Wayne State University Offers Free Tuition For Certain MI Students

DETROIT — Some Michigan students can attend Wayne State University in Detroit for free as part of the university's new guarantee program.

In order to qualify for the program, a student must be enrolling as a first-time undergraduate in a degree-program, singing up for at least 12 credit hours per academic year, and the student's household income must be less than $70,000 and assets of $50,000.

"Wayne State has a long history of being a university of access and opportunity, and now our commitment to making a college degree affordable comes in the form of a guarantee," Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson said.

The program will use a combination of federal, state and other Wayne State University scholarships and grants to pay for the student's tuition, which could turn out to be roughly $14,142 per student, the school said.

The award is renewable for up to four years, as long the student meets certain criteria, such as passing at least 67 percent of classes, maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and earn a minimum of 30 credits per academic year.

The student could also renew the award for a fifth year too, as long as the student is on track to graduate in that year.

The program opens to all first-year undergraduates in the fall of 2023. The student must enroll at Wayne State University and submit their 2023-24 FAFSA by April 1 to apply for the free tuition program.

"Students in Michigan deserve the opportunity to receive quality, affordable higher education," Whitmer said. "Last year, almost half of first-year students at Wayne State University had zero out-of-pocket expenses, with this initiative, the university is offering that opportunity to even more students."