Lansing Sun

A Michigan Achievement Scholarship website was launched by the state to help students reduce the cost of higher education.

The scholarship was spearheaded by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI), according to a press release from the governor's office. It is intended to mitigate the cost of going to college for the high school class of 2023.

"This much-needed investment in Michigan's future is a huge win for Michigan students and families," Steve Robinson, president of Lansing Community College, said in the press release. "The future of our state depends on growing the number of Michiganders with certificates and degrees, and this scholarship will do exactly that."

Students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, the press release noted. They can receive an annual scholarship for up to $2,750 at a community college, $4,000 at a private college or university, or $5,500 at a public university. This equates to saving $8,250 over three years while seeking an associate degree at a community college. The other options equate to saving up to $20,000 over five years at a private college or up to $27,500 over five years at a public university.

"For too long, high costs have been a barrier to higher education," Whitmer said in the press release. "I am so excited that we worked across the aisle to establish the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, lowering the cost of college by thousands of dollars a year for the vast majority of graduating seniors, starting with the class of 2023.

"All students need to do to get their Michigan Achievement Scholarship is fill out their FAFSA. I encourage every student going to community college, private college, or a public university in Michigan to speak with their parents or guardian, get their documents together, and fill out their FAFSA to save thousands of dollars."

The scholarship is the byproduct of bipartisan legislation, according to the press release. It aims to build on Michigan's so-called Sixty by 30 goal to increase the number of adults with a skill certificate or college degree to 60% by 2030. 

"The Michigan Achievement Scholarship will make additional education possible for the majority of Michigan's new college students after they earn their high school diploma or equivalency," Sarah Szurpicki, director of the Office of Sixty by 30, said in the press release. "This scholarship is game-changing for Michigan families. Creating more pathways to education beyond high school means creating more pathways for Michigan students, families, and businesses to succeed."