Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG)
Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid (Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning)
Up to $2,500 a year (not more than tuition and fees) for Mississippi high achievers with a 3.5 GPA and ACT 29 / SAT 1330 or National Merit Semifinalist/Finalist status.
- How much
- Up to $2,500 per year (not more than tuition and required fees)
- Who qualifies
- Mississippi resident for 1 year before high school or home school completion; 3.5 high school GPA and ACT 29 / SAT 1330 or National Merit Semifinalist/Finalist; full-time (12 hours) at an approved Mississippi institution in a first certificate, associate, or bachelor's program; continuing students apply within 3 years of high school graduation with a 3.5 college GPA on 12-18 hours.
- For high school seniors, students starting college, undergrads
- When to apply
- Open now · due September 15, 2027 Annual; MAAPP opens October 1, application deadline September 15 of the aid year, supporting documents due October 15
- How to apply
- Complete the Mississippi Aid Application (MAAPP) between October 1 and September 15
- Your high school submits your GPA and test scores
- Send any requested residency documents by October 15
- Reapply every year
- What you'll need
- state application + test scores + transcript
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (msfinancialaid.org), page 2 and page 3
The details
MESG awards up to $2,500 per academic year, not to exceed tuition and required fees, at approved public and private not-for-profit two- and four-year Mississippi colleges. Up to 8 semesters or degree completion; fall and spring only. Entering freshmen: 3.5 high school GPA plus ACT 29 (SAT 1330; ACT superscores accepted) or National Merit Semifinalist/Finalist. Students already in college can still apply within three years of high school graduation if they met the freshman requirements and have a 3.5 college GPA on 12-18 completed hours. Students who didn't meet both the GPA and test score as high school seniors can never qualify. Renewal: reapply every year, keep a 3.5 cumulative GPA and continuous full-time enrollment. Vocational/technical students at community colleges are eligible. 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 Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG)Up to $500 per year (freshmen and sophomores); up to $1,000 per year (juniors and seniors)
- Higher Education Legislative Plan for Needy Students (HELP)Full tuition and required fees at a Mississippi public institution (private institutions: the average public four-year tuition and fees)
- 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.