guarantee.
  • Yes, many students may be eligible for both awards. The Michigan Achievement Bonus is limited to Pell eligible students.
  • Students who are engaged in a consortium agreement or concurrent program of study can receive Michigan Achievement Scholarship, however they may only receive funds at their home institution.
  • MiSSG will complete an initial evaluation of the student's residency based on the ISIR. If a student is presented in MiSSG as Ineligible - Not a Michigan Resident, institutions can collect additional documentation from the student to evaluate if they meet the Michigan residency requirement.
  • Students transferring between a Community College and a Four-Year institution in the same Academic Year can be awarded at both institutions. The amount received at the Community College will not impact their Four-Year annual award and vice versa.
  • No, a student must have a complete and verified FAFSA in order to be eligible for all parts of the Michigan Achievement Scholarship.
  • Students must meet and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), as monitored by your institution. SAP does not travel to a different institution.
  • Yes, Out-of-District students can qualify for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship. However, the Community College Guarantee Last-dollar portion of the award can only be applied up to the In-District Tuition, Contact Hours, and Mandatory Fees minus Gift Aid. Out-of-District students should be packaged using the same process regardless of the reason a student is considered Out-of-District. When calculating the student's Community College Guarantee Last-dollar Award amount, the current Michigan Reconnect Packaging model is recommended. All other aspects of the students awarding process are based on Michigan Achievement Community College Guarantee guidance.
    • These changes go into effect starting Fall 2024 for the 2024-25 Academic Year. 
    • Students must have a completed FAFSA and meet all other Eligibility Requirements; however, there is no longer a SAI restriction. 
    • 2023 high school graduates who did not meet the EFC requirement are eligible to be considered for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship Community College Guarantee in 2024-25, provided they meet the 15-Month initiation window (Chart available pg. 36 of the State Programs Procedures Manual). 
    • There is no longer a Michigan Achievement Minimum Award.  
    • There are two awards:
      • Community College Guarantee Last-Dollar Award
      • Michigan Achievement Bonus
    • The Community College Guarantee Last-Dollar Award must be applied to In-District tuition, contact hours and mandatory fees. There is NO maximum amount of Community College Guarantee Last-Dollar a student may be issued.
    • The Michigan Achievement Bonus is a $1,000 award not restricted to tuition for Community College Guarantee students who are also Pell eligible.  
  • Tuition and fee specific athletic aid is considered a form of gift aid and must be applied as such in the calculation of the Community College Guarantee Last-Dollar Award. If a student is awarded athletic aid that includes tuition and fees AND other components, such as books and supplies, the tuition and fees portion still must be considered as gift aid during packaging the Community College Guarantee Last-Dollar Award.
     
    Example:
    Athletic Scholarship $1,500
    12 credits Tuition & Fees $2,500
    Books charged to account $500
    No other Gift Aid
    COA = $20,000
     
    $1,500 (Athletic Scholarship) - $500 (Books) = $1,000 (Athletic Aid applied to Tuition & Fees)
    $2,500 (Tuition & Fees) - $1,000 (remaining Athletic Aid applied to Tuition & Fees) = $1,500 Community College Guarantee Last-Dollar Award
     
  • A student eligible for Michigan Achievement Scholarship must be enrolled at least full-time or its equivalent, as defined by the institution.
  • To qualify for Michigan Achievement Scholarship, a student must be enrolled in a degree-granting program or qualifying certificate program. An acceptable certificate program must be a minimum of 24 semester credits (or 36 term credits) and at least 30 weeks of instructional time within a 12-month consecutive period. Courses outside of the degree-granting program may be included in determining the student’s enrollment status and Cost of Attendance (COA).
  • Students have a total of five years to utilize the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, with no more than three years being used at an eligible community/Tribal college. Students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a Michigan community college may be eligible to receive the Michigan Achievement Scholarship for up to five consecutive years. MiSSG will track the award time constraints.
  • Failed courses that a student is repeating may be included in Michigan Achievement Scholarship calculations.
  • Institutions may keep program funds if costs were incurred; unused funds must be refunded to MI Student Aid via MiSSG.
  • 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.
  • 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.