More than 40,000 Michigan residents have applied for free community college using the Michigan Reconnect program announced earlier this month, according to the state.
The bipartisan plan offers any Michigander who is 25 or older the opportunity to earn an associate degree from a community college or skills certificate, tuition free.
The state says the goal of the program is to get at least 60% of people to earn degree or post-secondary credential by 2030.
“Michigan Reconnect isn’t just smart for our state’s economy,” Susan Corbin, acting director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, said in a statement. “It’s the right way to create pathways for Michigan workers – pathways to hope, pathways to equity and pathways to stronger families and communities.”
If students go to college in the district in which they live, the tuition is free. If they attend in a college district where they don’t live, Michigan Reconnect pays the in-district portion of the tuition, and students will have to cover the rest of the balance.
The eligibility requirements for Michigan Reconnect are as follows:
- Be at least 25 years old when you apply
- Have lived in Michigan for a year or more
- Have a high school diploma
- Have not yet completed a college degree (associate or bachelor’s)
- The state is also hosting a series of virtual news updates on Michigan Reconnect for different areas.