Governor Gretchen Whitmer just announced that Michiganders ages 21–24 can now apply for Michigan Reconnect. Before now the starting age was 25.
The Governor’s office says this now gives thousands of adults who were previously ineligible for the scholarship a new opportunity to earn a tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate at their local community or Tribal college.
They will join more than 250,000 Michiganders who have applied for Reconnect and nearly 20,000 graduates. Officials say Michigan Reconnect is helping students set a stronger foundation, with the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics reporting that Reconnect graduates earn a median wage of over $13,000 more than their pre-Reconnect wages.
Governor Whitmer says, “Michigan Reconnect is one of the biggest investments we’ve made to help Michiganders afford the education and training they need to get ahead, and now thousands more adults ages 21 through 24 can benefit.”
The program was launched in 2021 and its expansion is made possible by a 25-million-dollar ongoing investment included in the bipartisan fiscal year 2027 education budget.
