Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is available at Northwest Mississippi Community College, Itawamba Community College, and Northeast Mississippi Community College.
The TAP program is coordinated with federal aid, state aid, and scholarship funds to assure that your tuition will be paid for four, consecutive academic semesters (excluding summer). Your participation in this program is contingent upon your compliance with a few requirements and the availability of program funds.
To take advantage of the TAP, you must meet the following requirements:
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Must be a resident of Lafayette County (proof of parent’s/legal guardian’s residence in Lafayette County must be attached)
- Apply for Institutional scholarships by April 1
- Graduate with a high school diploma from a Lafayette County high school December or May/June
- Take the ACT by June 30
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov by July 1
- Apply for and submit all requested documentation to the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) at www.msfinancialaid.org/mtag by July 1
- Enroll as a full-time student (at least 15 academic hours) the semester following your high school graduation or after completing your military obligation if you enter the military immediately following high school graduation
TAP assistance will be used ONLY after all applicable federal grants, state grants, and scholarship funds have been awarded and applied toward your tuition ($1500). If you refuse a school scholarship, it will still be included in the TAP calculation as if you had accepted the scholarship. Work study awards and student loans will be excluded from the calculation.
The TAP is available to you for four, consecutive regular semesters (summer school is not included in the program) beginning with the fall or spring semester immediately following your high school graduation. This application will cover your two freshman semesters. You must apply again for assistance during your sophomore year.
To continue to receive assistance under the TAP, you must:
- Pass a minimum of 15 hours each semester with a 2.0 grade point average. If you drop below 15 hours, you lose your eligibility. If your GPA falls below 2.0, you lose your eligibility.
- Do not sit out a semester. If you do not enroll for four, consecutive semesters (excluding summer), you lose your eligibility.
If these requirements are not met in any semester, you will be removed from the program and will no longer be eligible for TAP funds. There is no appeal process if you lose your TAP eligibility.
