How To Enroll In

Q: Why is the virtual enrollment process different from a physical school?

Local schools serve one district. Michigan Connections Academy serves students from multiple districts statewide. Not all districts statewide accept the same documentation.

Michigan Connections Academy

Enrollment Information

First Semester enrollment will be at capacity at 9/17/2026 at 11:59 ET.
Grades K-12 will reach first semester enrollment capacity for the 2026-27 school year on 09/17/2026 at 11:59 ET.
View the latest enrollment updates.

Start Enrollment

Start Your Family’s Learning Journey

Get ready to enroll in online school at Michigan Connections Academy, serving grades K–12. Typically, the enrollment process takes just a few weeks to complete. But spots fill up quickly, so make sure you start as soon as you can. Here's how to get started:

1Check Eligibility

2Understand Commitment

3Prepare Documents

4Get Started

Step 1

Check Eligibility

You must meet specific state and program eligibility requirements to attend Michigan Connections Academy. Student eligibility requirements in Michigan are determined by the Michigan Legislature and the Michigan Board of Education. Michigan Connections Academy is authorized by the Ferris State University Charter Schools Office. Before enrolling, review the following eligibility requirements carefully to determine whether your student(s) is eligible to participate in grades K–12. Once your enrollment is confirmed, please immediately withdraw your student from their previous publicly-funded school. Students cannot be simultaneously enrolled in two public schools.

Note: Michigan Connections Academy does not accept students who are currently expelled from their local school or district. Students who have ever been expelled from their local school or district may not be eligible to enroll.

Age Limitations

Kindergarten: Any student enrolling in kindergarten must be five (5) years old on or before September 1 in the school year for which you are enrolling. If a student turns five (5) years old between September 1 and December 1, an exception may be made. Please contact the Enrollment Team to discuss this possibility.

First Grade: Any student enrolling in first grade must be six (6) years old on or before September 1 in the school year for which you are enrolling.

Maximum Age: Any general education student who turns twenty (20) years old on or before September 1 will not be eligible to enroll. Any special education student who turns twenty-six (26) years old on or before September 1 will not be eligible to enroll in Michigan Connections Academy.

Geographical Limitations

Immunizations

All Michigan Connections Academy students must provide a certificate of immunization obtained from and signed by a health care provider.

See Michigan School Immunization Requirements

You may request your child’s Official State of Michigan Immunization Record by contacting your physician’s office or your local health department.

Medical and Religious Exemption

Michigan allows for medical, religious, or personal exemptions. Parents seeking immunization waivers in Michigan must have the immunization waiver certified by their local health department.

Prior Schooling Requirements

Step 2

Understand Your Commitment

Family Time Commitment

Your Role as a Parent/Caregiver

Day to Day Activities

30 HOURS Per Week

Learning and growing with their Learning Coach

5 Hours Per Day

Learning Coaches spend overseeing schoolwork

30%

of school day doing schoolwork on a computer

70%

of school day working offline

30 HOURS Per Week

Learning and growing with their Learning Coach

2-3 HOURS Per Day

Learning Coaches spend overseeing schoolwork

75%

of school day doing schoolwork on a computer

25%

of school day working independently offline

30 HOURS Per Week

Learning and growing with their Learning Coach

1-2 HOURS Per Day

Learning Coaches spend overseeing schoolwork

90%

of school day doing schoolwork on a computer

10%

of school day working independently offline

Step 3

Prepare Documents

Please have the following documents available when you are ready to begin the enrollment process.

Child's Proof of Age

A copy of one of the following must be provided for each child in order to verify age eligibility:

Official birth certificate
Passport

To avoid unnecessary delays, provide a copy of one of these documents along with your enrollment documents. If you do not have either of these documents, please contact the enrollment team at 1-833-591-0251 to discuss acceptable alternatives.

Not Sure Where to Get That?

