Frequently Asked Michigan Works! Questions

Am I limited to my local MI Works office?
No, you have the option to seek funding at different MI Works offices. Visit www.michiganworks.org to find offices near you.

Do I have to be a full time student?
It depends on what MI Works program you are participating in.

  • No Workers Left Behind (NWLB), you can be a part time student, but you must have a tuition waiver from MI Works, which needs to be updated every semester.
  • The Trade Adjustment Act requires students to be full time.  

How do I obtain my Cost Estimate?
You will need to first go through a Ferris Financial Aid/Business Operations counselor. Follow these steps to get your cost estimate:

  • You must meet with a Ferris academic advisor to evaluate credits and complete a program plan.
  • You or your advisor will need to provide the program plan and request for cost estimate form to a Ferris financial aid counselor for completion.
  • You must receive the community college estimate from a community college representative. Please note that you may need to apply to community college in order for an estimate to be completed.

What if I don't see the program I want listed on MyCareer.org?
Ferris requires that a request to add a program comes from a MI Works counselor. You should work directly with your caseworker to request a program to be added.


When should I register for classes?
You should register for classes as soon as your paperwork is submitted to your caseworker for approval.

  • You will need to register with Ferris and your Community College separately. You will want to make sure you are following your program plan. If you have any questions about what classes to register for contact your Ferris advisor.

How do I get books and access my academic information?
Once you are admitted, you should login to your MyFSU  account. In your MyFSU you will be able to purchase your Ferris textbooks online and access your academic records.

  • You should charge your Ferris books to your student account.
  • You should work with your caseworker to send an authorization through to billing to pay for your books.
  • You can monitor progress on your MyFSU under the Academic Services Tab under Timme Center select "E-bill Student Account."

How do I qualify for special considerations?
If you have had a drop in your income, you could be eligible to have your taxes reviewed by financial aid to see if you can receive additional aid.

  • If you think you could be considered for special considerations you should meet with a financial aid counselor to learn more information.

What is the process to complete my paperwork?
You will need to be in constant contact with your caseworker to follow their progress. Once Ferris sends MI Works your cost estimate and program plan, we wait on final billing authorization from MI Works.

  • You should keep all your MI Works paperwork together and organized.
  • You should monitor MyFSU for MI Works billing credits through your E-bill Student Account under Academic Services Tab and Timme Center.
  • If you have been given a credit card, you can make MasterCard and VISA payments through e-bill.

Are there tutors available? 
You can utilize some of the community college tutoring and resource centers.


What if I want to change my program?
If you want to change your program, you should connect with your caseworker first to make sure it will be approved.

  • Once a new program is approved, work with a Ferris counselor to change your program, meet with a new advisor and register for new classes.