Navigating the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant: A Comprehensive Guide

The Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) is a crucial financial aid program designed to assist Mississippi residents in pursuing higher education. Created by the Mississippi Legislature, this program aims to provide tuition assistance to qualified students attending state-approved public and nonprofit two-year and four-year eligible colleges and universities. This article offers a detailed overview of the MTAG program, its eligibility requirements, and other related financial aid opportunities in Mississippi.

Understanding the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG)

The primary objective of MTAG is to provide educational opportunities for students who wish to pursue postsecondary education in the state and do not already benefit from federal need-based aid. MTAG is a state scholarship awarded to students who have not already received a degree from a college or university. The program provides a grant to qualified students for up to four years, helping them cover the costs of tuition. This initiative ensures that financial need does not become a barrier to accessing higher education for Mississippi residents.

Eligibility Requirements for MTAG

To be eligible for the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant, students must meet specific criteria. These requirements ensure that the grant is awarded to those who genuinely need financial assistance and are committed to their education. The key eligibility requirements include:

Residency: Be a legal resident of the state of Mississippi for one year prior to application.
Academic Achievement:
- Have a high school cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale or GED certificate (submit copy of GED test scores and GED certificate) or completion of home school program (submit signed transcript of 9th through 12th grades).
- Have scored a minimum of a 15 on the national ACT.
Enrollment Status: Be accepted and enrolled in 12 semester hours at an approved postsecondary institution in Mississippi.
Financial Need: Receive less than the full federal Pell Grant as determined by the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid uses the latest version of the results of the FAFSA process to determine an applicant’s Pell Grant eligibility.
Degree Pursuit: Enroll full-time at an approved postsecondary institution in Mississippi leading to a first certificate, first associate’s, or first bachelor’s degree.

A recipient may receive MTAG for up to 8 semesters (12 trimesters) or degree completion, whichever comes first.

How to Apply for MTAG

The application process for the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant involves several steps to ensure that all requirements are met. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Complete the FAFSA: The first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid, including the Pell Grant, which is a prerequisite for MTAG.
Submit the MTAG Application: Applications are available from high-school counselors or from the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid in Jackson. Applications must be completed by March 31st of each year, and all supporting documentation must be turned in by April 30th of each year.
Provide Necessary Documentation: Ensure that you provide all necessary documentation, including transcripts, ACT scores, and any other information required by the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid.

Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant Program

There is established the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant Program for college or university freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors to be administered by the Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board established under Section 37-106-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, which shall set the dates and deadlines for applying for an award under this section. The board shall establish such rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this section. The board shall approve grants to full-time freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior Mississippi residents who meet the general requirements for student eligibility as provided in subsection (4) of this section.

Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grants shall be for Mississippi resident students from any Mississippi family whose prior year adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds the maximum allowed to qualify for full Pell Grant eligibility and campus-based federal aid. Those Mississippi students qualifying for less than the full Pell Grant award shall receive a Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant in an amount not to exceed the maximum Pell Grant allowable for that individual student. The award shall be applied to tuition, rooms and meals, books, materials and fees not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for junior and senior students attending state institutions of higher learning in Mississippi or four-year regionally accredited, state-approved, nonprofit colleges and universities in Mississippi, and Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for freshmen and sophomores attending state institutions of higher learning or public community or junior colleges in Mississippi, or regionally accredited, state-approved, nonprofit two-year or four-year colleges in Mississippi, which will be prorated per term, semester or quarter of the academic year for costs of attendance, calculated according to the formula specified in subsection (8) of this section.

The general requirements for initial eligibility of students for Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grants consist of the following:

Member of a Mississippi family whose prior year adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds the maximum allowed to qualify for Pell Grant eligibility and campus-based federal aid.
Acceptance for enrollment at any state institution of higher learning or public community or junior college located in Mississippi, or any regionally accredited, state-approved, nonprofit two-year or four-year college or university located in Mississippi and approved by the board.

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Completion of a secondary education as follows:
- Graduation from high school verified by the institution before disbursement of award with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 calculated on a 4.0 scale after seven (7) semesters as certified by the high school counselor or other authorized school official on the application; or
- Attendance at a home education program during grade levels 9 through 12; or
- Satisfactory completion of the High School Equivalency Diploma; or
- Successful completion of the International Baccalaureate Program.
A minimum score of fifteen (15) on the ACT test except that any student entering a vocational or technical program of study, or who has satisfactorily completed the High School Equivalency Diploma Test and attends a community or junior college will not be required to have a test score under the ACT unless a student enrolls in courses of academic study.
Any student currently enrolled in any qualified institution shall have to only meet the same requirements as students who are applying for a renewal award.

By accepting a Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant, the student is attesting to the accuracy, completeness and correctness of information provided to demonstrate the student's eligibility. Falsification of such information shall result in the denial of any pending grant and revocation of any award currently held to the extent that no further payments shall be made. Any student knowingly making false statements in order to receive a grant shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable, upon conviction thereof, by a fine of up to Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), a prison sentence of up to one (1) year in the county jail, or both, and shall be required to return all Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grants wrongfully obtained.

