MASON COUNTY — The Mason County Promise Zone will mark two milestones in 2027: 10 years of offering the Mason County Promise to local graduates and its first major expansion to additional postsecondary institutions.
Beginning with the Class of 2027, eligible Promise Scholars will be able to choose between two scholarship pathways: the Promise Community Scholarship Path and the Promise Statewide Scholarship Path.
The Mason County Promise Board spent several years planning the expansion and received approval in spring 2026 to broaden scholarship offerings beginning in 2027.
The Promise Community Scholarship Path preserves the Mason County Promise’s longstanding partnership with West Shore Community College. Scholars who choose this option will continue to receive coverage for up to 72 attempted credits at WSCC and remain eligible for Educational Expenses Awards to help offset costs beyond tuition.
New for the Class of 2027 and beyond, approved Promise Scholars who successfully complete postsecondary coursework at WSCC through the Promise program will also have access to a one-time Transfer Award to support continued full-time study at another Michigan-based institution that accepts federal financial aid. For the Class of 2027, the Transfer Award will be $4,000.
Scholars will have up to six years after high school graduation to use both the Community Scholarship and, if eligible, the Transfer Award.
Students who participate only through dual enrollment, attend WSCC solely as summer guest students, or choose the Promise Statewide Scholarship Path are not eligible for the Transfer Award.
The Promise Statewide Scholarship Path is a new option available beginning with the Class of 2027. It is designed for eligible Mason County Promise Scholars who plan to enroll full time at a Michigan-based postsecondary institution other than WSCC that accepts federal financial aid.
The Statewide Scholarship will be awarded as a one-time, nonrenewable scholarship of $8,000 for first-year, full-time students in the Class of 2027. Eligible students must begin full-time postsecondary enrollment within 15 months of high school graduation. Officials said the timeline is intended to maximize available state financial aid.
The scholarship will be distributed as a flat-dollar award directly to institutions and may be applied to educational expenses after federal and state financial aid has been applied, provided total awards do not exceed the institution’s cost of attendance.
Whether eligible Promise Scholars choose to begin at WSCC or attend another Michigan college or university, the updates are intended to provide greater flexibility and support student choice.
To qualify for either scholarship pathway, students graduating in 2027 or later must have resided in Mason County, or within the boundaries of the Mason County-based school district they attend, for at least one year, including their senior year of high school.
Mason County residents must graduate from a Michigan high school and provide documentation verifying graduation and residency if they do not attend a Mason County-based school district. Completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is also required for eligibility.
The expansion is based on projected growth in State Education Tax revenues dedicated to funding the place-based scholarship program. The board expressed gratitude to Mason County residents and communities whose support helps make the Promise possible.
Limited information about the scholarship expansion for the Class of 2027 is available at MasonCountyPromise.org. Additional details, including the scholarship application for the Class of 2027, will be released in fall 2026.
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