Homeschool benefits and savings in Mason County
The Mason County Promise pays West Shore Community College (WSCC) tuition and mandatory fees for up to 72 attempted credits after grants, about $2,415 for a 15-contact-hour semester at the 2026-27 in-district rate. Homeschool graduates qualify with at least a year of Mason County residency, including the graduating year, and the class of 2027 can apply from October 1, 2026 to March 1, 2027.
Who qualifies
Lived in Mason County a year
Your student must have lived in Mason County, or within a Mason County-based public school district's boundaries, for at least a year that includes the graduating year.
Shows homeschool registration
Homeschool graduates demonstrate that they are registered as a homeschool with the State of Michigan or registered for services through the West Shore Educational Service District (ESD).
Files the FAFSA
Your student completes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with the Promise college listed first and sends the Promise the state's proof of completion.
Stays in good standing
To keep the award, your student needs a 2.0 GPA or higher, completes 67% of attempted credits, and meets WSCC's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.
What it is worth
WSCC's 2026-27 in-district rate is $135 per contact hour plus a $26-per-contact-hour student services fee, capped at $520 a semester.
- One class (3 contact hours)
- $483
- Full-time semester (12 contact hours)
- $1,932
- Semester at 15 contact hours
- $2,415
- Fall and winter at 15 contact hours
- $4,830
- 72 credits, if contact hours match credits
- $11,592
WSCC also charges a technology fee and some course-specific fees that its page does not price, and its non-district rate is $200 per contact hour, so confirm your address is in-district before you estimate.
From applying to renewing it
- Oct. 1, 2026 to March 1, 2027
Apply and choose a path
Class of 2027 students submit the Promise application and pick the Community Scholarship at WSCC or the one-time Statewide Scholarship.
- By May 1, 2027
Send FAFSA proof
The 2027-28 FAFSA opened October 1, 2026. Michigan emails proof of completion three to five days after the form is processed; forward it to the Promise.
- Late May to June
Verify graduation and residency
Because your student did not graduate from a Mason County public high school, the Promise asks for verification documents, then mails scholarship notices.
- By August 1
Register at WSCC
Enroll for fall. Registering for 12 or more credits and finishing orientation by August 1 also qualifies your student for the first Educational Expenses Award.
- Each year
Renew the Promise
After winter grades post, file a new FAFSA, complete the Promise renewal application, and email a college transcript to the Promise.
What it pays for
Covered
- WSCC tuition
- WSCC mandatory fees
- Up to two Educational Expenses Awards
- A one-time Transfer Award for class of 2027 Community Scholars
Not covered
- Costs already paid by federal or state grants
- Attempted credits beyond 72
- Use more than six years after graduation
- Cash paid directly to the student
Who pays first
- Federal and state grants and state scholarships
- Mason County Promise
The Promise is a middle-dollar scholarship: grants apply to tuition and fees first, and the Promise can then replace loans, work-study, private scholarships, or your expected family contribution.
Good to know
College classes taken in high school do not count
Credits earned before high school graduation do not count toward the 72. Every credit attempted after graduation counts, including credits from colleges other than WSCC.
Full-time attendance is not required for tuition
The Promise has no credit minimum for tuition in any semester. The Educational Expenses Award does require registering for 12 or more credits.
Who to contact
The Promise director answers questions about eligibility, homeschool verification, FAFSA waivers, and renewals.
info@masoncountypromise.org Contact page
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
- How much is the Educational Expenses Award?
- No set amount is published; the Promise says it may vary by year. The award is ready at the WSCC online bookstore in mid-August, and unused funds come back through WSCC's financial aid refund checks after the drop period.
- What is new for the class of 2027?
- Graduates can choose a Statewide Scholarship instead: a one-time flat award for full-time first-year study at any Michigan college that accepts federal aid, used within 15 months of graduation. The Promise sets that amount each year.
- What if we cannot complete the FAFSA?
- If circumstances outside your control block access to the FAFSA, email the Promise Director to ask whether your student qualifies for a waiver.
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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