New State Aid Eligibility Requirements

In an effort to encourage on-time completion, the Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board (Postsecondary Board) changed the definition of full-time for the purposes of receiving state financial aid from 12 credit hours per semester to 15 credit hours per semester.

These changes are effective July 1, 2016 and will impact state aid awards for the upcoming 2016-17 academic year. These changes apply to state aid programs only (does not apply to federal aid {grants/loans} or MSU academic scholarships).

New Eligibility Requirement:

Beginning with the Fall 2016 term, undergraduate students must enroll in and complete 15 credit hours per semester to maintain eligibility for the following programs:

• Higher Education Legislative Plan for Needy Students Scholarship (HELP)
• Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG)
• Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG)
• Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen Scholarship (LAW)
• Teacher Education Scholars Forgivable Loan (TES)
• William Winter Teacher and Alternate Route Teacher Forgivable Loan (WWTS/WWAR)

What You Should Do:

• Enroll in and complete at least 15 credit hours every term, beginning with the Fall 2016 term.
• If you have already registered for Fall 2016, review your schedule.
• If you have registered for fewer than 15 credit hours, contact your advisor to add additional hours.

Answers to Common Questions:

• Summer hours cannot be added to Fall, Winter, 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 MSU on behalf of its students. 

Other Changes:

• Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG) awards can no longer exceed the cost of attendance (COA).
• Forgivable loans will be extended only to renewal applicants for most undergraduate and graduate forgivable loan programs. No new forgivable loans will be awarded (Critical Needs Teacher Forgivable Loan (CNTP), Critical Needs Alternative Route Teacher Forgivable Loan (CNAR), William Winter Teacher Forgivable Loan (WWTS)).
• No forgivable loans, new or renewal, will be awarded for the following programs: Counselor and School Administrator (CSA), Graduate Teacher (GTS), and Veterinary Medicine for Minorities (VMMP).
• No loan repayments will be made through the Mississippi Teacher Loan Repayment Program (MTLR).

For more information visit http://sfa.msstate.edu/aid/fafsa/SAPCHANGES.php, or contact the MSU Financial Aid Office by at 662-325-2450 or email financialaid@msstate.edu.