Governor Gretchen Whitmer Directs $90 Million to Expand Tuition-Free Community College Scholarships

DETROIT — Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on Monday the allocation of $90 million in state higher education grants to expand the Michigan Reconnect scholarship program, providing tuition-free associate degrees and industry-recognized technical certificates for an estimated 35,000 additional Michigan residents.

The expansion, approved as part of the state's Fiscal Year 2027 education budget, permanently lowers the eligibility age for tuition-free community college from 25 down to 21 and introduces dedicated wrap-around stipends for child care and transportation to support working adult learners.

Driving Toward Michigan's "Sixty by 30" Postsecondary Goal Governor Whitmer emphasized that expanding access to higher education is essential to achieving Michigan's statutory goal of having 60 percent of working-age adults hold a postsecondary degree or industry certification by the year 2030.

"Higher education is the surest path to economic mobility and a secure middle-class life," Governor Whitmer said at Wayne County Community College District in Detroit. "Since we launched Michigan Reconnect, more than 150,000 Michiganders have enrolled in tuition-free college, preparing for rewarding careers as registered nurses, advanced machinists, and clean tech technicians. This new $90 million investment opens the door for thousands more young people to build their future right here in Michigan without taking on crippling debt."

High-Demand Career Pathways Funded The program covers in-district tuition and mandatory course fees across all 31 public Michigan community and tribal colleges, with prioritized funding for high-demand fields including:

• Registered Nursing and Diagnostic Ultrasound Telemetry
• Advanced Mechatronics and Industrial Robotics Repair
• Cybersecurity and Cloud Systems Administration
• Electric Vehicle Battery Pack Assembly and Inspection
• Heavy Equipment and Commercial Construction Electrical Trades

Community college presidents and regional business leaders commended the scholarship expansion, highlighting that zero-tuition pathways provide local automotive and healthcare employers with a steady pipeline of certified technical talent.