Scholarships and Education Grants for Single Mothers in Mississippi

What has changed

• September 23, 2026: The 2027–28 FAFSA opened to the public. It covers July 2027 through June 2028.
• September 15, 2026: The 2026–27 MTAG, MESG, and UPSKILL MAAPP application deadlines passed. Their October 15 supporting-document deadline has now passed too.
• October 1, 2026: Mississippi opened the 2027–28 MAAPP cycle. The state lists March 31, 2027, for HELP applications and September 15, 2027, for MTAG, MESG, and UPSKILL applications.
• 2026: UPSKILL began offering a new route for eligible adults in approved Mississippi community college programs.
• October 5, 2026: The Jeannette Rankin National Scholar Grant opened its 2026–27 cycle, with a February 12, 2027, closing date.

Know what kind of aid you are getting

Read each offer before you accept it. The word “award” does not always mean money you can keep.

Mississippi aid dates: what is still possible?

These dates are from the federal student aid office and Mississippi’s state aid rules. A date in 2027 is for the 2027–28 aid year unless noted. College deadlines can be earlier.

Check the state’s deadline answers and your MAAPP dashboard. Mississippi does not normally allow an appeal for missing a state grant application deadline. Applying late for one grant does not stop you from checking federal, school, or job training help.

Federal aid: FAFSA, Pell, work-study

FAFSA and the Federal Pell Grant

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It can help your school decide on grants, scholarships, jobs, and loan options. It costs nothing to file. The 2026–27 maximum Pell Grant is $7,395, but your amount depends on your income details, the cost of your school, how many classes you take, and how much Pell aid you used before. The 2027–28 maximum has not yet been posted on the official Pell Grant page; do not assume it is the same amount.

Use the FAFSA update page to start the 2027–28 form. For school in 2026–27, the federal FAFSA guide lists June 30, 2027, as the federal deadline. Many colleges have earlier priority dates for their limited funds. For more detail, use our Pell and FAFSA guide.

Does being a single mother make you independent on FAFSA?

Not by itself. Being age 24 or older is one way to meet FAFSA’s independent-student rules. A younger student who supports a child may also qualify, but the federal rules look at who gives more than half of the child’s support. If your parents pay most of your child’s living costs, the answer may be different. Ask the financial aid office to help you use the right status. Never mark yourself independent just because you live apart from a partner.

FSEOG and Federal Work-Study

Some schools offer a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant for undergraduates with high need. Each campus has limited funds. Ask whether your school participates and has funds left.

Federal Work-Study can offer part-time jobs for students who qualify. A work-study figure on an aid offer is not money handed to you before you work. Ask how jobs are assigned and when wages are paid.

Mississippi state grants: who can use them?

Mississippi uses the Mississippi Aid Application (MAAPP). FAFSA alone does not apply for state aid. You must reapply each school year, verify your MAAPP account, and send only the papers the state requests. State residency and school enrollment rules also matter.

HELP: for eligible recent high school graduates

The Higher Education Legislative Plan for Needy Students (HELP) can cover tuition and required fees at a public Mississippi school. At an approved private school, its award is based on the average public four-year school amount. Initial rules include Mississippi residency, a 2.5 high school GPA, an ACT score of at least 20, income limits, Pell eligibility, required high school classes, and full-time study in an eligible first-degree or certificate program. It is not a general grant for all adult learners.

The 2026–27 deadline is over. For the next year, the official HELP program page lists March 31 for MAAPP and April 30 for papers including FAFSA. Ask a school counselor about the high school course record if you plan to apply.

MTAG: state tuition help

The Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) may pay up to $500 per year for freshmen and sophomores or $1,000 for juniors and seniors. It is for eligible Mississippi residents at approved schools who qualify for less than the maximum Pell Grant. Incoming students have test and school record rules; continuing students must meet GPA rules. The program normally requires 12 completed credit hours each term.

The official MTAG rules give September 15 as the application deadline and October 15 for supporting papers. For the next aid year, that means September 15 and October 15, 2027.

MESG: merit-based grant

The Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG) is for strong academic records. For entering freshmen, main rules include a 3.5 GPA and an ACT score of 29, a matching SAT score, or certain National Merit status. It can pay up to $2,500 a year, but no more than tuition and required fees. Full-time enrollment and other academic limits apply. Check the MESG program requirements before applying.

MTAG, MESG, HELP, and other state-supported undergraduate grants generally cannot be stacked for the same term. Mississippi normally awards the higher eligible state grant, not the sum of every program. Also, completing only 9 credits can put a full-time state award at risk.

UPSKILL: a newer path for adults age 24 and older

UPSKILL Mississippi began in 2026. It helps eligible adults in approved Mississippi community college certificate or associate degree programs tied to priority jobs. Main rules include being at least 24, living in Mississippi for two years, having a high school diploma or GED, meeting the program’s citizenship or lawful permanent residence rule, completing FAFSA and MAAPP, and taking at least half-time classes in an approved course.

UPSKILL can cover tuition and required fees left after other grants, plus up to $500 a year for books and materials, adjusted by term. It is not $500 extra for every class. Students must keep satisfactory academic progress. The 2026–27 application and document deadlines have passed; ask the college to check your next-year path. See the state’s UPSKILL eligibility and program list.

