At Michigan Tech, the Rollin A. Jones and James E. Lindstrom Working Families Scholarship, generously funded by the Thompson Foundation and matched by the university, offers up to $11,000 per year in total aid to support hardworking Michigan students—no test scores required and open to incoming freshmen, first-year students, or eligible transfers. This renewable award—which includes personalized academic support, cohort-based community engagement, and a culture of service—empowers recipients to focus on success both in and beyond the classroom.
See award levels for students who were first awarded the Working Families Scholarship at Michigan Tech for the 2023-2024 academic year and before.
Learn more about the Thompson Foundation that funds this generous scholarship, and how the Working Families Scholarship Program is designed to promote and support student success.
Students who meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply:
- Michigan resident
- Classified as a dependent student on their FAFSA
- Student Aid Index (SAI) between -1,500 and 16,000
- At least one currently working parent
- Not receiving Michigan Tech’s Tuition Reduction Incentive Program (TRIP), the State of Michigan's Tuition Incentive Program (TIP), the Kalamazoo Promise, the Michigan Indian Tuition Waiver, or other full tuition scholarships.
- Students must also be either:
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- an incoming first-year student at Michigan Tech;
- a first-year student who has completed their first semester at Michigan Tech; or
- a transfer student who has completed 4 semesters or 60 credits at another institution before their enrollment begins at Michigan Tech.
- Up to $5,500 per year from the Thompson Foundation; Michigan Tech commits to matching up to $5,500 in university funding in the form of grants and scholarships, including programs like the Presidential Scholars Program and Michigan Tech Transfer Award.
- Number of recipients awarded for fall 2025 will be 195.
- 125 new first-year students
- 60 achievers (current first-year) students
- 10 new transfer students
- Awards are renewable; number of semesters vary based on program.
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- New first-year: 4 years (8 semesters)
- Achievers (current first-year): 3 years (6 semesters)
- New transfer: 2 years (4 semesters)
- Students must apply for admission to Michigan Tech by February 1.
- Complete the FAFSA application by February 14.
- Complete the Working Families Scholarship application by February 15.
- Describe your academic and career goals. Explain how receiving this scholarship will support your success at Michigan Tech.
- Describe your past and present community service involvement. In your response, please
include:
- Names of the organizations or causes you supported and your role as a volunteer.
- How your service impacted your community and what you have learned from your experience.
- February 1: Application for admission to Michigan Tech on file.
- February 14: Complete the FAFSA application and have results sent to Michigan Tech.
- February 15: Applications must be submitted by February 15 at 11:59PM.
- Mid-March: Award recipients and applicants are notified.
Scholarship recipients must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 at the end of each semester of study, complete a thank you letter to the Thompson Foundation each year, file a FAFSA annually, and complete and report a minimum of 20 community service hours per academic year (fall/spring semesters). Continuous, regular full-time undergraduate enrollment (12 credits or more) and adherence to the student code of community conduct must also be maintained.