LANSING, Mich. — More Michigan high school seniors filled out federal student aid forms last year than ever before. The state Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, known as MiLEAP, said Tuesday, Nov. 10, that 61.3% of the Class of 2026 completed the FAFSA, the best rate since Michigan started tracking it.
Districts that took part in the state Universal FAFSA Challenge did noticeably better. Their seniors finished the form at a 71.3% rate, compared with 60.1% in districts that did not join, a gap of 11.2 percentage points.
The challenge pays schools to make the FAFSA a graduation requirement, with an easy opt-out for students who qualify. A first round of $10 million, announced in February 2025, went to 75 districts and charter academies, which used it for one-on-one help for families, dedicated FAFSA staff and data to spot students who were falling behind.
Those districts raised their completion rates by 6.7 points in the 2025-26 school year, more than twice the 3-point gain elsewhere. The difference was largest in high-poverty schools: where at least three-quarters of students were low-income, participating schools beat similar schools by 18.6 points.
The FAFSA is the gateway to federal, state and college aid, including grants, scholarships and work-study. In Michigan it also opens the door to the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and the Community College Guarantee.
A third $10 million round is open now. Districts and academies that have not received money before can apply through Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026, and winners must adopt a completion policy by June 30, 2027. In the last round, schools averaged $781.73 per senior.
MiLEAP Executive Director Beverly Walker-Griffea said in the release that the record rate shows progress in helping students reach the aid they need.
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Filed under: Lansing MI Education News
