Higher Education Legislative Plan for Needy Students (HELP)
Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid (Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning)
Mississippi's need-based grant that pays full tuition and required fees at a Mississippi public college (or the public average at a private one) for students with a 2.5 GPA, ACT 20, and family income under the limit.
- How much
- Full tuition and required fees at a Mississippi public institution (private institutions: the average public four-year tuition and fees)
- Who qualifies
- Mississippi resident for 1 year; high school GPA 2.5 and ACT 20 (SAT equivalent; superscores accepted); family AGI at or under $42,500 plus $5,000 per additional dependent child under 21; Pell-eligible on the FAFSA; full-time enrollment at an approved Mississippi institution in a first certificate, associate, or bachelor's program; must first apply soon after high school (see notes); no criminal record other than misdemeanor traffic violations; Selective Service if required.
- For high school seniors, students starting college
- U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Open now · due March 31, 2027 Annual; MAAPP opens October 1, application deadline March 31, supporting documents (including FAFSA) due April 30
- How to apply
- Complete the FAFSA, then the Mississippi Aid Application (MAAPP) between October 1 and March 31, including the Household Verification Worksheet
- Your high school counselor submits your GPA and ACT score
- Send two residency documents (the FAFSA counts as one) by April 30
- Reapply every year
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + state application + test scores + transcript
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (msfinancialaid.org), page 2, page 3 and page 4
The details
HELP pays tuition and required fees at a Mississippi public college or university; students at a private Mississippi institution get the average tuition and required fees of the public four-year universities (two-year private: the public two-year average). Up to 8 semesters (12 trimesters) or bachelor's degree completion. Not available for summer. Income limit (2025-26 table and rules): parents' (or independent student's family) adjusted gross income of $42,500 or less, plus $5,000 for each additional dependent child under 21 (e.g. $47,500 with one other child under 21, $52,500 with two). The student must also qualify for a maximum or partial federal Pell Grant on the FAFSA. Renewal: reapply every year (MAAPP + FAFSA + household verification worksheet), keep a 2.5 cumulative college GPA, and stay continuously enrolled full-time (12 hours) in fall and spring. Cannot be combined with another state tuition-and-fees waiver or award. Only one state undergraduate grant program can pay a student in a term; if eligible for several, the student gets the one that pays the most, and no more than 8 semesters of state undergraduate grant aid in total.
More money from Mississippi
- Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG)Up to $2,500 per year (not more than tuition and required fees)
- Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG)Up to $500 per year (freshmen and sophomores); up to $1,000 per year (juniors and seniors)
- Nissan Scholarship (NISS)Full tuition, required fees, and a book allowance
- UPSKILL Mississippi Grant (Upgrading Priority Skills for Key Industry Learning and Labor)Remaining tuition and required fees after other grant aid, plus a $500 annual stipend (prorated by enrollment)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.