Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG)
Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid (Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning)
Up to $500 a year for freshmen and sophomores and up to $1,000 a year for juniors and seniors at Mississippi colleges, for residents who don't get the maximum Pell Grant.
- How much
- Up to $500 per year (freshmen and sophomores); up to $1,000 per year (juniors and seniors)
- Who qualifies
- Mississippi resident for 1 year; entering freshmen: 2.5 high school GPA (or GED / home school) and ACT 15; current college students: 2.5 cumulative college GPA on 12+ hours; full-time (12 hours) at an approved Mississippi institution in a first certificate, associate, or bachelor's program; must be eligible for less than the maximum Pell Grant.
- For high school seniors, students starting college, undergrads, trade school students, transfer students
- Partly need-based: your FAFSA can affect whether you get it or how much.
- 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 and submit any requested residency documents by October 15
- Complete the FAFSA (or the Statement of Certification in the MAAPP)
- Reapply every year
- What you'll need
- state application + FAFSA + test scores + transcript
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (msfinancialaid.org), page 2 and page 3
The details
MTAG (in the rules: Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant) pays up to $500 per academic year to freshmen and sophomores and up to $1,000 per academic year to juniors and seniors (fall and spring only; no summer). Up to 8 semesters or degree completion. Entering freshmen need a 2.5 high school GPA (or a GED/equivalent, or a completed home school program) and an ACT of 15 (superscores accepted). Students already in college need a 2.5 cumulative college GPA on at least 12 hours. Students must be eligible for LESS than the maximum federal Pell Grant (the office uses the latest FAFSA; a Statement of Certification can replace the FAFSA for families who believe they won't qualify for Pell). Vocational and technical students at community colleges are eligible. Renewal: reapply every year, keep a 2.5 cumulative GPA and continuous full-time enrollment (12 hours) each fall and spring. The program is subject to pro rata reduction when there are more eligible applicants than funds. 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)
- 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.