Frequently Asked Questions:
We are honored and excited to cheer for our students as they work towards a college credential, and we are here to answer any questions along the way. This page was designed with you in mind and answers the most common questions we receive. If you have any questions that are not addressed here, please email info@detroitpromise.com and we’ll be happy to answer them.
Additional Resources:
Information for Parents
Eligibility Requirements
Participating Schools
Register
- Covers: 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 there is an eligible balance remaining at a four-year institution, the institution will arrange for the remainder to be covered by gift aid (often generously granted by the institution itself) and a contribution from the Michigan Education Excellence Foundation (through the Detroit Promise*).
- *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 to other scholarships to help cover them.
A verification link will be sent via email with next steps. Students cannot move forward with Detroit Promise funding until this step is completed. To ensure receipt, students should check their email regularly, including their spam folder.
- Two-year funding carries neither a GPA nor exam score requirement and will support eligible students for up to three years as they pursue a two-year degree or a technical certificate at a community college. Programs must be eligible for Pell in order to be eligible for Detroit Promise funding.
- Four-year funding requires high school seniors to have a 3.0 overall GPA by February 15 and at least a 21 ACT or 1060 SAT exam score. Exams must be scored and in the hands of the students by April 30 in order to be eligible for Detroit Promise funding. Students meeting these and the other requirements are eligible for four years of funding at a participating four-year institution to which they are accepted.
No, funding is only available to students attending a participating institution and only at the level for which they are eligible.
- Community college students must submit an appeal in order to be considered for part-time eligibility. This appeal can be found under the Detroit Promise Two-Year Student page.
- University students are required to complete at least 12 credits each semester in order to maintain eligibility.
No, two-year funding is only available at partnering community colleges.
Yes, students can defer their scholarship for up to one year. If a student wishes to take a gap year after high school, they must activate their scholarship by the fall semester of the following year.
No, four-year students must begin college at a participating institution in the fall of their graduation year or they forfeit eligibility. Exceptions may be made based on medical and military necessity. Please contact the Detroit Promise with questions.
Students with an IEP should visit the access office at their school. A counselor will review their IEP to ensure the student has access to all the services the school has to offer. If a student has an IEP, it is important that they identify themselves and ask for services as, legally, colleges cannot ask.
Two-Year Students: A counselor will review their IEP and recommend a set amount of credits as full-time status for the student. The Detroit Promise will honor the community college’s recommendation for full-time credits. The recommendation must be written by a college’s counselor on school letterhead and emailed to the Detroit Promise team info@detroitpromise.com.
Four-Year Students: Students with IEPs are still required to complete 12 credits per semester.
The Detroit Promise Path is a student success program that assigns a Campus Coach, as of Fall 2019, to all Detroit Promise community college students. Campus Coaches connect students with on-campus student resources, support their educational journey and personal growth, and assist them in achieving goals. Please note that while participation in the Detroit Promise Path is highly encouraged to support student success, not participating will not impact the student’s eligibility for Detroit Promise funding.
In addition to the benefit of having a dedicated, knowledgeable coach, each scholar participating in the Detroit Promise Path will receive a monthly stipend of $50 and be connected to a community of Detroit Promise scholars.
Please be aware that all appeals must be submitted through the links below.
Students must have the following documents ready before beginning the appeal process:
- A copy of their transcripts.
- An education plan from a college advisor or generated by the college’s online portal. A plan created by students will not be accepted.
- A well-developed short essay clearly stating why they are submitting the appeal.
