(WXYZ) — The State of Michigan said more than 62,000 people have been accepted to get tuition-free community college.
According to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, there have been 62,000 applications statewide since the Michigan Reconnect program launched on Feb. 2. That outpaced the goal of 60,000 applicants by Memorial Day.
Last week alone, 14,000 Michiganders who applied but didn't qualify for the Futures for Frontliners program were automatically enrolled for Michigan Reconnect.
“When you add in the 120,000 essential front-line workers who’ve applied for tuition-free college or high school completion, you’re talking about connecting over 180,000 Michiganders to good-paying jobs and businesses with the talent they need to thrive,” LEO Acting Director Susan Corbin said.
The program gives Michiganders who are 25 and older without a college degree tuition-free community college or skills certificate.
More than half the applicants are from southeast Michigan, with Wayne County leading the way with 16,806 applicants. Oakland County had 6,751 people apply and Macomb County had 6,710.
Reconnect scholarships are accepted by all Michigan community colleges and are also available to those who are already enrolled in their local community college. If you're already enrolled, the program pays the remaining balance of tuition and mandatory fees after other financial aid has been applied.
