Grants

Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG)
Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG)

 

WHO SHOULD APPLY FOR THE MISSISSIPPI RESIDENT TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANT (MTAG)?

A student who:

• Is receiving less that the full Federal Pell Grant.

 

• Is a current resident of Mississippi.

 

• Is a high school senior who has a minimum cumulative high school grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum ACT of 15; or who has satisfactorily completed the GED and has a minimum ACT of 15; or has successfully completed the International Baccalaureate program with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and has an ACT of 15; or has completed a Home Education Program (9th - 12th) and has a minimum ACT of 15.

 

• Is entering a vocational or technical, non-academic program of study, including the GED entrant, and meets the entrance requirements of that particular community college or junior college and maintains the school's Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards, as certified by the school's registrar.

 

• Is applying after earning at least 12 hours credit hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  Has completed the Mississippi Student Financial Aid Scholarship Application on-line at: http://www.ihl.state.ms.us/financialaid/default.asp prior to the September 15 deadline.

 

• Is enrolled or has been accepted for enrollment on a full-time basis at any two-year or four-year, public or nonprofit regionally accredited, state approved college or university in Mississippi.

 

• Has not been receiving MTAG funds for longer than the number of semesters mandated by MTAG statutes, which is, 4 semesters at a community college and 4 semesters at an university.
  Is not receiving any combination of student financial aid, including MTAG and MESG, in excess of the cost of attendance as established by the attending institution.

 

• Is not currently in default on an educational loan.

 

  
NOTE FOR CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY, A STUDENT:

• Must maintain full-time enrollment (12 credit hours each semester).
  Earned credit hours will be reviewed at the end of each semester

 

• Must maintain a college grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 grade scale.
  Grade point averages will be reviewed at the end of each semester or trimester.

 

WHO SHOULD APPLY FOR THE MISSISSIPPI EMINENT SCHOLARS GRANT (MESG)?

A student who:

• Is a current resident of Mississippi.

 

• Is enrolled as a "first-time-in-college" student or is a renewal MESG recipient.

 

• Is recognized as a semifinalist or finalist by the National Merit Scholarship Program or National Achievement Scholarship Program and has a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale; or has completed a Home Education Program (9th - 12th) and has a minimum score of 29 on the ACT, or the SAT equivalent of 1280.

 

• Is entering a vocational or technical non-academic program of study and meets the initial academic standards as stated above.
  Is accepted for enrollment on a full-time basis at any two-year or four-year, public or nonprofit regionally accredited, state approved college or university in Mississippi.

 

• Has not been receiving MESG funds for longer than the number of semesters mandated by MESG statutes, which is, 4 semesters at a community college and 4 semesters at an university.

 

• Is not currently in default on any educational loan.

 

• Has completed the MS Student Financial Aid Scholarship Application prior to the September 15 deadline.

 

NOTE FOR CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY, A STUDENT:

• Must maintain full-time enrollment (12 credit hours each semester).
  Earned credit hours will be reviewed at the end of each semester.

 

• Must maintain a college grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 grade scale.
  Grade point averages will be reviewed at the end of each semester.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT MTAG AND MESG.

 

WHAT IF I HAVE TO WITHDRAW FROM SCHOOL?

A student must maintain continuous full-time enrollment If a recipient fails to maintain continuous enrollment, that student is ineligible to receive funds during the next semester of full-time enrollment of the regular academic year.

WHAT IF I DROP BELOW FULL-TIME ENROLLMENT DURING A SEMESTER?

A student must maintain full-time enrollment. If a student drops below full-time status during a semester of the academic year, that student is ineligible to receive funds during the next semester of full-time enrollment of the regular academic year. 

WHAT IF I TRANSFER TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL AFTER FALL SEMESTER? HOW CAN I MAKE SURE THAT MY MTAG AND/OR MESG TRANSFERS TOO?