If you need a copy of your child's birth certificate, you can order it online through the Michigan Department of Community Health. Please visit the Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Records webpage for more information.
If your child was born in another state, please visit the CDC’s Where to Write for Vital Records webpage for more information. When using this tool, please remember to follow the CDC's Application Guidelines.

As a reminder, the age eligibility is as follows:

Kindergarten: Any student enrolling in kindergarten must be five (5) years old on or before September 1 in the school year for which you are enrolling. If a student turns five (5) years old between September 1 and December 1, an exception may be made. Please contact the Enrollment Team to discuss this possibility.
First grade: Any student enrolling in first grade must be six (6) years old on or before September 1 to be eligible for enrollment in Michigan Connections Academy.
Maximum Age: A general education student who turns twenty (20) years old on or before September 1 will not be eligible to enroll. A special education student who turns twenty-six (26) years old on or before September 1 will not be eligible to enroll.

Proof of Residence

A copy of one of the following documents must be provided to verify your legal residence.

Not Sure What is Accepted as Proof?

Utility Bill: Acceptable documents include: gas, electric, water, sewage, garbage/trash, propane oil, or Internet bill that is dated within 60 days of the enrollment date and that includes your name and service address. *Please note: disconnect, “final notice,” or shutoff notices are not acceptable.
Mortgage statement from the last 60 days or current signed lease agreement from within the last year
Property tax bill from within the last year

If you do not have any of these documents, please contact the enrollment team at 1-833-591-0251 to discuss acceptable alternatives.

Proof of Residency Document Tips and Tricks
2 min video

Trouble uploading your proof of residency documentation for Michigan Connections Academy? We're here to help. Monique explains common challenges and how to fix them.

Child's Proof of Immunizations

Child’s Proof of Immunization

All Michigan Connections Academy students must provide evidence of their immunizations on one of the following:

Official Michigan state immunization form
Immunization booklet
Official school records
Health care provider or Health Department printout

These forms must be signed or stamped by your healthcare provider. Only a local health department, doctor's office, or the Michigan Department of Community Health may print an official immunization record for your child.

You may request your own or your child's Official State of Michigan Immunization Record by contacting your physician's office or your local health department.
Additionally, you can send a request by mail, by downloading and submitting the Official State of Michigan Immunization Record request form.

Children born in Michigan from 1994 to the present are in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR). MCIR is a computerized shot record for Michiganders.

Not Sure What Immunizations Are Required?

For more information on the immunizations required by the Michigan Department of Community Health, view the "Immunization Info for Families & Providers"

Where Can I Get Immunizations For My Student?

Immunizations can be obtained from your local health department, doctor’s offices, clinics, or hospitals. Pediatricians and family doctors or their nurses or medical assistants can give your student the shots he or she needs to meet the requirements for school enrollment. In addition, some large chain pharmacies offer immunizations for older children and adults.

What If I Need Assistance Paying For Vaccines?

If you need assistance paying for shots/vaccinations, you may be able to get free or reduced immunizations through the Vaccines for Children Program.

Vaccines for Children (VFC) program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay. Children who are eligible for VFC vaccines are entitled to receive pediatric vaccines that are recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Immunization Exemptions

A student may be exempt from immunizations for the following reasons: medical exemption, religious beliefs, or personal beliefs. Parents seeking immunization waivers in Michigan must have the immunization waiver certified by their local health department.

Religious Exemption: The parents or guardians who hold religious or philosophical beliefs which preclude receipt of a vaccination(s) must request nonmedical waivers from their local health department who will update the immunization registry (MCIR) once this process is complete. Parents can notify Connections Academy that they have completed this process with the health department. An updated waiver must be presented each year the child’s immunization status is reported.
Medical Exemption: A valid medical contraindication exists precluding the child from receiving the vaccine. A state of Michigan "Medical Contraindication" form is required to be completed and signed by the child’s physician and shall state the contraindication(s), the vaccine(s) involved, and the time period during which the child is precluded from receiving the vaccine(s).

