Mississippi Student Loans And Financial Aid Programs

Mississippi has several private student loan and financial aid programs that can help you pay for college. If you're going to be attending college in Mississippi, you need to be looking to take advantage of these programs.

These programs are designed to help make college more affordable - so that you can get the education you need. These programs can include scholarships, grants, and student loans.

Don't forget that there are Federal student loan programs available as well. You can find out more on how to get a Federal student loan here.

There is also a specific order of operations to pay for college that we recommend students follow. These programs specific to the State of Mississippi can help you to avoid borrowing more money than you need to. 

Mississippi Student Loan Programs

Mississippi offers several forgivable student loans. These programs change every year based on the needs of the State of Mississippi. Currently there are available for the following programs:

• Undergraduate Program Forgivable Loans:
  • Nursing Education for BSN
  • Nursing Education for RN to BSN
    
• Graduate Program Forgivable Loans:
  • Critical Needs Dyslexia Therapy
    
  • Speech Language Pathologist
    
  • Nursing Education for MSN
    
  • Nursing Education for RN to MSN
  • Nursing Education for PhD/DNP
  • Optometry
    

Forgivable Loans are awards that carry a repayment obligation. Money is loaned to students in certain high-demand majors, such as nursing and teaching. To receive the money, a student signs a contract with the state to fulfill a service obligation after degree completion. If the student completes the service obligation, the loan is forgiven or discharged. If the student fails to complete the service or otherwise abrogates the contract, the loan becomes due with interest.

If you're just looking for private student loan options, we recommend:

• Credible - Like the Kayak of student loans, they help you shop around and compare options. Try Credible here.
• College Ave - One of the best private student loan lenders. Get A Quote At College Ave Here.

Check out our complete guide to finding the best student loans here.

Mississippi Scholarship Programs

Mississippi has several scholarships available to students who want to attend school in the state.

Nissan Scholarship

Nissan North America, Inc. provides scholarship funds for applicants that will attend a Mississippi public two-year or four-year college.

This  scholarship will be an amount that pays full tuition, required fees, and a book allowance.

Learn more about the Nissan Scholarship.

Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers and Fireman Scholarship

The Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers and Fireman Scholarship Program offers financial assistance to dependent children and spouses of any Mississippi law enforcement officer, full-time fire fighter or volunteer fire fighter who has suffered fatal injuries or wounds or become permanently and totally disabled as a result of injuries or wounds which occurred in the performance of the official and appointed duties of his or her office. This financial assistance is offered as an eight semester tuition and room scholarship at any state-supported college or university in Mississippi.

The annual award covers the cost of tuition, including required fees, and the average cost of campus housing at any state-supported college or university within the state of Mississippi.

Learn more about the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers and Fireman Scholarship. 

Mississippi Grant Programs

Mississippi also has a grant program to provide need based financial aid to Mississippi residents.

Grants are one of the best forms of financial aid because, in most circumstances, you don't have to pay the money back.

Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant

The primary objective of MTAG is to provide educational opportunities for students who wish to pursue postsecondary education in the state and do not already benefit from federal need-based aid.

MTAG awards up to $500 per academic year for freshmen and sophomores and $1,000 per academic year for juniors and seniors.

You can learn more about the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant.

Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant

The primary objective of MESG is to provide educational opportunities for high-achieving high school students who wish to pursue postsecondary education in the state.

This grant awards up to $2,500 per academic year, but awards may not exceed tuition and required fees.

You can learn more about the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant. 

Other Options

If you already have student loans and are looking for options as a Mississippi resident, check out our Mississippi Student Loan Forgiveness Program page. That page has all the different options available to Mississippi residents to potentially get some of your student loan debt forgiven.

You might also look at refinancing your student loans and saving money in interest while also potentially lowering your payment. Check out our guide on the Best Places To Refinance Your Student Loans.

If you're looking for ways to save for college in Mississippi, check out the Mississippi 529 Plan and College Savings Guide.

Finally, check out the other student loan and financial aid programs by state.