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State Grants & ProgramsFormula-based

Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant

Offered by Mississippi Office of State Financial Aid · Free to apply

Award
Full tuition and required fees at MS public universities for up to 4 years
renewable in later years
Deadline
March 31, 2027
deadlines recur around March each year
Estimated odds
Formula-based
allocated by formula
Application effort
~3 hrs
paperwork, not a competition

For lower-income Mississippi students, HELP is the state's most valuable award: it covers full tuition and required fees at a public university for up to four years, or the public-average amount at an in-state private college. Qualifying is narrow. A student needs the specific HELP core high school curriculum certified by a counselor, a 2.5 GPA, a 20 or better ACT, a FAFSA showing full or partial Pell eligibility, and family adjusted gross income under a statutory cap that rises with each additional dependent child. The application window opens in the fall and closes March 31, with the certified curriculum form and other supporting documents due April 30. Because the high school has to certify the curriculum, open that file with your counselor early in senior year. Renewal takes a 2.5 college GPA, continuous full-time enrollment, and a new application each spring.

How hard is the Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant to win?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives.

Estimated odds
qualifying students generally receive it
Paperwork
~3 hrs to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

  • Fewer rivalsOpen only to Mississippi residents
  • Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 2.5 GPA
  • Fewer rivalsRequires a minimum test score
  • More rivalsA large award draws far more applicants

How Solyo estimates this: State programs that allocate by published formula are modelled on qualification and filing, not on competition, because there is no selection committee choosing between applicants. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

  • Must be a resident of Mississippi
  • Open to high school seniors and current college students
  • GPA of 2.5 or higher (unweighted)
  • ACT score of 20 or higher
  • Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)
Confirm these before applying
  • Family income limits apply (statutory AGI cap that rises with additional dependents); verify the current threshold with MS Office of State Financial Aid
  • Must have completed the specific HELP core curriculum in high school, certified by the counselor
Good to know
  • Must demonstrate need via FAFSA (full or partial Pell eligibility) and be a MS resident for 1 year before application
  • Supporting documents are due April 30, one month after the March 31 application deadline

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is March 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around March 31 each year. Applications open October, when the state aid portal opens for the year. The March 31 close is firm and the counselor-certified curriculum form takes time, so start it with your school in the fall.

Certified HELP curriculum form and documents due
April 30, 2026
State aid application window opens
October 2026
Online application due
March 31, 2027
Apply on the official site →Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee.

Does your student actually qualify?

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Common questions about the Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant

How much is the Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant worth?

The Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant awards full tuition and required fees at MS public universities for up to 4 years and is renewable in later years.

When is the Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant deadline?

The current deadline is March 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around March 31 each year. Applications open October, when the state aid portal opens for the year. The March 31 close is firm and the counselor-certified curriculum form takes time, so start it with your school in the fall.

When do Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant applications open?

Applications open October, when the state aid portal opens for the year, and close March 31, 2027. The March 31 close is firm and the counselor-certified curriculum form takes time, so start it with your school in the fall.

Who is eligible for the Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant?

Key requirements: Must be a resident of Mississippi; Open to high school seniors and current college students; GPA of 2.5 or higher (unweighted); ACT score of 20 or higher. 1 more criteria are listed on this page.

Does the Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 3 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives. Solyo classifies this award as formula-based, meaning qualifying students generally receive it. Plan on about 3 hrs of paperwork.

Is the Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant free to apply?

Yes. The Mississippi Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Grant is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

More state grants & programs

Lists this award appears on

Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.