Mississippi HELP Grant and MTAG: Eligibility and Deadlines

Mississippi college grants are run by the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid, and the two main undergraduate programs are HELP (the Higher Education Legislative Plan), which pays full tuition and required fees at a public college for students who meet GPA, ACT and income rules, and MTAG (the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant), a smaller grant for students who do not receive the maximum Pell Grant. Both require the state’s own application, the MAAPP, plus the FAFSA, and HELP’s window closes March 31.

HELP: full tuition at a public college

The state says HELP pays “tuition and required fees at a public institution” for up to four years, and that students at private institutions receive the average tuition and required fees of the public four-year schools (Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid, HELP).

Who qualifies for HELP

• A cumulative high school GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
• An ACT composite of at least 20 (superscores accepted).
• Family income within the HELP income limits, published in a separate table linked from the program page.
• A completed FAFSA showing eligibility for a maximum or partial Federal Pell Grant.
• Full-time enrollment at an approved Mississippi institution in a program leading to a first certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree.
• Mississippi legal residency for one year before applying.

The income limits are not printed on the program page itself, so we have not repeated them here. Open the linked table on the state’s HELP page and find your household size.

HELP deadlines

The state lists HELP application dates as October 1 through March 31. Supporting documents, including the FAFSA, are due April 30. For fall 2027, that means filing the 2027-28 MAAPP by March 31, 2027.

New applicants submit residency documents, a Household Verification Worksheet and academic records, which a high school counselor typically sends. Renewal applicants complete the FAFSA, the MAAPP and the Household Verification Worksheet again each year.

MTAG: for students who are not maximum-Pell recipients

The state lists MTAG awards of “up to $500 per academic year” for freshmen and sophomores and up to $1,000 per academic year for juniors and seniors, with the academic year defined as fall and spring (Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid, MTAG). The page, read in November 2026, does not tie those amounts to a named award year.

Who qualifies for MTAG

Entering freshmen must:

• Be a Mississippi legal resident for one year before applying.
• Graduate high school with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, or meet an alternative such as a high school equivalency diploma or home school program.
• Score at least 15 on the ACT (superscores accepted).
• Enroll full time at an approved Mississippi institution in a first certificate, associate or bachelor’s program.
• Be eligible for less than the maximum Federal Pell Grant, based on the FAFSA.

Current college students need a 2.5 cumulative college GPA on at least 12 completed hours and must stay enrolled full time, which the state defines as 12 hours per semester.

MTAG is designed to reach students who fall between maximum Pell and no aid. A family whose income is too high for full Pell may still qualify.

MTAG deadlines

The state lists MTAG application dates as October 1 through September 15, with supporting documents due October 15. That later window helps students who decide on college late, but applying early is still wise.

HELP and MTAG side by side

How to apply in Mississippi

1. File the 2027-28 FAFSA. Our guide on how to fill out the FAFSA covers each section.
2. Complete the MAAPP (Mississippi Aid Application) online. The state says it “must be completed each and every academic year” you seek aid.
3. Submit supporting documents. New applicants generally need two forms of residency documentation; the state lists the FAFSA or a Mississippi driver’s license as preferred, with alternates such as a state tax return or voter registration.
4. For HELP, make sure your counselor sends your academic records and you complete the Household Verification Worksheet.

Colleges may also have earlier priority dates for their own scholarships. Our FAFSA deadlines guide explains how to line up the dates.

How Mississippi aid fits with federal aid

Both programs depend on your Pell status, so the FAFSA is central. For award years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, a student whose non-federal aid equals or exceeds the cost of attendance is not eligible for Pell, according to a June 4, 2026 Federal Student Aid electronic announcement. Since HELP covers tuition and fees but cost of attendance also includes housing and food, most HELP students stay under that line. Students stacking HELP with large outside scholarships should ask their aid office to check.

Questions Mississippi families ask

Can I receive both HELP and MTAG?

They target different students: HELP requires Pell eligibility and lower income, while MTAG requires less than maximum Pell. Your MAAPP and FAFSA determine which you qualify for.

What is the state’s phone number?

The Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid lists 1-800-327-2980.

Do I need to reapply every year?

Yes. The state says the MAAPP must be completed each academic year you seek aid, and HELP renewals also need a new FAFSA and Household Verification Worksheet. Mark October 1 each year as the date to start.

Where to go next

Compare Mississippi with other states in our guide to state grants for college, and use our free scholarship finder for awards that stack on top. For a fall 2027 freshman, the HELP application closes March 31, 2027.

Sources

• Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid: HELP (Higher Education Legislative Plan)
• Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid: MTAG (Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant)
• Federal Student Aid: Effective Dates for Workforce Pell and Federal Pell Grant Ineligibility Provisions