FAITH: foster youth and former foster youth

The Fostering Access and Inspiring True Hope (FAITH) Scholarship helps some current or former foster youth and people from listed residential care settings. First-time applicants generally must be younger than 25 by October 1 of the aid year, meet a qualifying foster-care or adoption history, meet residency rules, file FAFSA and MAAPP, and enroll in at least six eligible credits. There is a limited military-service age exception.

FAITH may cover eligible attendance costs after other grant aid, with rules for private schools and how long students may receive funds. Some students must apply for an Educational and Training Voucher through Child Protection Services. Review the FAITH scholarship rules and ask the state what records to send.

What happened to Complete 2 Compete?

Old Complete 2 Compete (C2C) grant listings should not be treated as a current, open cash award. The older statewide grant ended in 2025. Mississippi universities have since discussed school-run degree completion paths, but those are not a promise of new C2C grant money. Ask your college about its current adult completion program and funding before you enroll.

Child care while you study

Mississippi’s Child Care Payment Program (CCPP) may help eligible families use approved child care. You need a provider that takes the program. The official child care application guide has a provider finder and lists proof you may need.

The waitlist is important. As of this review, MDHS says new applications are open to six exception groups, such as TANF families, foster children, teen parents, children with special needs, deployed military families, and families without stable housing. Other families may join a waitlist. If MDHS emails an invitation, the family has 10 calendar days to apply; missing that window can mean rejoining the list. Current certificates may be renewed under separate rules. Check CCPP waitlist updates rather than assuming you can apply at once.

Many eligible parents must work at least 25 hours a week or be in full-time approved school or training, or a mix of both. Income and priority rules vary. CCPP may still leave a copay or tuition gap. Read our Mississippi child care guide and ask the campus if it has child care, a CCAMPIS grant-funded center, or emergency parent support.

Career school, short training, and work support

If a degree will take too long or cost too much, consider a community college certificate, adult education, apprenticeship, or a short course tied to local jobs. Use the Mississippi adult education program to ask about literacy, high school equivalency work, and career training. Compare tuition, tests, tools, uniforms, transport, class hours, and child care before choosing.

The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) may help some adults, laid-off workers, and young people with approved training and support costs. Being listed on the eligible training provider list does not mean money is set aside for you. Ask a WIN Job Center to review your case before paying a school.

Mississippi’s Skills2Work program supports some SNAP recipients, typically ages 18–64, who meet program and work registration rules and do not get TANF cash payments. It can offer job training, a support worker, and help with transport, child care, books, or equipment. The program also lists an $80 monthly support stipend for participants who meet its terms. Ask your SNAP worker whether you can join; this is not an automatic payment for every SNAP household.

Our job training help guide has other paths to check. Ask whether any training would change your benefit or work-reporting duties.

Private and tribal scholarships worth checking

Start with your school’s financial aid team, student-parent office, school foundation, employer, local charities, and trade groups. Private awards are competitive. Never pay a company that promises you will win a grant.

Live Your Dream Awards

These awards serve women who are the main financial support for their families and are in an eligible training or education program. The Live Your Dream application accepts entries from August 1 through November 15 each year. Check all rules, prepare your story, and apply before the 2026 cycle closes.

Jeannette Rankin National Scholar Grant

Women students age 35 or older with financial need may seek help for a first degree or career program at an approved nonprofit school. The official Rankin scholar grant page says the 2026–27 cycle opened October 5, 2026, and closes February 12, 2027. Awards can be up to $3,000 a year and are competitive.

Women’s Independence Scholarship Program

The Doris Buffett Independence Scholar Grant serves some survivors of intimate partner abuse who meet detailed separation, school, financial, and other rules. If you need to keep your browsing private, consider using a safe device and speaking with a trained advocate. The official WISP application page lists August 1–October 1 and January 1–March 1 cycles. The next listed window starts January 1, 2027. It is not open to everyone.

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

Eligible tribal members may seek education aid through the tribal scholarship program. Its listed complete application deadlines are May 31 for fall, October 31 for winter or spring, and March 31 for summer. Ask the tribe which term you should apply for and which records it needs.

How to apply without missing a step

1. Pick your start term. Ask the school whether you need 2026–27 FAFSA, 2027–28 FAFSA, or both for a summer term.
2. Use your own StudentAid.gov login. Contributors such as a spouse or required parent may need separate accounts. Do not share passwords.
3. File FAFSA for each year needed. List schools you may attend; save the submission confirmation.
4. File MAAPP for Mississippi aid. It is separate from FAFSA. The 2027–28 application period began October 1, 2026.
5. Check your dashboard and email. Verify your MAAPP account and send the documents requested. Do not send a full Social Security number by email.
6. Talk with the school. Check your financial aid offer and ask how child care, class load, special circumstances, or past school credits affect it.
7. Check the bill. Compare aid with tuition, books, transport, child care, housing, and any loans. Ask about a payment plan if a grant is late.

For free application help, book a Get2College appointment. Ask if a phone or online meeting is offered. If your wages fell, you lost work, or your family changed, a school may be able to review your aid for special circumstances. The school decides each case.

Documents to gather

Ask the office for a secure upload method. Make copies and note the name and date of each person who helps you. Do not submit documents that were not requested.