Homeschool benefits and savings in Lansing
The Lansing Promise pays up to $10,000 toward an associate degree, certificate, or credential at Lansing Community College, or up to $20,000 toward a bachelor's degree at a partner university, after federal and state aid. Homeschool graduates qualify if they lived and were homeschooled inside Lansing School District boundaries for grades 9-12, and they apply through the Promise's own online form by May 17 for fall.
Who qualifies
Lives in Lansing School District
Your exact address must be inside the Lansing School District boundaries for the 9th through 12th grade years. The Promise checks district boundaries, not city limits.
Homeschools within the boundaries
Home school is a listed route for grades 9-12. The application describes it as a parent or legal guardian who assigns homework, gives and grades tests, and issues report cards and transcripts.
Files the FAFSA every year
An awarded student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and its verification process by May 1 to receive funds.
Is admitted to a partner school
Your student must be accepted at a Promise partner such as Lansing Community College, Michigan State University, Davenport University, The University of Olivet, or Douglas J Institute, or an approved skilled-trades program.
What it is worth
The amounts are the maximums the Lansing Promise lists for the full scholarship (all of grades 9-12 in the district) and the Guarantee (at least one full year).
- Lansing Community College, full scholarship
- Up to $10,000
- Partner four-year university, full scholarship
- Up to $20,000
- Douglas J Institute licensing program
- Up to $10,000
- Partner four-year university, Guarantee
- Up to $10,000
- Approved Michigan skilled-trades program
- Assistance, amount not listed
Ask the Promise office what amount applies to a skilled-trades program before you count on a figure.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Apply online
Homeschool graduates fill out the Lansing Promise Scholarship application on its online form instead of waiting for the February email that district seniors receive.
- By May 17 or December 1
Meet the deadline
Apply by May 17 to be considered for fall semester or by December 1 for spring semester.
- By May 1
Finish the FAFSA
Complete the FAFSA and any verification so federal and state aid can be applied before the Promise pays.
- Within 2 years of graduating
Start using the award
Your student must begin using the scholarship within two years of high school graduation, then typically has up to six years to finish.
- Each year
File the FAFSA again
A new FAFSA every year keeps your student eligible.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition, books, and course fees at Lansing Community College
- Tuition and mandatory fees at a partner university
- Cosmetology, barbering, or esthiology licensing at Douglas J Institute
- Approved skilled-trades programs in Michigan
Not covered
- Costs already paid by federal and state aid
- Colleges outside the Promise partner list
- Use after the six-year window
Who pays first
- Federal financial aid
- State financial aid
- Lansing Promise
It is a last-dollar scholarship: federal and state aid from the FAFSA apply first, and the Promise helps cover the eligible education costs that remain.
Good to know
Living in the City of Lansing is not enough
Eligibility depends on the Lansing School District boundaries, so confirm that your address falls inside the district before you apply.
Who to contact
The Lansing Promise office answers questions about eligibility, the homeschool application, and partner schools.
info@lansingpromise.org 517-512-3616 Contact form
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Michigan
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.
Michigan sets these rules:
- 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 See statewide programs in Michigan
Questions parents ask
- We moved into the district in the middle of high school. Does the Lansing Promise have anything for us?
- Possibly. Students who live and attend school in the district for at least one full academic year and graduate are eligible for the Lansing Promise Guarantee, which pays up to $10,000.
- Which colleges can my student use it at?
- Partners include Lansing Community College, Michigan State University, Saginaw Valley State University, The University of Olivet, Davenport University, and Douglas J Institute, plus approved Michigan skilled-trades programs.
- Does the Promise pay before or after other aid?
- After. Federal and state grants from the FAFSA are applied first, which is why the FAFSA is required every year even if you expect little aid.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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