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Parent Resources

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We are thrilled to support you and your child as your child continues their journey toward earning a college credential, and we are here to assist with any questions you may have along the way. If you have any questions that are not covered here, please reach out on our contact form.

Explore Detroit Promise as a Tuition-Free Pathway to College for your Child

Looking for ways to support a future Detroit Promise scholar?

  • Share information with the student and build awareness of the scholarship. Applicants can apply for the scholarship as young as 14 years old and in the 9th grade.
  • Sign up for emails and texts from Detroit Promise. 
  • Explore college preparatory programs. 
  • Stay up to date on financial aid.
  • Plan for college ahead of time! It’s never too early.
College Prep Resources and Programs

Resources for Parents with a 12th Grade Student

Senior Parent Checklist to Help Your Child Secure Detroit Promise

  • Support College Applications
    Did you know that many colleges use the Common App? It allows you to apply to multiple schools at once - and many are free to apply! Help your child navigate the application process with confidence.

Detroit Promise Assistance

We are here to support you and your child every step of the way in securing the Detroit Promise Scholarship.

If you or your senior have questions about the process, your child can schedule a one-on-one session with a Detroit Promise Outreach Coordinator. Parents are welcome to join their student during these sessions to ask questions and take advantage of the available support.

Financial Aid Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

9th-12th grade students who live in Detroit and attend a high school in Detroit can apply for the Detroit Promise. Students can create their own accounts and apply here.

The Detroit Promise arranges last-dollar funding for eligible students to cover the costs of tuition and mandatory fees. This means that any Pell and/or TIP funding must be applied to a student’s tuition and fees bill first. If an eligible balance remains at a four-year institution or community college, the institution will arrange for the remainder to be covered by gift aid. 

*For the avoidance of doubt, all parties acknowledge and agree that the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation’s sole obligation hereunder is to administer the Detroit Promise on behalf of the Michigan Education Excellence Foundation, and neither the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation nor any of its affiliates have any other obligations hereunder, including, without limitation, any obligations for funding to the Member/Partner Institution universities and colleges or to the Detroit Promise Scholar students. 

Does not cover: The Detroit Promise does not cover books, housing, supplies, meals, or non-mandatory fees. Students are responsible for these costs and should regularly apply for other scholarships to help cover them. 

To become a Detroit Promise Scholar, graduating seniors must be eligible for the Detroit Promise and complete the verification process.

No, information about an individual student cannot be released to anyone other than the student, unless that student has already given us permission to share it with a parent or mentor. To approve a parent, guardian, or other individual, students should email info@detroitpromise.com with the person copied and we will be sure to reply all with the records.

We also understand that, in addition to attending classes, some students work during business hours. We recommend students call us during their break or send us an email. If they wish, they may copy a parent or mentor on the email, and we will be sure to reply all.

Legally, we are required to protect student data unless they grant permission for a parent to inquire. Furthermore, as students embark upon their college journey, it is important that they gain the skills necessary to speak for themselves and organize their own affairs. We are here to help students prepare for life after college and that includes encouraging them to be responsible for their own records.

No. We make it a point to visit every school in the city to register students during their senior year of high school. Sometimes students forget they have already registered with us. If a second account is created for a student, it causes long delays when students are trying to sign for the scholarship, and when colleges are trying to apply the scholarship to the student’s account. It is very important that students do not have duplicate accounts.

We can only release information about a specific student’s account to the student. Please have your child send us an email including their first and last name, date of birth, and the high school they attended, along with a brief message explaining that they would like confirmation of their registration. Our email address is info@detroitpromise.com. This email must come from the student; however, students are welcome to copy parents on all communications.

Seeing as Detroit Promise funding only helps with the cost of tuition and mandatory fees, students may wish to look for scholarships or job opportunities to help with the other costs of college attendance (i.e. books, dorms, meal plans, transportations, clothing).

Here are a few online scholarship search engines to get you started: 

Your student’s financial aid office is another great resource for finding available scholarships and grants at your institution.

Are you a parent interested in returning to college?

Click here to learn more about Detroit Reconnect, an initiative to help adults who are pursuing or returning to higher education.

Thank You Partners and Supporters