New Study Finds Michigan’s Tuition Incentive Program Effective in Expanding College Access for Students with Financial Need

University of Michigan study finds need-based aid increases college enrollment; state data show strong outcomes among TIP participants 

LANSING, Mich. – New research from the University of Michigan’s Education Policy Initiative (EPI) finds that Michigan’s Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) helps more students with financial need enroll in college and reduces gaps in higher education access. Coupled with state data showing strong outcomes among TIP participants, these findings reinforce the value of need-based financial aid in supporting student success and strengthening Michigan’s future workforce. 

Administered by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), TIP is a need-based financial aid program that helps eligible students cover tuition and fees while pursuing a postsecondary credential. 

“Every Michigan student deserves a pathway to education beyond high school, regardless of their circumstances,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “This research confirms what we know to be true: when financial barriers are reduced, more students can pursue their goals and contribute to their communities. Programs like TIP help ensure that talent and potential—not financial circumstance—determine a student’s opportunities.” 

According to the EPI study, students eligible for TIP are two to three percentage points more likely to enroll in college than similarly disadvantaged students who are not eligible. Researchers also found that TIP helps reduce disparities in college access by narrowing enrollment gaps between students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and their peers. 

“Our evaluation shows that TIP can increase college enrollment, particularly for students facing substantial economic hardship,” said Kevin Stange, co-director of EPI and co-author of the research. “But many eligible students still do not receive the benefit. The program’s full impact depends on making sure students know about the aid and can actually receive it, which MiLEAP’s Office of Higher Education team has been really focused on.” 

“Research like this helps us better understand what’s working on how to build on it,” said Sarah Szurpicki, deputy director of MiLEAP’s Office of Higher Education. “OHE is focused on strengthening systems, outreach and access so more eligible students can connect to financial aid available to them and continue toward their postsecondary goals.” 

State data show strong outcomes among TIP participants once enrolled. During the 2024–25 academic year, TIP-eligible students enrolled at community colleges achieved a 41.2% three-year success rate, the highest among comparison student groups. TIP students have also demonstrated the strongest gains in three-year success rate since the pandemic, increasing 8 percentage points from 33.2% in 2019–20 academic year. By comparison, Pell-eligible students increased from 30.9% to 35.9% over the same period, while the statewide three-year success rate for all students enrolled at community colleges increased from 35.5% to 39.1%. 

Together, the research findings and state data provide a broader view of the role need-based financial aid plays in expanding access to postsecondary education and supporting student success. As Michigan works toward its Sixty by 30 goal, programs like TIP help ensure more students can access and complete a postsecondary credential—creating pathways to economic mobility and strengthening the state’s workforce and future prosperity. 

For more information about the Tuition Incentive Program, visit Michigan.gov/Tuition-Incentive-Program. 

For additional information on the state’s broader strategy to advance postsecondary affordability, access, and student success, visit MiLEAP Office of Higher Education’s Vision & Impact Report webpage. 

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About MiLEAP: 

Established by Governor Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP’s mission is to improve outcomes from birth to postsecondary so anyone can ‘make it in Michigan’ with a solid education and a path to a good-paying job. To learn more about MiLEAP, go to Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.