Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant

Scholarship Sponsored by Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid

The Mississippi Legislature has established a program aimed at providing financial aid to Mississippi residents who are enrolled in state-approved public and private not-for-profit two-year and four-year colleges and universities. The Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG) is primarily designed to offer educational opportunities to high-achieving high school students who are interested in pursuing post-secondary education within the state.

Key Dates to Remember:
- Application Period: October 1 - September 15
- Deadline for Submission of Supporting Documents: October 15 (following the September 15 application deadline)

Eligibility Criteria for Incoming Freshmen:
- Must have been a legal resident of Mississippi for at least one year prior to completing high school or home school.
- Must have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. (Home school applicants must provide a signed transcript of grades 9 through 12.)
- Must score at least 29 on the ACT (or 1350 on the SAT), or be a National Merit Finalist or Semi-Finalist. ACT Superscores are accepted.
- Must enroll full-time at an approved postsecondary institution in Mississippi in a program leading to a first certificate, first associate’s, or first bachelor’s degree.

Eligibility Criteria for Currently Enrolled College Students:
- Must meet all the eligibility requirements of incoming freshmen and apply within three years of high school graduation.
- Must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative college GPA on at least 12 completed college hours but no more than 18 completed college hours.
- Must be enrolled in an approved postsecondary institution in Mississippi in a program leading to a first certificate, first associate’s, or first bachelor’s degree.
- Must enroll full-time and maintain full-time enrollment (complete with passing grades) each semester. Full-time enrollment is defined as 15 hours per semester or 9 hours per trimester.

Award Details:
- MESG awards up to $2,500 per academic year, but the award amount may not exceed tuition and required fees.

Duration of Eligibility:
- A recipient may receive MESG for up to 8 semesters (12 trimesters) or until degree completion, whichever comes first.

Please note that a student cannot receive undergraduate grant aid through more than one state-supported undergraduate grant program in the same term of enrollment. If a student is eligible for aid through multiple grant programs, the student will be awarded from the program that offers the larger sum. No student can receive undergraduate grant aid from any program or any combination of programs for more than eight semesters or twelve trimesters.

Application Process:
1. Complete the online application. This must be done each academic year for which the applicant seeks aid.
2. Submit the required supporting documents. New applicants and some renewal applicants with a break in enrollment will need to submit two forms of residency documentation.

Alternate Residency Documents Accepted:
- State Tax Return (NOT Federal) for the current tax filing year. Dependent students should provide a signed copy of the first two pages of the parent’s return. Independent students should provide a signed copy of their own return.
- Homestead Exemption
- Voter Registration
- Vehicle Registration

Please note that our office receives FAFSA results electronically for all Mississippi residents. When possible, the state tax return or Mississippi driver’s license pending document will be replaced by the FAFSA.