Financial Aid and Funding Opportunities for Graduate Students in Mississippi

Mississippi offers a range of financial aid and funding opportunities to help residents pursue graduate degrees. These programs are designed to alleviate the financial burden of higher education and encourage students to contribute to the state’s workforce after graduation. This article provides an overview of available options, focusing on forgivable loan programs and additional funding resources.

Forgivable Loan Programs

Several state-sponsored forgivable loan programs target specific fields with critical needs in Mississippi. These loans require recipients to work in their field within the state for a specified period after graduation.

CNDT Critical Needs Dyslexia Therapy Forgivable Loan

The CNDT loan is available to Mississippi residents pursuing a master’s degree in dyslexia therapy at eligible Mississippi institutions. Recipients must commit to working as full-time dyslexia therapists in a Mississippi public school or district for one year for each year of loan funding received. Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid

SLPL Speech-Language Pathologist Forgivable Loan

The SLPL loan supports Mississippi residents seeking a master’s degree in speech-language pathology at Mississippi institutions. Loan recipients are required to work as full-time speech-language pathologists in a Mississippi public school or district for one year for each year of loan funding received. Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid

SREB Regional Contract Forgivable Loan (Optometry)

The SREB loan is available to Mississippi residents pursuing a Doctor of Optometry degree at out-of-state institutions. Recipients must practice as optometrists in Mississippi for one year for each year of loan funding received. Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid

Additional Funding Opportunities

Beyond forgivable loans, several other funding avenues are available to graduate students in Mississippi.

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State University offers various funding opportunities through its Graduate School, including scholarships and fellowships. Resources for finding these opportunities include: MSU Graduate School Funding, PKP Scholarship Opportunity, Rapid Web, Grants.gov, IRS Lifetime Learning Tax Credit, and the Jack Kent Cook Foundation Graduate Arts Award.

University of Mississippi

The University of Mississippi’s Graduate School provides funding opportunities such as graduate recruiting fellowships, scholarships, dissertation fellowships, and summer graduate support. Ole Miss Graduate School Funding

Political Science and Public Administration (MSU)

The Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Mississippi State University offers graduate fellowships, including the James W. Garner Memorial Fellowship, honoring a distinguished alumnus. PSPA Graduate Scholarships & Funding

Key Takeaways

• Mississippi provides forgivable loan programs for students in high-demand fields like dyslexia therapy and speech-language pathology.
• Loan repayment is typically tied to post-graduation employment in Mississippi’s public sector.
• Additional funding sources are available through individual universities and national organizations.