What’s better than free money for college? It’s no secret that tuition is one of the largest investments a person will make in their lifetime. It’s also no secret that student loans can send students down a path leading straight to heavy debt. The University of Mississippi has a variety of scholarships and grants available for your child. Although the application process is not fun, it will be worth the effort when you’re awarded free college funds!
We're sure it;' the goal at Ole Miss to provide students with a high-quality education at an affordable cost. Upon our research, we found the scholarships listed below as Academic Excellence scholarships available for incoming freshmen and community college transfer students that plan to attend The University of Mississippi beginning Fall 2019. The amount awarded varies depending on the scholarship. To qualify for academic excellence entering freshmen must have a minimum 3.0 high-school GPA, a minimum 25 ACT, or a minimum 1130 SAT or 1200 SAT-R. Click here for more information on all scholarships offered.
Academic Excellence scholarships:
●Academic Excellence Technology Scholarship
●Academic Excellence Scholarship National Merit Semifinalist/Finalist Award
●National Merit Finalist Award
●Barnard Scholarship
●Holmes Scholarship
●Bledsoe Scholarship
●Mississippi Star Student Scholarship
●High School Valedictorian/Salutatorian Scholarship
●Mississippi All-Star Scholarship
●Student Body President Scholarship
●Eagle Scout/ Gold Award
●Boys State/Girls State Scholarship
●Mississippi Boys State/Girls State Scholarship
●AICE Cambridge Diploma Scholarship
Another form of financial aid are grants. Most grants are awarded based on financial need by the government or various organizations. However, a good portion of grants are awarded for academic achievement.
Grants offered through Ole Miss include:
●Ole Miss Opportunity Program
●Federal Pell Grant
●Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG)
●Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
●Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG)
●Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG)
●Sumners Grant
●Higher Education Legislative Plan For Needy Students (HELP)
●Nissan Scholarship (NISS)
●Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers & Firemen Scholarship (LAW)
●Complete 2 Compete Tuition Assistance Grant (C2C)
●Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants (TEACH)
Incoming freshmen who wish to be considered for scholarships must file a University of Mississippi Admission Application, and submit an online Special Programs & Scholarships Application. This application should be completed by February 15th.
Full-time Mississippi residents are able to apply for two different types of State Aid by completing the Student Financial Aid Scholarship. Full-time is 15 hours per semester for all State Aid. GPA’s are checked after each term for continued eligibility. The deadline to apply is Sept. 15, 2019. Students may only qualify for one State Grant per year.
To qualify for the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG), you must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and ACT of 15 or higher. The max award for freshmen and sophomores is $250/semester. If you are rewarded the MTAG, you are not eligible for a full Pell Grant.
The other grant offered to Mississippi residents is the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG). To qualify, you must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and ACT of 29 or higher. The grant is $2,500 per year ($1,250 per semester).
So, what can you do as a parent?
Do your own research! We;ve done our best here for you, but always do your own!
Sign up for Parent Guest Access on myOleMiss (your students portal).
Have your student give the university permission to discuss their financial aid information with you on myOleMiss.
Encourage your student to understand how adjusting class schedules could impact their award eligibility.
Fill out your FAFSA form well in advance; it is an extensive form that must be filled out in order to receive any financial aid.
We know it is an overwhelming process for you and your student, but applying for these scholarships and grants could really help out in the long run and save some serious bucks!