Mississippi offers three main state programs: the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG), a small award for students who do not receive full need-based aid; the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG), a merit award for high achievers; and HELP, the Higher Education Legislative Plan, which covers full tuition for students with financial need. You apply for all three using the FAFSA and the state aid application, and the deadlines are early, mostly in mid-September.
If your student attends college in Mississippi, these programs can range from a modest grant to full tuition. Here is how they work for 2026-27.
What state financial aid does Mississippi offer?
Mississippi's main programs are MTAG (a broad grant), MESG (merit), and HELP (full tuition for students with need), all administered by the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid (MOSFA). Together they cover a wide range of students, from high achievers to families who qualify for the Pell Grant.
These work alongside federal aid like the Pell Grant. For how the federal pieces fit together, see our complete 2026-27 financial aid guide.
What is MTAG?
The Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) is a small award for Mississippi residents who attend eligible in-state colleges and do not already receive a full Pell Grant. It pays up to $500 a year for freshmen and sophomores and up to $1,000 a year for juniors and seniors. You generally need a 2.5 high school GPA and a 15 ACT.
Because MTAG is aimed at students who do not qualify for full need-based aid, it helps middle-income families. The application deadline is September 15.
What is MESG?
The Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG) is a merit award of up to $2,500 a year (not to exceed tuition and required fees) for high-achieving Mississippi students. You generally need a 3.5 high school GPA and a 29 ACT (about a 1350 SAT), or status as a National Merit Finalist or Semifinalist, and you must enroll full-time.
MESG rewards top students who stay in state for college. Like MTAG, the application deadline is September 15.
What is the HELP grant?
The Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) is Mississippi's most generous program, covering full tuition and required fees at public colleges (or an equivalent amount at eligible private colleges) for students with financial need. To qualify, you generally need a 2.5 high school GPA, a 20 ACT, a specific high school curriculum, and Pell Grant eligibility shown on your FAFSA.
Because HELP can cover full tuition, it is worth pursuing for any eligible family. Its deadline is March 31, separate from the others. For how grants fit a full plan, see our guide to paying for college.
How do you apply for Mississippi state aid?
You apply by filing the FAFSA and the Mississippi state aid application through MOSFA. Watch the deadlines closely: MTAG and MESG are due September 15, while HELP is due March 31. You generally cannot stack these undergraduate grants in the same term, so the larger award applies.
Your step-by-step path:
- File the FAFSA and the Mississippi state aid application.
- Meet the GPA, test-score, and curriculum rules for the program you want.
- Confirm your Mississippi residency and deadlines at MOSFA.
- Track your college's own aid deadlines.
Your next step
Mississippi offers a grant for almost every student, from MTAG and MESG to full-tuition HELP, but the deadlines are early and differ by program. Meet the academic requirements, file the FAFSA and state aid application on time, and confirm which program fits your student. Read our complete 2026-27 financial aid guide for the federal side, then create your free CollegeLens plan to see your real cost at each Mississippi school.
You're doing the hard, smart work of claiming every program your state offers. That is how Mississippi families make college more affordable.
-- Sravani at CollegeLens