Policies

This is an archived copy of the 2019-20 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.msstate.edu.

Scholarship Criteria:
1. All academic scholarships are made in accordance with guidelines established by the Executive Enrollment Management Committee.
2. Students currently enrolled at MSU are evaluated on the basis of a overall grade point average and the General Scholarship Application.
3. Transfer students are evaluated on the basis of cumulative grade point average transferable community college hours.
4. Entering freshmen are evaluated on the basis of their ACT/SAT composite score and overall high school grade point average.
5. Students for Attala, Carroll, Choctaw, Montgomery and Webster counties in Mississippi may be eligible to apply for the Sumners Scholarship. Permanent residency in one of these five counties for 12 continuous months prior to the award period is the primary basis of eligibility. Recipients of the Sumners Scholarship must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (Section C). Application must be submitted each year by September 15.
6. All students have the right to appeal their scholarship status. Exceptions may be made in cases of mitigating circumstances such as: death in immediate family, personal injury, illness, etc., as determined by the Office of Admissions and Scholarships and the University Scholarship Appeals Committee. Appeals Forms are available in the Office of Admissions and Scholarships. The University Scholarship Appeals Committee has authority over all appeals and its decisions are final.
Federal and State Programs of Financial Aid
1. All Federal student-aid funds are awarded on the basis of criteria established by the United States Congress and the Department of Education, as required by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
2. Priority in the awarding of some need-based aid is given to students with the greatest financial need first, within the availability of funds. Funds that are limited are awarded until depleted. Applicants are encouraged to apply early each year.
3. The family of a student is expected to make a maximum effort to assist the student with college expenses. Financial assistance from the University and other sources should be viewed only as supplementary to the efforts of the family. In determining the extent of a student’s financial need, the University will take into account the financial support which may be expected from income, assets, and other resources of the parents and of the students as required by Federal Regulations.
4. Students themselves are also expected to use all available resources for their college expenses. This includes savings accounts, trust funds, etc.
5. The total amount of financial assistance offered by the University and other sources must not exceed the amount of the student’s cost of attendance as specified in federal regulations. If need-based financial aid is awarded, the total need-based award and educational resources cannot exceed the amount of financial need as determined by the federal need formula. The student is responsible for notifying the Department of Student Financial Aid at Mississippi State University upon learning that additional educational resources/benefits (scholarships, tuition waivers, etc.) have been awarded or received.
6. Because the amount of financial assistance awarded usually reflects the financial situation of the student’s family, the University does not make a public announcement of the amount of financial aid awarded.
7. The University will clearly state the total yearly cost of attendance. (See costs listed under “Students Expenses” or visit our Web site at www.sfa.msstate.edu.)
8. All financial assistance is awarded on an annual basis and no award implies automatic renewal from year to year. A new FAFSA and MTAG/MESG application must be submitted each year. Other applications may also be required. Always check with the granting agency to determine application procedures and deadline dates.
Satisfactory Academic Progress for Purposes of Student Financial Aid
Purpose: To define reasonable standards for measuring academic progress in order for students to remain eligible for financial aid under Title IV.
Policy: Mississippi State University, as required by federal law, defines and enforces minimum standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students receiving federal and institutional financial aid and Sumners funds must conform to these minimum standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students receiving federal financial assistance and Sumners funds must enroll in courses leading to, and earning credit toward, a degree. These satisfactory academic progress standards will include an evaluation of each student’s progress in terms of quality and quantity of progress toward the degree. Students who are not successfully completing appropriate courses will not be considered to be making satisfactory academic progress and will not be eligible for further federal financial aid. These satisfactory academic progress standards supersede any award letter that the student might have received. This policy applies to all Title IV federal and institutional Financial Aid programs at Mississippi State University and the Sumners Scholarship Program

For details regarding this satisfactory academic progress policy, including the appeals process, and other consumer information, visit our Web site at www.sfa.msstate.edu.
Withdrawal from School
Treatment of Student Aid Funds when a Student Withdraws from School:

Students who choose to withdraw from the University prior to the end of an enrollment period (semester) should follow the University’s guidelines for withdrawing from school. An Official Withdrawal Form must be completed and submitted to the proper office before a student can be considered officially withdrawn. Information concerning the details of withdrawal procedures can be found in the MSU Bulletin or by contacting the Registrar.

Federal student aid recipients who begin attending classes during a semester and who cease attending or performing academic activities prior to the end of the semester, and never complete an Official Withdrawal Form are considered by the federal government to have unofficially withdrawn. If University records indicate that a student did begin attending classes but subsequently unofficially withdrew, the University will consider the Unofficial Withdrawal date to be the midpoint of the semester (unless documentation exists of an earlier or later date of academic activity by the student).

When a federal student aid recipient withdraws, officially or unofficially, after attending at least the first class day, the University will return, and the student aid recipient will be required to repay, a prorated portion of funds received based upon a federally required calculation.

If University records show a federal student aid recipient never attended a class and/or never performed an academically related activity for a semester or term, then the recipient never established eligibility for any aid funds that may have been disbursed for that semester or term. In addition, any student aid recipient who drops all classes prior to the first day of class or whose schedule is voided for a semester or term, did not establish eligibility for any aid funds that may have disbursed for that semester or term, and must repay the entire amount of aid disbursed for that semester or term.

If a student did not receive any federal student aid but did receive other types of aid funds, and subsequently officially withdraws, refunds and repayments will be based upon the University’s refund schedule.

For more information regarding return and repayment of Title IV (federal) funds, see the Return of Title IV Funds section of “withdrawal from school” on the Web site at www.sfa.msstate.edu under Policies/Consumer Right to Know.

**Note: The information contained in this section is accurate as of the date of publication but is subject to change, without notice, in order to comply with federal, state, or university requirements. Updates are posted on the MSU Web site.