Homeschool benefits: North Central Michigan College
North Central Michigan College (NCMC) gives one homeschool senior in its service area a Presidential Scholarship each year: full tuition and mandatory fees for six consecutive semesters plus a $400 bookstore stipend each semester, valued at $11,448 for Emmet County students and $17,568 for out-of-district students. Your student needs a 3.5 GPA and qualifying ACT or SAT scores, and must apply for admission by April 3 of the graduation year.
Who qualifies
Homeschool senior in service area
Your student must be a graduating senior from a home school within NCMC's service area. NCMC awards one homeschool scholarship, separate from the ones nominated by its 25 service-area high schools.
Has a 3.5 GPA
Include a homeschool transcript showing a minimum 3.5 overall GPA, complete through the seventh semester of high school.
Has qualifying test scores
ACT 18 or higher in English and 21 or higher in Reading; SAT two-digit 25 or higher in English and Reading; or SAT three-digit 500 or higher in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW).
Starts the fall after graduating
Recipients register for the fall semester right after spring graduation and take at least 12 credit hours a semester for credit, not audit.
What it is worth
NCMC's 2026-27 tuition is $157 per contact hour for Emmet County residents and $270 for other Michigan residents; the full-award values are the college's own figures.
- Fall or winter semester at 15 contact hours, Emmet County
- $2,355
- Fall or winter semester at 15 contact hours, other Michigan
- $4,050
- Book stipend each semester
- $400
- Full award, Emmet County student
- $11,448
- Full award, out-of-district student
- $17,568
Tuition is covered up to 20 contact hours in fall and winter and six in summer, so ask the enrollment office what you pay if your student registers above those caps.
From applying to renewing it
- By April 3 of the graduation year
Apply for admission
Complete NCMC's online Application for Admission, then the Presidential Scholarship Homeschool Application.
- Early April
Send transcript and scores
In 2026 the transcript and ACT or SAT scores had to arrive by April 8. NCMC has not posted the 2027 date, so check the scholarship page in early 2027.
- Around May 2
Hear the decision
NCMC notifies applicants of its selection in early May.
- End of August
Attend the retreat
Recipients attend a retreat at the Petoskey campus, with a reception for families, before starting fall classes.
- Each semester
Keep a 3.0 GPA
The scholarship renews for five more semesters when your student earns a 3.0 term GPA, completes 75% of credit hours, and meets with an academic advisor.
What it pays for
Covered
- Up to six contact hours in summer
- Mandatory fees
- A $400 book stipend each semester at the NCMC Bookstore
Not covered
- Field study fees
- Courses at other colleges
- Audited courses
- Cash refunds of the book stipend
Good to know
Homeschool seniors apply directly, without a nomination
High school seniors are nominated by their principal, but homeschool seniors apply directly with the Presidential Scholarship Homeschool Application.
Who to contact
Katie Navock, vice president for Enrollment Management, answers questions about the homeschool Presidential Scholarship.
knavock@ncmich.edu 231-348-6618 Scholarships 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
- Can my student use the Presidential Scholarship part time or start later?
- No. Recipients must enroll the fall right after graduation and register for at least 12 credit hours each semester, with up to six in summer.
- Can the scholarship be used at a university after NCMC?
- No. It is for North Central Michigan College only and cannot be transferred.
- If my student is not chosen, are there other NCMC scholarships?
- Yes: the Tip of the Mitt Scholarship for service-area homeschool seniors with at least a 2.5 GPA, and NCMC's general application, open until December 15, 2026.
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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