Qualifying adults as young as 21 can now attend Washtenaw Community College tuition-free at the in-district rate under an expanded state scholarship, with the fall semester starting Monday, Aug. 31.
The Michigan Reconnect program, which previously required applicants to be at least 25, dropped its minimum age to 21 after lawmakers allocated $25 million in the state's fiscal year 2026–27 education budget to cover the expansion, according to a WCC announcement. The change opens the door for thousands of 21- to 24-year-olds across the state who had no dedicated state tuition aid.
Michigan officials have set a goal of enrolling 8,000 students in that age group during the 2026–27 academic year, The Arab American News reported. The funding is authorized for one year only, though advocates are pushing legislation to make the change permanent.
Ryan Bliss, executive director of the Michigan College Access Network, said in an Aug. 9 Michigan Public report that 21- to 24-year-olds had been "sort of a lost population that even if they had made up their mind to go to school or go back to school, there was not a lot of state-based financial aid for them."
Statewide, more than 94,000 adults have enrolled through Reconnect since its launch, according to a state press release.
What the scholarship covers
At WCC, Reconnect pays in-district tuition and mandatory fees after other financial aid is applied. With WCC's tuition already the lowest in Michigan at $99 per credit hour, the scholarship can eliminate out-of-pocket costs entirely for qualifying students.
The college offers more than 140 programs, including 50 that are fully online.
Who qualifies
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be at least 21 years old at the time of application
- Have lived in Michigan for at least one year
- Hold a high school diploma or GED
- Not already have earned an associate or bachelor's degree
This is not the first time the program has reached younger adults. Michigan temporarily expanded Reconnect to age 21 in 2023 using federal COVID-19 recovery funds, but that expansion ended when the federal money ran out.
How to apply
Prospective students apply for the scholarship directly with the State of Michigan at missg.guarantorsolutions.com/StudentPortal/reconnect. WCC's fall semester begins Aug. 31, but the college also offers three later start dates during the fall term.
WCC's Office of Financial Aid can answer questions at 734-973-3523, by email at [email protected], or in person on the second floor of the Student Center at 4800 E. Huron River Drive in Ann Arbor.
