Mississippi Scholarships

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Open
$100–$5,000
12 Award Winners

AL/MS Section AWWA Scholarship

The Alabama Mississippi (AL/MS) Section of the American Water Works Association awards 12 undergraduate and graduate students in Alabama and Mississippi to further their studies in water works.

Eligible Grades
Undergraduate
Application Open Date
November 1, 2023
Application Deadline
January 31, 2024
Open
$100–$5,000
12 Award Winners
Opening in 23 Days
$2,500
1 Award Winner

Leighton M. Ballew Directing Award

SETC’s Leighton M. Ballew Directing Award provides one student with a $2,500 scholarship to study theater directing at a regionally accredited graduate school in the upcoming academic year.

Eligible Grades
Graduate – Postgraduate
Application Open Date
January 1, 2024
Application Deadline
April 1, 2024
Opening in 23 Days
$2,500
1 Award Winner
Closed
$500–$5,000
48 Award Winners

Jimmy Rane Foundation Scholarships

The Jimmy Rane Foundation Scholarship offers need-based scholarships of between $500 and $5,000 to graduating high school seniors or students currently enrolled in accredited colleges in the U.S.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior – College Sophomore
Application Open Date
December 1, 2022
Application Deadline
February 7, 2023
Closed
$500–$5,000
48 Award Winners
Closed
$250–$1,000
12 Award Winners

Porter Fleming Literary Competition

The Porter Fleming Literary Competition grants the amount of $7,000 to 12 individuals who exhibit skill in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or one-act playwriting.

Eligible Grades
All
Application Open Date
August 1, 2022
Application Deadline
February 13, 2023
Closed
$250–$1,000
12 Award Winners
Closed
$2,000–$6,000
2 Award Winners

Gulf Coast Hurricane Scholarship

The Gulf Coast Hurricane Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students residing and studying plastic industry-related courses at postsecondary institutions in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.

Eligible Grades
High School Graduate – Undergraduate
Application Open Date
December 1, 2022
Application Deadline
February 15, 2023
Closed
$2,000–$6,000
2 Award Winners
Closed
$2,000
1 Award Winner

The James M. & Virginia M. Smyth Scholarship Fund

James M. & Virginia M. Smyth Scholarship Fund awards a scholarship to eligible students to pursue undergraduate degrees in arts and sciences, human services, music, or ministry at an accredited college.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior – Undergraduate
Application Open Date
December 6, 2022
Application Deadline
February 15, 2023
Closed
$2,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$750
1 Award Winner

Curwen-Guidry Scholarship Fund

The Fund awards high school seniors who are bowlers in the USBC League to further their education. It’s open to students in the nine states part of the Southern Bowling Congress.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
November 1, 2022
Application Deadline
March 15, 2023
Closed
$750
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

Ashton Washington Women of Color Annual Scholarship

To preserve the heritage of a WOC and help her excel, the $1,000 Ashton Washington Women of Color Annual Scholarship was founded by an HBCU graduate and her grandmother.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

Dederick Daugherty Community Service Scholarship

Project Impact Mississippi (MS) offers the Dederick Daugherty Community Service Scholarship to one graduating high school student who plans to enroll in an undergraduate program at Mississippi State University.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

Doris Burkhalter Memorial Scholarship

Project Impact Mississippi offers the Doris Burkhalter Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 to a high school senior student pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited university or college in Mississippi.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

Ellen Bennett Memorial Scholarship

Project Impact Mississippi offers the Ellen Bennett Memorial Scholarship to one graduating high school student in Mississippi who plans to attend junior college or university in the state.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

HYPE Scholarship

Project Impact Mississippi offers the HYPE Scholarship of $1,000 to high school seniors who want to pursue a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degree in Mississippi.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

Jake & Lillie B. Ayers Memorial Scholarship

Project Impact Mississippi offers this scholarship to one graduating high school senior who plans to continue their education in a junior college or university based in Mississippi.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

Jerlean Townsend Memorial Scholarship

Jerlean Townsend Memorial Scholarship is a scholarship provided by Project Impact Mississippi (MS) aimed at students going to attend college or university in Mississippi, United States.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

Jimmy Ray Lewis Jr. Memorial Scholarship

Project Impact MS offers a scholarship to one graduating high school senior student who plans to continue their education in a junior college or university based in Mississippi.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

Joseph Demond Webster Memorial Scholarship

Project Impact Mississippi (MS) offers a scholarship to a graduating high school senior student to pursue an undergraduate program at an accredited junior college or university in the state of Mississippi.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner

Kristal Mead Hillie Nursing Education Scholarship

Project Impact Mississippi (MS) annually offers this scholarship to one undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited LVN/LPN, RN degree (ADN or BSN), diploma, or RN-to-BSN program.

