The University of Southern Mississippi Increases Scholarship Offerings to Help Cover Tuition for Mississippi Students

Mon, 10/21/2019 - 12:27pm | By: James Coll

Already one of the most affordable Carnegie R1 research institutions in the country, The University of Southern Mississippi is expanding freshman scholarship offerings to continue to ensure the transformative experience of a USM education remains accessible to prospective students and their families.

“More than 80 percent of our students receive some sort of financial assistance,” said Dr. Erin Lambert Dornan, Director of Undergraduate Scholarships. “We want a college degree to remain an affordable reality–especially for Mississippians who are good students and just need some financial help.”

Scholarships and federal financial aid are two important tools to ensure college affordability for USM students and families. USM’s most popular scholarship is the Freshman Academic Excellence Scholarship, which is awarded based on GPA and standardized test scores, beginning with a core GPA of 3.0 and at least a 21 on the ACT. Students who meet the lowest level Academic Excellence requirements and appropriate deadlines earn $2,500 annually in scholarships. As academic merit increases, so do scholarship amounts up to the total cost of tuition.

In addition, one of the most common grants that college students receive is the federal Pell Grant. Pell Grants are awarded on the basis of financial need, and eligible students may receive a partial Pell Grant or a full Pell Grant, which can be in excess of $6,000 annually. The combination of the two make a strong financial package for students considering USM.

“Students who qualify for a full Pell Grant and even the lowest level Freshman Academic Excellence Scholarship will see that almost all of their tuition costs are covered,” said Kate Howard, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions. “We are thoughtfully and intentionally moving the bottom line for families.”

Important deadlines are approaching for prospective USM students. High school seniors are encouraged to apply for admission to USM now, as students must be admitted by December 1 in order to receive consideration for all freshman scholarships. Eligibility for federal grants and loans (including the Pell Grant) is determined through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). There is no income cutoff to qualify for federal financial aid, because many factors besides income—from the size of a family to the age of the student’s oldest parent—are considered. A student’s eligibility for loans and grants is determined by a mathematical formula and not by a family’s income alone. December 15 is the FAFSA priority date for scholarship consideration. The 2020-21 FAFSA is available online at FAFSA.ed.gov, and The University of Southern Mississippi’s school code is 002441. If a prospective student’s FAFSA is submitted by December 15, families can have the most complete financial picture possible when scholarship and financial aid award notifications are mailed in January.

High school seniors can access the freshman application for admission at usm.edu/apply. For more information about freshman scholarships, visit usm.edu/scholarships.