Barry County Kellogg Community College students ages 21 and up who don’t yet have a college degree may be eligible to save $158.25 per credit hour on tuition thanks to the Michigan Reconnect program.
The program provides free community college tuition to eligible students who meet certain guidelines, up to the in-district tuition rate. While most Barry County residents fall outside the College district, that still amounts to a huge reduction in tuition costs: the standard out-of-district tuition rate of $239.50 per credit hour drops to $81.25, representing a 66% rate reduction.
With most degrees consisting of 60 credit hours or more, the Michigan Reconnect program will save eligible students several thousands of dollars over the course of their degree.
When the state program started in February 2021, it was only available for eligible students age 25 and older. A recent expansion launched in October has temporarily opened the program to students as young as 21, with applications for students ages 21 to 24 open until November 2024.
Since the Michigan Reconnect program began, more than 2,170 students have taken advantage of the program to further their education at KCC, including nearly 800 students enrolled in the Fall 2023 semester. KCC estimates that more than 500 additional students taking classes this fall – including students in Barry Country – could benefit from the new Michigan Reconnect expansion.
Current fall-semester students can apply now and, if accepted, will be reimbursed by the state for the relevant costs associated with their current classes.
The program covers the cost of tuition up to the in-district rate per credit hour, as well as the cost of mandatory fees for eligible students to pursue select associate degree or certificate programs at any public community college in Michigan.
Eligible students must:
- Be at least 21 years old when they apply
- Have lived in Michigan for a year or more
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Have not yet completed a college degree (associate or bachelor’s)
For more information, including answers to frequently asked questions about the program, visit the state’s Michigan Reconnect web page at michigan.gov/reconnect/community-college.
More information about using Michigan Reconnect funds at KCC is available on the KCC website at kellogg.edu/reconnect.
In addition to offering more than 100 online courses each semester to increase accessibility for out-of-district students, KCC offers several in-person courses and training opportunities on its Fehsenfeld Center campus in Hastings, located at 2950 West M-179 Highway, just miles from downtown.
For more information about the Fehsenfeld Center, visit kellogg.edu/hastings, call 269-948-9500 or email fehsenfeld@kellogg.edu.
For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at https://daily.kellogg.edu/category/news-releases.