Eligible Grades
Undergraduate
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$1,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$3,500
30 Award Winners

Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest – College Students

The Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest awards 30 scholarships to undergraduate students who live in states with Regions' full service and are enrolled in undergraduate programs of their choice.

Eligible Grades
Undergraduate
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$3,500
30 Award Winners
Closed
$5,000
30 Award Winners

Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest – High School Seniors

The Scholarship Contest awards 30 scholarships to high school senior students who live in states with Regions' full service and plan to enroll in undergraduate programs of their choice.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
February 1, 2023
Application Deadline
March 31, 2023
Closed
$5,000
30 Award Winners
Closed
$2,000
1 Award Winner

Denise Halbach Performance Scholarship Award

The Denise Halbach Performance Scholarship awards $2,000 to a graduate student studying acting or musical theater. Students who graduated from universities in the SETC region can apply.

Eligible Grades
Graduate
Application Open Date
January 1, 2023
Application Deadline
April 1, 2023
Closed
$2,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,500
1 Award Winner

Marian A. Smith Costume Scholarship Award

The Marian A. Smith Costume Scholarship awards $1,500 to a graduate student studying costume design or technology. Applicants must have studied or will study at an SETC region institution.

Eligible Grades
Graduate
Application Open Date
January 1, 2023
Application Deadline
April 1, 2023
Closed
$1,500
1 Award Winner
Closed
$2,000
1 Award Winner

Robert Porterfield Scholarship Award

The Robert Porterfield Scholarship awards $2,000 to graduate students pursuing a degree in theatre. Applicants should have graduated from an undergraduate program at a university in the SETC region.

Eligible Grades
Graduate
Application Open Date
January 1, 2023
Application Deadline
April 1, 2023
Closed
$2,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$2,000
1 Award Winner

Steve Bayless Undergraduate Scholarship

The Steve Bayless Undergraduate Scholarship awards $2,000 to one high school senior in the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) region who will pursue studies in theater.

Eligible Grades
High School Senior
Application Open Date
January 1, 2023
Application Deadline
April 1, 2023
Closed
$2,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$5,000
1 Award Winner

William E. Wilson Scholarship Award

The William E. Wilson Scholarship awards $5,000 to a secondary school teacher pursuing graduate studies in theatre or speech and theatre. Applicants must be legal residents of any SETC state.

Eligible Grades
Graduate
Application Open Date
January 1, 2023
Application Deadline
April 1, 2023
Closed
$5,000
1 Award Winner
Closed
$1,200
1 Award Winner

Josh Fielder Memorial Scholarship

The scholarship is awarded to an adult student in the Memphis area, pursuing an undergraduate degree in an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational or technical institution.

Eligible Grades
All
Application Open Date
January 1, 2023
Application Deadline
April 4, 2023
Closed
$1,200
1 Award Winner

About Mississippi Scholarships

The cost of attending college is high, and Mississippi is no exception. One of the best ways to offset the heavy financial burden is to get scholarships to cover your costs. Mississippi students have access to a wide variety of scholarships, from merit-based awards that consider academic achievement to need-based scholarships that assist those who cannot afford college tuition. There are so many scholarship opportunities available that often it's difficult to find the ones that suit your needs. We've made the search easier by gathering scholarship opportunities for Mississippi students in one place.

Colleges in Mississippi

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2016-2017 school year was $8,930 at public colleges in Mississippi and $25,270 at private colleges. This is significantly lower than the national averages of $9,650 and $33,480, respectively. Mississippi is home to a number of colleges and universities, as well as community colleges and technical schools. Choosing a college can be quite tough – there are so many factors to consider such as the cost of tuition, what degree you want to pursue, and the location.

Perhaps the most well-known university is Ole Miss, or the University of Mississippi. It's the largest university by enrollment in the state and is a public research university. The most popular majors are nursing, accounting, digital communications, and psychology. In-state tuition fees are around $9,412, while out-of-state tuition and fees are $26,980.

