MARQUETTE — Michigan universities’ enrollment could improve after the intoduction of a first-year student scholarship.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer created the Michigan Achievement Scholarship — available for graduating high school seniors — that can save families up to $27,500 over the course of a bachelor’s degree program.

Students can be awarded up to $2,000 per year for up to two years if they attend an eligible in-state training provider, up to $2,750 per year for up to three years if they attend an in-state community college, up to $4,000 per year for up to five years if they attend an in-state private college or university or up to $5,500 per year for up to five years, if they attend an in-state public university.

Northern Michigan University’s fall freshman class of 1,542 students is a 9.6% increase from fall 2022. New first-time transfers have increased by 14%.

Michigan Tech University reported its highest enrollment since 1983 with 7,320 students enrolled, including 1,463 incoming first-year students. Overall enrollment is up 3.5% from last year.

Instituting this scholarship and raising enrollment rates further Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 goal: getting 60% of Michigan adults a skill certificate or college degree by 2030.

“Michiganders deserve the opportunity to get a high-quality, affordable higher education so they can land a good-paying job right here in Michigan,” Whitmer said in the news release. “The Michigan Achievement Scholarship we established last year lowers the cost of community, private and public college for the majority of students starting this fall. I am proud to see that it’s making a real difference with record enrolment numbers. Let’s keep working together to lower the cost of college, grow our economy, and ensure anyone and everyone can ‘make it’ in Michigan.”