Who is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program?
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is run by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and offers discounts of $30 per month on internet bills and one-time discounts of $100 on connected devices.
Who is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program?
A student is eligible for the ACP if their household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below.
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year
- Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income internet program
- Participates in at least one of the following assistance programs
- Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, including at US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools
- SNAP
- Medicaid
- Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program (Section 8 Vouchers)
- Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/202/811
- Public Housing?
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- WIC
- Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits
- Lifeline
- Participates in at least one of the following assistance programs and lives on Qualifying Tribal lands
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Tribal TANF
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Tribal Head Start (income based)
- Affordable Housing Programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives, or Native Hawaiians
What should I get?
Choices will vary significantly based on your household location and needs.
Internet
To satisfy the minimum requirements for Microsoft Teams and Zoom video calls in the event a group meeting is necessary for online/synchronous instruction, you’ll want an internet plan that has a minimum speed of 4 Mbps down/up.
- This requirement is easily satisfied with plans under this program e.g., Comcast Internet Essentials service as well as AT&T and WOW! offer 50-100 Mbps plans that can be fully covered by this benefit.
Devices
Recommended devices will depend on your needs. Tablets, laptops, and desktop computers are all capable devices for entertainment purposes, but tablets may not be compatible with certain educational tools or software.
- Respondus LockDown Browser
- Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10/11 not in S mode or for Apple devices, macOS 10.12+, ChromeOS (supported under long-term support)
- Memory: 2 GB
- Hard disk: 200 MB free
- Canvas
- Browser requirements: Current and previous major releases for
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Edge
- Safari
- Browser requirements: Current and previous major releases for
Providers
There are a variety of internet service providers identified by the government that offer high-speed internet plans with no out-of-pocket costs. Learn more at whitehouse.gov/getinternet
- Verizon: verizon.com/home/promo/affordable-connectivity-program
- AT&T: att.com/help/affordable-connectivity-program
- Comcast/Xfinity: xfinity.com/learn/internet-service/acp
- WOW!: wowway.com/affordable-connectivity-program
Find a list of all Michigan providers at fcc.gov/affordable-connectivity-program-providers#Michigan or search by zip code at cnm.universalservices.org
Other programs
Use the links below to explore additional cost-saving opportunities.
Please note:
- The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
- A household is defined as a group of people who live together and share money. Learn more at affordableconnectivity.gov/do-i-qualify/what-is-a-household/.
- Source fcc.gov/acp