E-Mail: sfa@ihl.state.ms.us

Mississippi
Office of Student Financial Aid
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211-6453

Phone: 1-800-327-2980
(toll-free in Mississippi)
or at 601-432-6997.

The mission of the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid is to provide all qualified college and college-bound students with state-funded financial assistance, with a focus on Mississippi residents. In keeping with this mission, we have created one, easy to complete, application to enable student to apply for all state-funded scholarships, grants or loans.

Under the governance of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid is responsible for the administration of all state-funded financial aid programs, including grants, scholarships and loans. These funds provide assistance to Mississippi residents in pursuit of their educational and professional goals.

Critical Needs Teacher Loan/Scholarship Program (CNTP). The program requirements listed below should not be considered as the only requirements for participation in this program.

Application Deadline: March 31^st

Document Deadline (excludes college transcripts): March 31^st

Interested non-Mississippi residents may apply, but must be fully admitted as a regular student to a four year college or university in Mississippi.

Is a junior or senior student at a four year Mississippi college or university.

Agrees to employment immediately upon degree completion as a full-time classroom teacher in a Mississippi public school located in a critical teacher shortage area or in a subject shortage area.

Enrolls in a program of study leading to a Class 'A' teacher educator license.

Passes Praxis I or has a minimum composite score of 21 or higher ACT (national testing) with a minimum of 18 on all sub-scores on the same national test taken prior to enrollment into higher education.

Participates in Entrance Counseling.

Enrolls full-time or part-time undergraduate course work (minimum of six hours).

Has a cumulative 2.5 college GPA.

Completes the online web application and submits all support documents by the deadline.

Teaching commitment: The loan to service obligation is discharged on the basis of one year's service for one year of loan received. Teaching service is defined as being employed as a full-time classroom teacher in a Mississippi public school located in a critical teacher shortage area or in a subject shortage area.

CNTP recipients are not eligible to receive other state grant funds.

Applicants for CNTP cannot apply for WWTS and WWAR.

Students pursuing an alternate route to teacher certification are eligible to receive CNAR.

Programs of study which do not qualify for CNTP include, but are not limited to:

• Speech and language pathology
• Psychological and counseling services
• Recreational therapy

Maximum eligibility is four (4) semesters for full-time awards.

Funds awarded provides for room and board. The CNTP award is the same if the recipient lives on or off campus.

Applicants must mail in to the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid a copy of their passing Praxis I scores (reading, writing, math) as the Mississippi Department of Education automatically receives Praxis I scores, not the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid.