No, Michigan Reconnect can only be applied towards one associate degree or certificate program at a time. Once you earn an associate degree while participating in the scholarship, you will no longer be eligible for the scholarship.
Your life experience is valuable and will help you succeed in college. It may even help you graduate faster. Some colleges give academic credit for military or work experience.
Visit our List of Colleges to find the community college that considers you to be 'in-district'. If you're still not sure, contact the community college(s) nearest you to find out. You can find the email and phone number contact to each college on the same page.
When you applied for Michigan Reconnect, you created a username and password for the Michigan Department of Treasury Student Portal.
The Student Portal is where you can:
It is also where you can update the name of the institution you plan to attend, whether you're enrolling for the first time or transferring to a new school. By keeping the name of your institution updated in the Student Portal, it allows the community college you are attending, or planning to attend, to see if you've applied for the Michigan Reconnect scholarship, whether you're eligible for the award, and/or if you have your FAFSA on file. Knowing this information allows them to apply the award to your bill.
If the incorrect institution or no institution is listed in your Student Portal, you will need to change your institution. To do so, you will need to:
Your new institution should display on your Student Profile. The change should happen in real-time at the financial aid office also, so let your school know if or when you make changes.
If you're having issues accessing the Student Portal and/or changing your institution, please contact the Customer Care Center at 888-447-2687.
There is no cap on the maximum number of credits you cane enroll in per semester. However, Reconnect participants must earn at least 12 credits in required coursework each academic year as part of the requirements to maintain the scholarship.
Good News: Starting in Summer 2023, Reconnect students can be enrolled for as little as 1 credit in their Pell-eligible skill certificate or associate degree program. This does not however apply to past semesters.
If you don't have a local community college, that means that you don't pay taxes to support a community college. Michigan Reconnect will provide a discount on your tuition, but your associate degree or skill certificate will not be tuition-free. The Michigan Reconnect scholarship will pay the in-district tuition rate at the community college you attend. You will pay the difference between the in-district tuition rate and the out-of-district rate. This is also true if you choose to go to a community college for which you're considered out-of-district.
Visit our List of Colleges to find the community college for which you're considered in-district. If you're still not sure, contact the community college(s) nearest you to find out. You can find the email and phone number contact to each college on the same page.
If you attended community college in the past and owe them money, you are still eligible to receive the Michigan Reconnect scholarship. However, you'll need to contact the community college to figure out a plan to pay off your balance or arrange a payment plan in time to be accepted to the college and enroll in classes.
If you have questions about this, you can call our Customer Care Center at 1-888-447-2687 or email MIStudentAid@Michigan.gov. If you want to call the community college directly, visit our List of Colleges to find a phone and email contact to your college.
If you’re applying for Michigan Reconnect but aren’t sure if you’re ready to enroll right away, that’s okay. After you submit your scholarship application, we’ll get you connected with a Reconnect Navigator who can guide you through the next steps and help you get enrolled.
If you’d like to change your program of study while participating in the Reconnect scholarship program, that’s okay. As long as it’s a Pell-eligible skill certificate or an associate degree at an eligible institution and you continue to be eligible for the scholarship program, you can transfer from one program to another without loss of the scholarship.
Please note, you must meet the scholarship’s annual maintenance requirements to keep your scholarship active as you change academic programs.
Michigan Reconnect provides free in-district tuition, mandatory fees, and contact hours for eligible and accepted applicants to pursue a Pell-eligible skill certificate or associate degree at any of Michigan's public community colleges.
For associate degrees, Reconnect participants can choose any major at their community college.For skill certificates, Reconnect participants can enroll in any field of study. The skill certificate must qualify for credit and be eligible for the Pell Grant. Ask your community college to confirm that the skill certificate you're considering qualifies.
On our List of Colleges page, you can find contact information for each of the community colleges. Reach out to your college directly to learn more.
Once you submit your scholarship application, your next steps are to:
If you do not start school within one (1) year of your scholarship application being accepted, you may need to reactivate your Reconnect scholarship application.
To reactivate your Reconnect scholarship application, you'll need to have a current-year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file in the MiSSG Student Portal. If you're not sure which FAFSA is considered a 'current-year' FAFSA, check out What FAFSA Do I File?
The Reconnect scholarship is accepted at all 28 public community colleges and 2 Tribal colleges in Michigan. The full list can be found on List of Colleges.
Reconnect is a last-dollar program. That means that any Pell Grant funds and other state tuition-restricted scholarships or awards you may qualify for are applied to your tuition and fees bill first, with Reconnect paying the remaining in-district tuition, mandatory fees, or contact hours not covered.
If you don't qualify for any federal or other state aid, Reconnect will cover the full cost of in-district tuition, mandatory fees and contact hours, but you must still file a FAFSA.
Check out the "Funding and Costs" section of the Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about what this scholarship covers and doesn't cover.
If you’re returning to college, you may have previous credits from a different school. Those credits may still count toward your degree or certificate. Each college awards transfer credits differently. Ask your community college whether your previous credits will transfer.
The Michigan Transfer Network can help you understand how much credit you’re likely to receive. If there are differences between what you see on the Michigan Transfer Network and the credits your college awards, ask to speak with an enrollment advisor at your college.
Each college has a different process for transferring credits, but nearly all of them require you to submit official transcripts from every college you’ve previously attended. To request official transcripts, go to the college or university website and search for “request transcripts.” Most colleges charge a small fee for this service.
If you owe a college money, they can withhold your transcript until you’ve paid. Debt can include tuition payments and other costs, such as unpaid parking tickets or library fines. If you pay the debt, your transcript will be released. If the debt is larger, contact the registrar and ask if you can arrange a payment.