If a student who met the fall MTAG/MESG application deadline and received an MTAG and/or MESG award for the fall semester transfers to a different school after fall semester, that student will be required to contact the MS State Office of Financial Aid at               800-327-2980       .

IS MY GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) CHECKED AT THE END OF EACH SEMESTER OR AT THE END OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR? BESIDES BY GPA, WHAT ELSE IS CHECKED?

MTAG will be evaluated at the end of each semester/trimester of the academic year. This evaluation includes grade point average (2.5) and continuous full-time enrollment. The grade point average of MESG recipients will be reviewed at the end of the fall semester; however, continuing eligibility for MESG will be determined annually at the end of the spring semester. MESG recipients will be monitored for continuous full-time enrollment at the end of each semester.

I'M ENROLLING IN A VOCATIONAL OR TECHNICAL COURSE OF STUDY. AM I ELIGIBLE FOR MTAG AND/OR MESG?

Yes. The legislation governing MTAG and MESG allows students who are enrolling in Vocational or Technical programs to receive awards if those students meet the entrance requirements of that particular community/junior college and maintain the school's Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards, as certified by the school's registrar.

MY ACT SCORE IS 15 (OR BETTER) BUT MY HIGH SCHOOL GRADE POINT AVERAGE IS LESS THAN 2.5 WILL I BE ELIGIBLE FOR MTAG AFTER ATTENDING COLLEGE AND ESTABLISHING A 2.5 GPA ON COLLEGE COURSE WORK? IF MY HIGH SCHOOL GRADE POINT AVERAGE IS 2.5 (OR BETTER) BUT MY ACT SCORE IS BELOW 15, WILL I EVER BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR MTAG?

The answer to both questions is "Yes". If after completing twelve (12) credit hours a student has a college grade point average of 2.5 (or better), meets all other eligibility criteria and met the application deadline, that student would be eligible provided funds are available.

 
I HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THAT I AM NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR MTAG/MESG.  I DO NOT AGREE WITH THEIR FINDING. WHAT CAN I DO?

A student can appeal, in writing,  to the Office of State Student Financial Aid. The minimum information which must be stated in a student's appeal would be:

The specific requirement for which the appeal is requested.
The reason that exception to the requirement should be given.
Documentation to support the exception.
Exceptions for less than a 2.5 grade point average will not be considered.

I HAVE LOST ELIGIBILITY FOR MTAG/MESG. HOW CAN I REGAIN ELIGIBILITY?

If a student loses MTAG/MESG eligibility due to less than full-time enrollment status, that student must attend and pay for, without benefit of MTAG/MESG funds, one full-time semester during the academic year.

If a student loses MTAG/MESG eligibility due to having less than a 2.5 GPA (3.5 for MESG), that student will regain eligibility when the cumulative grade point average is improved to the required minimum for the program.

 

HOW DO I APPLY FOR MTAG/MESG?

If you are a graduating HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR OR an applicant who has earned twelve (12) college hours you should:

Complete the Mississippi Student Financial Aid Scholarship Application on-line by September 15.    You will receive further information from the state office that must be completed and returned prior to the September 15 deadline.  Your high school counselor (or college/university)  will submit your final grades to the MS Office of Student Financial Aid, as well as,  ACT will submit your official ACT score. If you choose to complete a FAFSA application, the results are also received at the state office.  The MS Office of Student Financial Aid will notify you about your eligibility.

 

If you are a CURRENT COLLEGE STUDENT who will be continuing your college education:

Update your Mississippi Student Financial Aid Scholarship Application on-line as soon as possible.  You will receive information for the state office that must be completed and returned prior to the September 15 deadline.  Your college/university will submit your final grades to the state office.  If you choose to complete a FAFSA application, the results are also received at the state office.  The MS Office of Student Financial Aid will notify you about your eligibility. 

 

****************

MTAG funds are subject to pro-ration which means that the maximum MTAG award may be capped at an amount less than the full $500 per year for freshmen & sophomores.