Scholarship & Tuition Payment
Scholarship & Tuition Payment FAQs
Must students initiate enrollment in the 2021 calendar year?
Yes. Applicants must enroll and begin classes in one of the four semesters: winter, spring, summer, or fall 2021.
Is there a list of specific programs/certifications that will be allowed?
F4F scholarship students are allowed to enroll in any Pell-eligible skills certificate or associate degree programs they want to pursue at any of the public community colleges.
If a 4-year university offers certificates or associate degree programs, will funding apply toward this?
No. With F4F, applicants have tuition-free access to community college only to pursue Pell-eligible skills certificates and/or associate degrees.
Can a student use the scholarship to earn more than one certificate during the 4-year eligibility period?
No. It can only be used for one certificate.
Is there an academic year cap as to how many credits can be billed?
If a student wants to finish early or quickly by taking the maximum amount of credits allowed by the community college, that is allowed.
Must the student select and work toward only one program at a time?
No, but we will only pay for one program.
If a scholarship recipient is not awarded any Pell Grant funding and has no other scholarships or award funding, will their entire tuition be paid?
F4F will cover tuition, mandatory fees, and contact hours for the community college’s in-district tuition rate.
Do USDOL Registered Apprenticeship programs count as an eligible program? Or do the apprenticeship programs have to be linked to community college programs?
USDOL apprenticeship programs are not eligible. If an apprenticeship program informs apprentices that completion of a Pell-eligible associate degree or occupational certificate at the community college counts towards the academic requirement of the apprenticeship program, the apprentice could attend the community college tuition-free. However, that is an arrangement between the union and the apprentice. Non-Pell-eligible courses or courses outside of the community college are not available for the F4F scholarship.
Would a F4F scholarship recipient taking advantage of a 2+2 articulation agreement need to finish their associate degree prior to transferring to maximize funding options? Meaning the funding will cease at the time of transfer from the community college.
Yes
Will F4F pay for Pell-eligible, short term (18-week) clock hour programs?
Providing the Pell-eligible course results in an occupational certificate from the community college, then yes. The applicant’s program must start in 2021 for funding to be applied.
Are continuing education courses that lead to industry recognized credentials eligible - such as nursing assistant programs that lead to CNA certification – eligible to receive F4F funding?
Pell-eligible courses that are part of a program of study designed to result in an associate degree or specific occupational certificate are eligible.
If a F4F scholarship student is taking a course at a community college but due to course availability, needs to take a course through the Michigan Colleges Online (MCO), would that count also?
If the local community college approves enrollment in an MCO course as meeting a requirement for the frontliners associate or occupational certificate program, the F4F scholarship student may take the course.
How are in-district and out-of-district students billed?
The F4F scholarship covers the in-district tuition rate whether a student attends a school within their district or not. If a student chooses -- or is required -- to go to an out-of-district community college, the scholarship recipient will have to pay the difference between the in-district tuition rate and out-of-district rate.
Are course/lab fees covered?
F4F covers traditional tuition, mandatory fees, and contact hours.
If a student chooses to decline their Pell Grant, will they be able to keep their F4F?
No. If a F4F scholarship recipient chooses to decline their Pell Grant, they will not be able to use their F4F award.
Maintaining Scholarship
Maintaining Scholarship FAQs
If an F4F applicant has a past of poor academic performance, are they still eligible to receive the scholarship award?
Yes, past academic performance is not an eligibility requirement. As long as the F4F scholarship student meets the other eligibility requirements to apply for the scholarship, receive the award, and maintain the scholarship program, they can be covered by the F4F scholarship program.
If an F4F applicant failed to make SAP and is therefore ineligible for federal financial aid, would they still be able to use this scholarship?
Yes. Previous SAP is not a requirement for receiving the F4F scholarship.
If a student changes their program, how does that affect their funding?
As long as the student continues to meet all of the eligibility requirements for the scholarship, they can transfer from one community college or program without loss of the scholarship.
Keeping in mind the limitations on the award. See Program Limits.
How will the students receiving the funding be monitored (i.e. grades and completion)?
The community colleges will report this information to Treasury when the college requests payment for the student. This is information that is already captured by the community colleges.