LANSING — The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential announced that students and families can now complete the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

The FAFSA serves as the gateway for students to access grants and scholarships including the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, Community College Guarantee and federal Pell Grant.

Students and families can complete the FAFSA online by visiting FAFSA.gov or by submitting a paper form. Recent updates to the application include reducing the number of questions to 36 from the previous 108, allowing for a more streamlined process. Most students and families can complete the application in less than 15 minutes.

The Michigan Achievement Scholarship, offered by MiLEAP, provides up to $27,500 over five years for students to attend a Michigan public university, private college or university, or to enroll in a bachelor’s degree program at a Michigan community college. To qualify, students must graduate from a Michigan high school or achieve a high school equivalency certificate and demonstrate financial need by completing the FAFSA. In past years, 7 in 10 high school graduates were eligible for this support, and over 28,800 students benefited in the program’s first year.

Additionally, the Community College Guarantee offers students the opportunity to earn an associate degree or skill certificate at their local community college or Tribal college tuition-free — regardless of income — saving families an estimated $4,800 annually. The program covers most tuition costs for those attending out-of-district schools and provides an additional $1,000 bonus for living expenses for students qualifying for the federal Pell Grant.

For additional information on state scholarships, tools to help complete the FAFSA and more, go to Michigan.gov/MiStudentAid.