Another popular university is Mississippi State University. They 160 different degrees with business administration, kinesiology, psychology, education and teaching, marketing, and mechanical engineering. In terms of tuition fees, in-state tuition is around $9,815, and out-of-state around $26,580.

The national average cost for in-state tuition is around $26,027, putting Mississippi well below the average. For out-of-state students, the average is around $27,091 and Mississippi is in this range too. These fees are for public four-year institutions.

Mississippi Student Debt

According to our Student Loan Debt Index, when it comes to student loan debt, Mississippi ranks 14th among the states. On average, a Mississippian has about $37K in federal student loans. With the cost of college increasing, incoming students will have even more debt when they graduate.

The Education Data Initiative reported that there are 439,000 student borrowers. They vary in age but almost half (48.9%) are under the age of 35, this means most of the debt belongs to those who are newer to the workforce. The national average for federal student debt is $37,718.

Most (19.1%) of the borrowers in Mississippi owe between $20,000 and $40,000, while 17.9% owe less than $5,000, and 2.2% owe more than $200,000. The total student debt in Mississippi adds up to $16.2 billion.

Graduating with student debt impacts the choices that students make for their futures. Depending on how much they need to repay, it can affect their career choices. For example, they may seek high-paying jobs to repay their loans as quickly as possible – but if all recent graduates are competing for similar roles, the job market will be saturated. The demand for high-paying positions is also higher than the supply of these positions. A study found that students with debt were less likely to consider lower-paying jobs that are labeled as public-interest careers. About 14.8% of Mississippi residents have student debt.

7 easiest Mississippi scholarships in 2023

There are a lot of scholarships available in Minnesota – so we gathered 7 of the best value ones – from our list of scholarships that have the easiest application process. These scholarships are open to Minnesota students, some are open to students across the U.S., and have minimal application requirements.

ScholarshipAward Amount
AL/MS Section AWWA Scholarship$100–$5,000
MGMA Southern Section Scholarship$2,500
Thomas M. Stetson Scholarship$2,000
Steve Bayless Undergraduate Scholarship$2,000
Bird Dog Foundation College Scholarship Essay Contest$1,000–$2,000
Josh Fielder Memorial Scholarship$1,200
Porter Fleming Literary Competition$250–$1,000

Tips for Winning Mississippi Scholarships

1. Research your options. It is important to thoroughly research the different scholarships available in Mississippi so that you can maximize your chances of being awarded a scholarship. Look for any scholarships specific to Mississippi, such as those offered by local or state organizations, or those designed for residents. Consider also looking into national scholarships, which may be open to Mississippi students.

2. Write a strong application essay. Many scholarships require applicants to submit an essay. Make sure that yours is well-written and clearly communicates why you are the right candidate for the award. Provide compelling evidence of your qualifications, such as academic accomplishments or volunteer work, in order to make your case as strongly as possible.

3. Ask for recommendations. Many scholarships also require letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors. Make sure to give the person you are asking plenty of time to submit the letter and provide them with a copy of your essay and any other relevant material so that they can best write about your qualifications.

Frequently asked questions

What scholarships are available at the University of Mississippi?

There are so many scholarship opportunities available for students wanting to study at the University of Mississippi. Search through Scholaroo’s list of Mississippi scholarships, many of which can be used at Ole Miss.

What ACT score gets you a full ride to Ole Miss?

Ole Miss has several financial aid options for students. The Academic Merit scholarship offers a variety of awards based on your GPA and ACT and SAT scores. To qualify for the top prize you will need an ACT of 33 or more, a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and an SAT score of 1450 or higher.

What ACT score is needed for a full scholarship to Mississippi State?

Mississippi State University offers several scholarships to students. If you want to receive the maximum amount of funding, you will need an ACT score between 33 and 36, an SAT score between 1450 and 1600, and a GPA of 3.5 or above.

How do I get Ole Miss out-of-state tuition waived?

Veterans and dependent students will receive the Non-Resident Tuition Scholarship. Ole Miss is also a Yellwo Ribbon school, meaning veterans who meet the requirements will have their tuition waived. To be eligible, you need to be 100% eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, be accepted to Ole Miss, and be a degree-seeking student.