What is the Community College Guarantee?

smiling female graduate holding up her diploma

The Community College Guarantee (formerly the Michigan Achievement Scholarship) is a new program beginning in Fall 2024 for students pursuing an industry-recognized certificate or associate degree. Students who graduated from a Michigan high school in 2023 and beyond are eligible for the Community College Guarantee, which covers in-district tuition and fees. For more information, sign up for a free information session or call (810) 762-0100.

Who is eligible?

All recent Michigan high school graduates are eligible! Here’s how to claim your award and enroll at a Community College or Tribal College:

  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year.
    • If you’re a dependent student, your parent(s) must also be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year.
    • We’ll confirm this based on your FAFSA.
  • Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or approved refugee.
  • Graduate from a Michigan high school.
    • You’re eligible if you earn a diploma or certificate of completion.
    • You’re also eligible if you earned a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after.
  • Enroll in college. You must be:
    • Enrolled full time. Your college will confirm how many credits are needed to be full time.
    • Be an undergraduate student.
    • Enrolled within 15 months of your high school graduation.
      • Class of 2024 spring graduates: Must enroll by Fall semester 2025.
      • If you graduated at a different time of year, and are concerned about initiating in time, contact your schools financial aid office.

What does it cover:

The Community College Guarantee is a last-dollar program that is restricted to in-district tuition and mandatory fees, including contact hours. In other words, the Guarantee may be offset by other forms of Financial Aid (such as Pell grants, TIP, or promise zone scholarships).

The Community College Guarantee does not cover optional fees, such as parking, study abroad or fitness center fees. If you are an out-of-district student, it also does not cover the difference between in-district and out-of-district tuition charges.

Michigan Achievement Bonus: Students who are eligible for both the Community College Guarantee and a federal Pell grant are also eligible for the Michigan Achievement Bonus, providing up to $500 per semester (for up to two semesters each academic year) for anything you need: books, supplies, living expenses, etc. Your total aid package, including this award, may not exceed your cost of attendance.

Finally, scholarship recipients are eligible to transfer to a four-year college or university, and may renew their scholarships for up to five consecutive years (including up to three years at a community college or tribal college), in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.

How do I apply?

There is no separate application to be considered for the Community College Guarantee (though high school transcripts may be requested), but are distributed based on application to an eligible institution. To receive the Community College Guarantee, eligible students must:

STEP ONE:

Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This may be completed before you receive your diploma / certificate.

STEP TWO:

Create an MiSSG Student Portal account 3-5 business days after submitting your FAFSA.

STEP THREE:

Submit an application to Mott Community College.

How do I maintain my scholarship?

To maintain their Community College Guarantee scholarships, students must:

Not eligible for the Community College Guarantee?