April 19, 2021

East Mississippi Community College is offering free face-to-face and online classes during the Maymester, Full Summer, Summer Intensive I and Summer Intensive II terms.

In addition to free tuition, the college will also waive costs for student fees, textbooks, on-campus housing and meal plans for the Summer 2021 semester. Those students who take advantage of the free summer classes, remain enrolled fulltime in the fall term, and have out of pocket expenses not covered by financial aid during the fall term will automatically have those costs waived up to a maximum of $500.

Everyone taking for-credit classes is eligible, including current EMCC students, those who are dual enrolled, as well as incoming high school graduates and other transfer students.

The education costs will be funded through federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds, or HEERF, which was established in March 2020 as part of the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, approved by Congress.

In January, the U.S. Department of Education announced an additional $21.2 billion would be made available to higher education institutions to ensure learning continues for students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

EMCC received $4.3 million from the latest round of HEERF funds, with $2 million earmarked to provide the free summer classes, EMCC Chief Financial Officer Tammie Holmes said.

Members of EMCC’s Cabinet approved the initiative on April 16. Other colleges in Mississippi are doing the same.

“The federal funds were intended to assist college students impacted by the coronavirus and we can think of no better way to help them than to offer tuition assistance this summer,” EMCC President Dr. Scott Alsobrooks said. “We know some students set out to attend EMCC during the 2020-2021 school year, but were unable to do so because of the pandemic. We want to help them get back on track so they can achieve their educational goals.”

Students enrolled in both academic and career technical programs of study are eligible to receive the free summer school initiative funds.

“We will have some career technical classes available over the summer,” Alsobrooks said. “No matter what program they are enrolled in, they can get a jump on completing some of the academic classes they will need for their Associate or Arts, Associate of Science or Associate of Applied Science degrees.”

Maymester classes begin May 7. Full Summer, Online Full-Term and Summer Intensive I classes begin June 1. Summer Intensive II classes begin July 6. Current students are encouraged to register online, contact their advisors listed in their LEO accounts, or email advising@eastms.edu. A balance will be applied to students’ LEO account after they register, but funds will be credited back for all tuition, fees, books, on-campus housing and meal plans for summer 2021.

New and transfer students can visit our online Admissions page at www.eastms.edu/admissions where they will find needed information about the application process. They can email advising@eastms.edu to schedule an in-person, phone or Zoom appointment.