Prior Academic Records

Students across Michigan in grades K-12 are eligible to enroll in Michigan Connections Academy. Those who have previously attended public school, private school, or homeschool will be asked to submit academic records for placement.

Report Card

For students applying for grades K–8: Please submit a copy of the report card from the most recent school year.
The following items should be included on the report card:
Student Name
Grade Level
School Year (example: 2025–26)
School Name
Grading Scale (example: 90–100%=A)

Unofficial Transcript

For students applying for grades 9–12 before June 1st: Submit an unofficial transcript that includes all grades from when the student started high school, as well as grades from the first semester of the current school year.

For students applying for grades 9–12 after June 1st: Submit an unofficial transcript that includes the final end-of-year grades for the current school year. If enrolling after the new school year has started, submit an unofficial transcript with all high school grades and, if available, the student’s class schedule.

The following items should be included on the unofficial transcript:
Student Name
Grade Level
School Year (example: 2025–26)
School Name
Grading Scale (example: 90–100%=A)
Credits Earned

Transcript documentation can be requested by reaching out to the high school's counseling office or, if available, through the student's online gradebook, parent portal, or e-transcript services like Parchment or Naviance. Many high schools also provide information about transcript requests on their website, usually under sections labeled "transcripts," "records office," or "guidance department."

Not Sure How to Get Your Child’s Report Card or Transcript?

Contact your student's previous school and request the document, providing them with the information outlined above, OR contact your school's district office with the request.

If after attempting these steps you still cannot obtain your student's report card or transcript, please contact the academic placement services team at 1-833-591-0251 to discuss acceptable alternatives.

Have Your Child(ren) Been Formerly Homeschooled?

Prior Academic History Form - For homeschooled students in grades K–12: Complete the Prior Academic History Form indicating what courses were completed through a homeschool curriculum. This form will be available to you in the Enrollment Portal.

Other Documents for Special Circumstances

Frequently Asked Questions

View All FAQs

How should I verify that the documents I sent arrived?

After submitting your documents, you can navigate to the Submit Documents section located in the Enrollment Details. There you can see if your documents have been verified or are still waiting to be processed. The Enrollment Details will also show if your file was marked invalid and your document will be removed so that you can upload a new document. If you are unable to verify the status of your documents or have any questions, please call 1-833-591-0251 and contact the Enrollment Team using the document submission option in our phone system. We will check the system to see if the document was received. Please be prepared to provide us with the following information: student’s name, number of pages sent, the date sent, and if sent by fax, the fax number.

Why is the virtual enrollment process different from a physical school?

How does self-enrollment work if I am 18 years old, or older, or am an emancipated minor?

Students who are 18 or over must meet age eligibility requirements in their state. Students must also submit academic documentation of all courses attempted since entering the 9th grade. Academic documentation will be reviewed by a school counselor to determine the student's eligibility to complete the program requirements before meeting the age cap for enrollment. Students who cannot complete the program requirements before meeting the age cap for enrollment are not eligible to enroll.

Both emancipated minors and students 18 years and older are required to complete the Parent/Legal Guardian (Caretaker) Acknowledgement (PLCA) form and to provide all required enrollment documentation before the student can enroll. Emancipated minors must also submit court documentation for their emancipation. Please contact the Enrollment Team at 1-833-591-0251 for more information.

Give Us a Call

If you have any concerns or questions about how to enroll, our enrollment team is here to help.
Please call us at 1-833-591-0251.

Michigan Connections Academy admits students and conducts all educational programs, activities, and employment practices without discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, creed, sexual orientation, disability, or any other legally protected classification.

Enrollment Support Hours:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. ET
Saturday - Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. ET

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How To Enroll In

Michigan Connections Academy

Enrollment Information

Start Your Family’s Learning Journey

Check Eligibility

Understand Your Commitment

Prepare Documents

Get Started and Create Account

Frequently Asked Questions

Give Us a Call

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