State Financial Aid Programs

• The Higher Education Legislative Plan for Needy Students (HELP) provides full tuition to all qualified, college-bound Mississippi residents who apply and enroll full-time at any state public and non-profit two- or four-year eligible college or university to pursue a first baccalaureate or first associate undergraduate degree. 
• The Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG) offers up to $2,500 per year to Mississippi residents who are first-time freshmen attending state approved public and non-profit two- or four-year eligible colleges and universities. 
• The Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant MTAG offers up to $500 per year to  Mississippi residents attending state-approved public and non-profit two-year colleges.
• Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen Scholarship (LAW)
• Nissan Scholarship (NISS)
• Compete2Complete - (C2C) is a Mississippi state program focused on helping Mississippi adults who have completed some college, finish the requirements necessary to earn their degrees. Financial assistance up to $1000 per semester is available for qualifying students. Click the Complete2Complete link for more information and to make application.

 

Answers to Common Questions:

• Summer hours cannot be added to Fall and/or Spring hours.
• If enrollment drops below 15 credits before state aid has been disbursed to the student, the aid will be cancelled for that term and the following term. 
• If enrollment drops below 15 credits after state aid has been disbursed to the student, the aid will be cancelled for the following term.
• Students should not report their enrollment directly to the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid. Enrollment is reported by the institution on behalf of its students. 
• All credit hours for a given term must be completed at a single institution. Credit hours cannot be completed at multiple institutions for a single term.
• Students with fewer than 15 credit hours remaining in the course of study may appeal for an exception for a single term.  Students with 24 or fewer credit hours remaining in the course of study may appeal for an exception for two terms. 
• Students enrolled in certain programs with defined curriculum pathways (lock-step) should NOT apply for individual exceptions. Each institution will apply for program exceptions to apply to all students in such programs. Exceptions will be made for students in certain majors that require clinical, practicum, or student teaching terms. Each institution is being advised regarding how to report enrollment for such terms.
• All students, including athletes, will be impacted in the same way. In order to receive and continue to receive state aid, the student must take and complete 15 hours, regardless of whether or not the student is an athlete or on any other kind of institutional scholarship.

For more information and applications for these state programs, contact Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid at 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211-6453.

• Call 800.327.2980 and visit the Mississippi Aid Application website.