Homeschool reimbursement and benefits in Michigan

Your eligible homeschool graduate can receive up to $2,000 toward an approved Michigan career-training program, limited to its tuition cost. The 2026-27 application closes August 1, 2027; a second award requires an unfinished first program and a different program and provider in another academic year.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Michigan residency

   Your student must have lived in Michigan for the immediately preceding year.

2. Completed school in 2023 or later

   An eligible training provider must accept homeschool records as proof of completion.

3. Timely approved training

   Enroll in an eligible program within 15 months of completion and complete the MiSSG application.

4. No disqualifying credential

   Your student cannot already have an associate or bachelor’s degree, or a credential earned using this scholarship.

What it is worth

The 2026-27 manual limits an award to $2,000 or actual program tuition, whichever is less.

$1,500 eligible program tuition

$1,500

$3,000 eligible program tuition

$2,000

Approved second award after noncompletion

Up to $2,000

The second award requires a different academic year, program and provider; total funding cannot exceed $4,000.

From applying to keeping it

1. March 1, 2026 to August 1, 2027

   Apply for 2026-27

   Submit the annual MiSSG application; FAFSA is not required for this scholarship.

2. Within 15 months of high-school completion

   Start eligible training

   Provide accepted completion records and proof of Michigan residency to the career-training provider.

3. After three weeks of active participation

   Provider certifies the award

   A shorter program must be completed before certification; the award cannot exceed $2,000 or tuition, whichever is less.

4. November 11, 2026 to September 8, 2027

   Provider receives payment

   The manual schedules monthly payments for successfully certified awards; certification opens in November 2026.

5. If the first program is not completed

   Ask about a second award

   A different program and provider in another academic year may qualify; the provider must contact the program coordinator, and approval is not automatic.

What it pays for

Covered

• Tuition in an approved career-training program

Not covered

• K-12 curriculum reimbursements
• Unrestricted parent cash
• Unapproved training providers

Who pays first

1. Apply Pell first if the training program is Pell-eligible
2. Use the Skills Scholarship within the remaining eligible tuition and program limits

Good to know

• The 2026-27 deadline is August 1, 2027

  You can apply now. The current manual lists an August 1, 2027 deadline, plus a separate 15-month enrollment requirement.

• The FAFSA is not required

  This scholarship uses its own annual MiSSG application instead.

• Each program award is capped at $2,000

  The current manual caps each program award at $2,000 or actual tuition, whichever is less. A second award is conditional, not an automatic second-year payment.

Who to contact

Ask about MiSSG, eligibility or provider certification.

mistudentaid@michigan.gov 888-447-2687 Program information

Local help in Michigan

The local programs we have checked across the state cover college and dual credit, grants and scholarships, school services, library resources, recreation, museums and arts, and other services. Each local program sets its own rules for who qualifies. Search your ZIP code to see the ones that serve your address.

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The state's homeschool rules

No state report under the parent-led homeschool exemption, MCL 380.1561(3)(f). The nonpublic-school route has separate reporting; an annual membership report is required for eligibility for auxiliary services.

• Subjects: Under exemption (f), provide an organized program in reading, spelling, math, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar. The nonpublic-school route requires subjects comparable to local public schools.
• Testing: Michigan does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
• Records: No prescribed homeschool portfolio or attendance-record format under exemption (f). Keep progress records for transfers; the nonpublic-school route has separate reporting requirements.
• Teachers: Under exemption (f), the instructor must be the child’s parent or legal guardian; no degree or teaching credential is required. MDE requires a reporting nonpublic homeschool parent to have at least a bachelor’s degree unless a sincerely held religious objection applies.

Read the Michigan homeschooling guide