Financial Aid

Federal Aid

The FAFSA – the Free Application for Federal Student Aid – is the first step in getting money for college. It is required for federal student aid. However, the FAFSA results may also be used for private scholarships, money that comes directly from the college or university and also for state financial aid, all with different deadlines.

More than $3 billion in money for college is left on the table each year simply because students do not complete this required form.

You may complete the FAFSA at fafsa.gov after October 1 of your senior year. Make sure you meet state grant deadlines (as early as March 31) and your prospective colleges’ priority deadlines. The earlier you file, the more time you will have to determine the best college fit for you that you can afford.BO "FAFSA FRIDAY" APPOINTMENT

State Aid

The Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid (MOSFA) offers scholarships and grants based on merit and financial need to full-time (15 credit hours per semester) students attending eligible Mississippi colleges and universities. The application is available at https://www.msfinancialaid.org/ or you can link to the Mississippi application after completing the FAFSA and most of your info will be prefilled.

Applications open October 1 and should be completed by March 31 (the HELP grant deadline). For official information, eligibility requirements, and deadlines, please refer to the Mississippi Aid Application website at https://www.msfinancialaid.org/

Institutional Aid

Many colleges offer financial aid from their own funds. You may visit a school's financial aid website for information about aid available at that school. If you have an interest in a particular area of study, please inquire about any available scholarships in that area or department.

Private Aid

Privately funded scholarships are one type of financial aid for which you may apply. The funding may be national or local, and deadlines vary throughout the year. Please utilize the following search engines to search for scholarships in which you may qualify for.

·        Big Future                                                      Unigo

·        Fast Web                                                        Niche

·        Collegescholarships.org                            Chegg