Michigan free tuition programs exist at 13 of the state's 15 public universities. If your family is under the income or need limit, the university covers tuition after other grants. The limits vary widely: from $50,000 in family income at Grand Valley State and Western Michigan to $125,000 at all three University of Michigan campuses. Several programs skip a dollar limit and instead require Pell Grant or Michigan Achievement Scholarship eligibility.
The table below is from the Michigan Association of State Universities' (MASU) list, updated October 15, 2026. MASU notes that each program has other requirements not listed, so check the university's own page before relying on it.
All 15 public universities
| University | Program | Main eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Go Blue Guarantee | Income $125,000 or less, assets under $125,000 |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn | Go Blue Guarantee | Income $125,000 or less, assets under $125,000, 3.5 GPA |
| University of Michigan-Flint | Go Blue Guarantee | Income $125,000 or less, assets under $125,000, 3.5 GPA |
| Saginaw Valley State | SVSU Cardinal Commitment | Income $100,000 or less, assets under $80,000 |
| Wayne State | Wayne State Guarantee | Income $80,000 or less and assets under $50,000, or Pell-eligible |
| Wayne State | Heart of Detroit Tuition Pledge | Live in Detroit or graduate from any Detroit high school |
| Michigan State | Spartan Tuition Advantage | Income $75,000 or less, Pell-eligible |
| Oakland | Golden Guarantee | Income $70,000 or less, assets under $50,000, receiving the Achievement Scholarship |
| Central Michigan | CMU Tuition Advantage | Income and assets $65,000 or less each, Pell-eligible; main campus only |
| Grand Valley State | Grand Valley Pledge | Income $50,000 or less, assets $50,000 or less |
| Western Michigan | Bronco Promise | Income $50,000 or less, assets under $75,000 |
| Eastern Michigan | Eagle Guarantee | Pell- and Achievement Scholarship-eligible, 3.0 GPA, assets under $60,000 |
| Ferris State | Ferris Pledge | Pell- and Achievement Scholarship-eligible; Big Rapids campus only |
| Northern Michigan | NMU Tuition Advantage | Pell- and Achievement Scholarship-eligible; not Global Campus |
| Michigan Tech | None | Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) Phase I |
| Lake Superior State | None | Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) Phase I |
Source: Michigan Association of State Universities, Free Tuition Programs (updated Oct. 15, 2026). Income means family adjusted gross income.
The details that change who qualifies
- Assets count at most schools. U-M allows assets under $125,000; Wayne State, Oakland and Grand Valley cap them at about $50,000. U-M counts home equity in assets but excludes retirement accounts.
- Some use Pell eligibility instead of an income line. Eastern Michigan, Ferris State and Northern Michigan require Pell and Achievement Scholarship eligibility; Michigan State and Central Michigan require Pell plus an income limit.
- GPA floors: U-M Dearborn and U-M Flint require a 3.5; Eastern Michigan a 3.0.
- Wayne State has two programs. The Heart of Detroit Tuition Pledge has no income test: live in Detroit or graduate from a Detroit high school.
- Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State have no guarantee of their own. MASU says free tuition may still be possible through the FAFSA, and both take part in Phase I of the state's Tuition Incentive Program for students with a history of Medicaid coverage.
Two programs up close
Go Blue Guarantee (U-M Ann Arbor): It's automatic. Apply to U-M, apply for financial aid (the CSS Profile and FAFSA), and get admitted. U-M says income is measured from the "prior-prior" tax year, and families earning $125,000 to $150,000 paid an average of $967 in tuition for 2026-27. See U-M admissions for Michigan residents.
Spartan Tuition Advantage (Michigan State): MSU raised the limit from $65,000 to $75,000 in October 2026. It covers tuition for up to 18 credits a semester for up to eight consecutive semesters, through federal, state and MSU gift aid. It's for new college students only (not transfers), and the FAFSA is the only application.
What this means for you
- File the 2027-28 FAFSA. Every program above uses it; U-M also requires the CSS Profile.
- Check asset limits as well as income. A family under every income limit can miss Wayne State's or Grand Valley's $50,000 asset cap.
- Ask what's covered beyond tuition. At U-M Ann Arbor, Go Blue Guarantee students in nursing, teacher preparation and music, theatre & dance now get the full cost of attendance, including housing.
- If you're Pell-eligible, check Eastern Michigan, Ferris State and Northern Michigan, whose programs use Pell and Achievement Scholarship eligibility rather than a dollar limit.
Sources
- Free Tuition Programs (updated Oct. 15, 2026) — Michigan Association of State Universities
- Go Blue Guarantee: Ann Arbor — University of Michigan
- MSU expands Spartan Tuition Advantage eligibility (Oct. 1, 2026) — MSUToday
- Spartan Tuition Advantage FAQs — MSU Office of Financial Aid
- Tuition Incentive Program — MI Student Aid