Eligibility for renewal of Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grants shall be evaluated at the end of each semester, or term, of each academic year. As a condition for renewal, a student shall:

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Make steady academic progress toward a certificate or degree, as outlined in the school Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards and certified by the institution's registrar.
Maintain continuous enrollment for not less than two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters in each successive academic year, unless granted an exception for cause by the administering board; examples of cause may include student participation in a cooperative program, internship program or foreign study program. If a student fails to maintain continuous enrollment, and is not granted an exception for cause by the administering board, the student is ineligible to receive the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant during the following semester or trimester or term of the regular academic year.
Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.50 calculated on a 4.0 scale at the end of each semester or trimester or term.

Each student, each year, must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid form or a Statement of Certification as designed by the administering board to determine his/her eligibility for a Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant.

The amount of the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant awarded to any one (1) student, up to the maximum amount provided in subsection (3) of this section, shall be the difference of the student's cost of attendance at his accredited college of choice and the amount of federal aid such student may receive, not to supplant but to supplement the amount of any federal aid awarded to the student. The recipient shall be responsible for the refund of any funds which have been disbursed by the institution in such instance. If a student drops below full-time status but does not terminate all enrollment during the term, semester or quarter of the academic year no refund will be required for that term. However, that student is ineligible to receive the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant during the following term, semester or quarter of the regular academic year. The board may conduct its own annual audits of any institution participating in the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant Program. The board may suspend or revoke an institution's eligibility to receive future monies under the program if it finds that the institution has not complied with the provisions of this section. In determining a student's initial eligibility, the number of prior semesters enrolled will not be counted against the student.

No student may receive a Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant for more than the equivalent semesters or quarters required to complete one (1) baccalaureate degree or one (1) certificate or associate degree program per institution. No student receiving a Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant as provided in Section 37-106-31 shall be eligible to receive the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant pursuant to this section unless he is eligible for such award after the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant has been considered by the board when conducting an assessment of the financial resources available to the student. In no case shall any student receive any combination of student financial aid that would exceed the cost of attendance, as defined in subsection (8)(a). For purposes of this section, certificated shall mean, but not be limited to, all postsecondary vocational programs in eligible institutions approved by the board.

Other Financial Aid Opportunities in Mississippi

In addition to the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant, several other financial aid programs are available to students in Mississippi. These programs can help cover various educational expenses and make college more affordable.

Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG)

The Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG) is a state scholarship awarded to first-time entering students. To be eligible for MESG, a student must:

Be a legal resident of Mississippi for at least 1 year prior to the award year.
Have a minimum ACT score of 29 and a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
Be recognized as a finalist or semifinalist by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation or the National Achievement Scholarship Program.

The MESG award covers tuition and mandatory fees, not to exceed $2,500.00.

HELP Grant

The HELP Grant is a State-sponsored grant designed to provide tuition assistance to qualified students whose financial need, as demonstrated by federal student aid eligibility, will not be met with gift aid from other sources. The program provides full tuition to qualified students for up to four years. To be eligible, students must:

Have a high school cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Complete a specific high school curriculum.

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is a federal program that makes funds available to eligible undergraduate students attending an approved post-secondary institution. The Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid provided the student completes 60 percent of the semester. Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. (A professional degree would include a degree in a field such as medicine, law, or dentistry.) For many students, Pell Grants provide a foundation of financial aid to which other aid may be added.

To determine if you are financially eligible for the Pell Grant, the U.S Department of Education uses a standard formula, established by Congress, to evaluate the information the student provides on the FAFSA. The formula produces a student aid index number (SAI). The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2025-26 award year (July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026). You can receive only one Pell Grant in an award year. The amount you get will depend on your Student Aid Index (SAI), the cost of attendance, your status as a full-time or part-time student, and your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less. You may NOT receive Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time. These funds are divided between fall and spring semesters and are credited to the student’s account. Refunds are paid once per semester and are not issued until after the eighth week of school. To receive federal funds, you must meet all admission requirements and you must have a high school diploma or GED.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The FSEOG grant is money available to undergraduate students who meet eligibility criteria. Eligibility is determined using the results of the FAFSA. The College determines demonstrated need as the amount actually owed to the College less any financial aid received. If students still have a balance due to the College after this, they are considered for the FSEOG program on a first come first served basis according to the date their financial aid application is complete. This award can be between $100 and $4,000 per award year depending on the funding levels of the College. However, more realistic awards for Copiah-Lincoln are between $100 and $2,000 per award year. Priority is given to students who receive Federal Pell Grants.

Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers and Fireman Scholarship Program

The Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers and Fireman Scholarship Program offers financial assistance to dependent children and spouses of any Mississippi law enforcement officer, full-time firefighter, or volunteer firefighter who has suffered fatal injuries or wounds or has become permanently and totally disabled as a result of injuries or wounds that occurred in the performance of the official and appointed duties of his or her office. This financial assistance is offered as an eight semester tuition and room scholarship at any state-supported college or university in Mississippi. You are a current legal resident of Mississippi. You are admitted as a full-time student at any one state-supported college or university. You are certified as a dependent child or spouse of any Mississippi law enforcement officer, full-time firefighter, or volunteer firefighter who has suffered fatal injuries or wounds which occurred in the performance of the official and appointed duties of his or her office or certified as the dependent child or spouse of any Mississippi law enforcement officer, full-time firefighter or volunteer firefighter who has become permanently and totally disabled as a result of injuries or wounds that occurred in the performance of the official and appointed duties of his or her office.

