Are 21 or older and want to complete your associate degree or a skill certificate?
The Michigan Reconnect program may be a great fit for you! But the time is running out to apply – Tuesday, December 31, 2024 is the deadline to complete your application, which should take just a few minutes!
Table of Contents
Eligibility Requirements
- Be at least 21 years of age
- Apply and enroll in a community or tribal college no later than summer semester 2025
- Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Have lived in Michigan since July 1 of the previous calendar year (July 1, 2023 if you’re applying now)
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent or certificate of completion
- If you do not have a high school diploma or equivalent, visit
http://Michigan.gov/LearnMoreEarnMore
to use the Adult Education Services Locator - Have not yet completed a college degree
How do I get started in the Michigan Reconnect program?
https://www.michigan.gov/reconnect
There are four steps according to Michigan.gov:
- ___ Apply online for Michigan Reconnect. The application takes less than five minutes to complete and can be done on a mobile phone. If you are having difficulties on your mobile device, it is recommended to use a different browser or computer.
- ___ Apply to a Michigan public community college. All public community colleges, including tribal colleges, in Michigan qualify. If you’re already enrolled at a public community college this step is completed. If you’re not, remember your tuition is free at an in-district community college, but that Reconnect only pays part of the tuition if you attend an out-of-district community college. See what costs does Reconnect cover?
- ___ Submit your FAFSA. This is free financial aid provided by the federal government. More info about this is below.
- ___ Enroll in an eligible program and start classes. You can enroll in any Pell-eligible skill certificate or associate degree program.
What is FAFSA?
FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Students who want scholarships must complete the FAFSA to determine their financial aid eligibility for each academic year.
If you’re younger than 21 and want to apply for college, you have until June 30 of each year to apply for the current academic year, however, applying as soon as possible after the FAFSA opens on October 1 is your best bet.
The first step is to create an Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID at studentaid.gov > Create an Account.
http://studentaid.gov
Two scholarships available for Michigan residents are the Michigan Competitive Scholarship and the Michigan Tuition Grant.
You can prepare to complete the application by gathering:
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- Information about the institution(s) you want to apply to
- Your parents’ SSNs if they have SSNs and you’re a dependent student
- Tax returns
- Records of child support received
- Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts
- Net worth of investments, businesses, and farms
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Keep these records!
You may need them again. Do not mail these supporting records to the FSA unless otherwise instructed to do so.
Go-To FAFSA Links
Fill out the FAFSA application online here: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
Pro tips: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/pro-tips
Due dates: https://studentaid.gov/articles/3-fafsa-deadlines/
Questions?
Online: You can refer to the U.S. Department of Education for assistance via live chat, or you can use their online Help Center.
Telephone: Federal Student Aid can answer questions via phone call at 800-433-3243.
Virtual: Office Hours hosted by the Office of 60×30 occur biweekly, Tuesdays from 12-2 p.m. and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m.
Join the Reconnect Navigators for help with the FAFSA!
https://www.michigan.gov/reconnect/community-college/navigators
In-person: One-on-one in-person help can often be obtained from any university or college financial aid office (even if it’s not a college or university you plan to attend).
Remember to breathe deep – this is a lot of work, but you got this!!
Videos
Video above: How to fill out the FAFSA official video posted by Federal Student Aid.
Video above – Michigan Reconnect Program as it applies to Kellogg Community College (KCC). Visit the link to KCC below to get more information.
Important Next Steps
After you file your FAFSA,
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- ___ Review your FAFSA Submission Summary
https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/review-and-correct/fafsa-submission-summary
The Department of Education will review your FAFSA submission and issue a FAFSA Submission Summary after your application has been processed (typically 1-3 days) to your StudentAid.gov account.
It is important to review this information for accuracy.
The Department of Education issues your FAFSA information to all of the institutions you listed on your FAFSA. - ___ Follow up with your institution’s financial aid office(s).
Some helpful questions to ask may include:- When will you receive your FAFSA record?
- When will you issue award offers?
- How will you issue award offers?
- Are there any additional documents that are required to finalize my financial aid package?
- ___ Plan to file the FAFSA each academic year.
Your institution will need updated information each academic year in order to create a financial aid package for you.
- ___ Review your FAFSA Submission Summary
Additional Details about FAFSA & Michigan Reconnect
Let’s face it, securing a post-secondary education is filled with challenges and getting started can be overwhelming. With all that you may be juggling, it’s important to know that you can get started within minutes.
This post was created to help you or someone you know navigate through a few key scholarship applications: Michigan Reconnect and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Calculate Your Costs
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- Reconnect is a last-dollar program. That means that any Pell Grant funds and other state tuition-restricted scholarships or awards you receive are applied to your tuition and fees bill first, with Reconnect paying what’s not covered.
- If you don’t qualify for a Pell Grant or other state aid, Reconnect will pay the full cost of in-district tuition, mandatory fees, and contact hours.
- When applying to a community college, ask them to estimate the costs that Reconnect does not cover in order to avoid surprises when you receive your bill.
- If you need help determining which community college you’re considered ‘in-district,’ visit the List of Colleges in the next link below to contact the community college nearest you. You can find the email and phone number contact to each college on the same page.
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This information was gathered from michigan.gov.
Learn more at: https://www.michigan.gov/reconnect/community-college/calculating-your-costs
Remember
A journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single step. Following the steps above and submitting your application to Michigan Reconnect and FAFSA is bringing you closer to more financial stability and rewarding opportunities.
Local Colleges
These scholarships cover tuition if you attend a local community college. They will also pay toward four-year educational institutions. Learn more by following the links below.
Kellogg Community College – KCC
https://kellogg.edu/admissions/financial-aid/reconnect/
Jackson College
https://www.jccmi.edu/financial-aid/reconnect/
Why we’re sharing this info
Michigan Reconnect is a pathway toward receiving a tuition-free college degree or certificate. The Reconnect program provides eligible students with a chance to work toward an associate degree or Pell-eligible skills certificate at in-district community colleges, tuition-free.
By participating, you will have access to a built-in support network of Navigators and Success Coaches to help you with everything from FAFSA to course enrollment.
The Michigan Reconnect program was created to support Michigan’s goal to increase the number of working-age adults with a skill certificate or college degree from 51.1% today to 60% by 2030.
Promoting educational opportunities is one of the values of our work and we hope that you find this web post helpful.
References:
https://www.michigan.gov/reconnect
https://www.michigan.gov/reconnect/community-college
https://www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid/students-families/fafsa-resources
https://www.michigan.gov/mileap/higher-education/sixty-by-30/goal
https://www.michigan.gov/reconnect/community-college/michigan-reconnect-for-ages-21-to-24