University of Mississippi
PA-7: Affordability and Access

The Ole Miss Opportunity Program-The University of Mississippi is committed to providing access to quality education for students from all backgrounds. Through the Ole Miss Opportunity program, the university guarantees that eligible Mississippi resident students will receive financial aid support to cover the average cost of tuition, residence hall housing, and an allowance for meals. This program will fill the gap in funding after all federal, state, institutional, and private scholarships and grants awarded to the student have been considered. The Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program provides opportunities for first-generation, low-income students (and students from underrepresented groups in graduate studies) to engage in scholastic undertakings that increase their chances for success in graduate school. Twenty-nine students are selected each year for this unique opportunity. Of that group, sixteen will be chosen to attend an intense, six-week research internship at The University of Mississippi. This component of the program provides a stipend of $2,700 to students. The Ole Miss First Scholarship Program provides mentoring and leadership development in conjunction with tuition assistance for deserving students. Each Ole Miss First Scholarship is based on a pledge of $5,000 per year for five years, for a total of $25,000, to cover eight semesters of tuition for an undergraduate student. Scholarship endowments can be created at the $125,000 level and will be awarded in perpetuity. The UM Luckyday Program awards eighty Luckyday scholarships to first-time freshmen ranging from $2,000 to $6,000 per year. In addition, 25 Community College Transfer students are selected for the Luckyday Community College Transfer Scholarship. Among other criteria, scholarship recipients are selected in part based on demonstrated remaining financial need after the awarding of other aid and scholarships.

The Mississippi Outreach to Scholastic Talent (MOST) mentoring program and conference matches students from underrepresented groups and low-income backgrounds with upperclassmen. Following the conference, mentors will help to guide and support students through the admission process into the University of Mississippi and throughout their freshmen year. Participants are also invited back to campus to participate in a reunion event. The MOST program aims to assist in keeping students in college as well as increasing graduation rates from underrepresented groups, primarily focusing on students of color. In coordination with the Luckyday scholarship, the Luckyday Program sponsors the Luckyday Success Program. This program is essential to ensuring student success during college. The Luckyday Community College Transfer Scholarship Program provides support to transfer scholars. The Luckyday Success Program assists students during the critical transition from high school to college. Building a strong foundation during the first year is the key to a successful college career. Sophomore through Senior Year Programming provides Luckyday Scholars with resources for continued success throughout college and in life.

NEED-BASED SCHOLARS-The University of Mississippi has the highest enrollment of any university in the state. The size of our student body has increased by approximately 60 percent over the past decade. Happening in tandem with our growth is a decrease in state support, which now stands at only 12.4 percent. With the help of generous support from alumni and friends, we remain committed to providing stellar educational opportunities for all students who wish to attend college. In addition to general Need-Based Scholarships the Ole Miss Opportunity Program, The Ole Miss First Scholarship Program, and The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program provide scholarships for low-income students. The UM Luckyday Program also provides scholarships based on need.

The Mississippi Outreach to Scholastic Talent (MOST) Mentoring Program matches incoming freshmen and high school seniors of color with an upperclassmen mentor. During the summer, the University hosts the MOST Conference for rising high school seniors. The goal of the summer conference is to expose prospective African American students to leadership activities, academic offerings, campus resources, faculty, staff, and student leaders. Following the conference, mentors will help to guide and support students through the admission process into the University of Mississippi and throughout their freshmen year. Participants are also invited back to campus to participate in a reunion event. The 2019 MOST Conference will be held July 14-16th.

The Next Step Scholarship is awarded to regional campus students (in-state and out-of-state) attending Ole Miss-Tupelo as their home campus. Students must be enrolled as part-time (3-11 hours each semester). Preference is given to students with demonstrated financial need. The Next Step Scholarship can be awarded for an online course if a student enrolls in at least one traditional course (face-to-face) at Ole Miss-Tupelo.

The Willie Price Lab School operates under the School of Education at The University of Mississippi. The school provides preschool education for 3-year and 4-year old children, with enrollment preference given to university affiliated families. The facility is located on campus and UM affiliated families receive a $1,000 annual tuition discount. The university also has a parental leave policy in place for graduate students. The policy states that graduate students are eligible for six weeks of leave immediately following the birth or adoption of a child. The policy’s purpose is to allow graduate students to keep their full-time status and to create a more manageable path for them as they return to classwork or teaching.

The University of Mississippi financial aid professional may exercise professional judgement and change elements in the federal need analysis to account for circumstances that he/she feels have not been adequately considered in the original FAFSA. In addition, a financial aid professional may increase the “Cost of Attendance” to account for extraordinary expenses a student might acquire while attending the University. These extraordinary expenses can include childcare, computer purchase, rent and utilities, travel expense, as well as other expenses beyond a students budget that can be argued.