Tribune News Wire
LANSING – More than 166,000 Michigan students received $672.5 million in state financial aid during the 2025-26 academic year, helping make postsecondary education more attainable and supporting students as they work toward credentials that lead to good-paying, in-demand careers.
Compared with pre-pandemic levels, the number of students receiving state financial aid has increased 159.3%, while total aid awarded has grown by more than $548 million. Early estimates indicate more than half – roughly 230,000 Michigan college students – were eligible for at least one state-funded scholarship during 2025-26, making it the largest number of students, spanning all counties and regions, eligible for state scholarships since the state began tracking this data.
“For many students, financial aid can be the difference between being able to enroll and having to put their education on hold,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, executive director of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). “Expanding access to financial aid creates more opportunities for students to earn credentials and take the next step toward their goals.”
State financial aid programs support Michigan students at different stages of their education, including recent high school graduates, adult learners and students preparing for careers in teaching. Programs include the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Community College Guarantee, Michigan Reconnect, the Tuition Incentive Program, the MI Future Educator Fellowship and Stipend, among others.
“Financial aid is one way we can help more Michiganders see a path to a degree or skills certificate and have a real opportunity to complete it,” said Sarah Szurpicki, deputy director of MiLEAP’s Office of Higher Education. “That matters not only for the students and families who benefit, but for Michigan as a whole. As our economy and our job market change, we need a workforce prepared for what comes next, and postsecondary credentials are an essential part of that preparation.”
Together, these efforts support Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal of increasing the percentage of working-age adults with a college degree or skills certificate to 60% by 2030. Expanding access to financial aid helps make postsecondary education more attainable for Michiganders and supports their path to a credential.
For more information about Michigan’s state financial aid programs, visit Michigan.gov/MiStudentAid.
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