The state's tougher high school graduation requirements could pay off for Michigan teens. The U.S Department of Education has deemed the new requirements -- which will first apply to the class of 2011 -- as rigorous enough to qualify students for a new federal grant, according to the Michigan Department of Education. The Academic Competitiveness Grant will provide up to $750 for the first year of college and up to $1,300 for the second year for low-income students enrolled full-time in a 2- or 4-year program.