E. H. Sumners Endowed Scholarships

E. H. Sumners Endowed Scholarships may be available for high school seniors, limited transfer students, and returning undergraduate students who are residents of Attala, Carroll, Choctaw, Montgomery, or Webster counties in Mississippi, who desire and can benefit from a higher education. All applicants must have resided for 12 continuous months in one of the five Sumners counties prior to enrollment. All applicants must be enrolled in a course that generates credit hours. The amount of the Sumners Grant shall not exceed the cost of attendance when combined with all other types of aid received by the student, excluding loans. All students receiving the Sumners Grant must maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA on all college work. The Sumners Foundation verifies residency in the appropriate counties for all applicants. Award Amounts Effective fall 2017 the Sumners awards for fall and spring semesters are $900 per semester for students enrolled in 15 hours or more. Part time students will be allocated on a basis of $60 per credit hour taken. Effective Summer 2025 the Sumners awards for summer semesters are capped at $540. Students who decide to take more than 9 hours in the summer semester (June and July combined) will be allocated up to the $540 max cap. Renewal Requirements A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress with a cumulative 2.5 GPA as determined by the institution. Application must be made on an annual basis.

Other Scholarship Opportunities

Grenada High School and Kirk Academy Scholarships: Three scholarships will be awarded to Grenada High School and Kirk Academy graduating seniors. Additional weight will be given to a graduating senior who plans to attend Holmes Community College. Grenada High School - $1,000 in memory of Bryon “Bo” Hunter, Jr.
Ruby Jones Scholarship: Eligible applicants can be any graduating senior from a public or private high school in Mississippi. Coahoma County students will be given additional weight in the ranking of candidates for the Mississippi-wide scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship is in honor of Ruby Carpenter Jones, who recently celebrated her 101st birthday in Clarksdale.
William “Billy” Carpenter and William Clark Carpenter Jr. Scholarship: Eligible applicants can be any graduating seniors from a public and private high school in Mississippi. East Webster High School students will be given additional weight in the ranking of candidates for the Mississippi-wide scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship is in memory of William “Billy” Carpenter, a Marine, who served his country in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970, and William Clark Carpenter, Jr, an alumnus who passed away shortly after graduating from East Webster High School in 1991.
CPRAM (College Public Relations Association of Mississippi) scholarship: Students applying for the CPRAM (College Public Relations Association of Mississippi) scholarship must be majoring in one of the following fields of study: public relations, communications, journalism, advertising, mass communications, political communications, crisis management, graphic design or other communication-oriented major. Scholarship applicants must be in good standing and present three letters of recommendation from individuals connected to their academic institution. This includes college advisers, high school teacher/official, home-school teacher, etc.
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Scholarship: The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has consistently placed education as a high priority and emphasized the importance of increasing the number of students entering and completing postsecondary educational programs. Create and provide the link to a two-minute video responding to these questions:What unique perspective, passion, or curiosity drives your academic interests? Open through Dec. Covers the cost of tuition, room and board, fall and spring semesters only. The recipient must have an enhanced ACT composite of 28 or higher.

Additional Financial Aid Resources at Holmes Community College

Board of Trustees Scholarship: Students eligible for the Board of Trustees Scholarship would not be eligible for other scholarships because a student cannot receive in scholarships more than the published cost of attending school per semester. This scholarship covers one-half the cost of tuition, room, & board.
Tuition Scholarship: This scholarship covers the cost of tuition.
Endowment Scholarships: The Holmes Development Foundation oversees Endowment Scholarships that can be awarded to students majoring in specific disciplines. For more information about Endowment Scholarships, contact the Development Foundation.
Patronage Scholarships: The Development Foundation also oversees many Patronage Scholarships that can be awarded to students majoring in specific disciplines. Award criteria vary from scholarship to scholarship.
Holmes Plus Scholarship: A competitive scholarship that is offered only on the Goodman Campus. Students must be accepted into the Holmes Plus Program and show an aptitude in Science and Mathematics. Student must have a composite ACT of 24 or higher with a math sub-score of 23 or higher. Selection for the scholarship is by committee and students must maintain enrollment and GPA criteria, as well as follow a prescribed curriculum.
Grant-in-Aid scholarships: Grant-in-Aid scholarships are awarded in the following sports.

Maintaining Eligibility and Renewal

Maintaining eligibility for the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant requires students to meet certain academic and enrollment standards. As a condition for renewal, a student shall:

Make steady academic progress toward a certificate or degree, as outlined in the school Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards and certified by the institution's registrar.
Maintain continuous enrollment for not less than two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters in each successive academic year, unless granted an exception for cause by the administering board.
Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.50 calculated on a 4.0 scale at the end of each semester or trimester or term.

Each student must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid form or a Statement of Certification as designed by the administering board to determine his/her eligibility for a Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant each year.

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