Types of Aid

At Ole Miss, we strive to provide our students a high-quality education at an affordable cost. Our staff works diligently to help you achieve your educational goals and meet your costs of attendance by administering a variety of financial assistance programs.

A financial aid package may consist of a scholarship, grant, loan, part-time job, or a combination of these programs.

• Scholarships are gift programs that do not need to be repaid. They are typically awarded in recognition of significant achievement or talent in areas such as academics, athletics, and music.
• Grants are gift aid. They usually require a demonstration of financial need.
• Loans are funds that have to be repaid with interest.
• Federal Work-Study is part-time employment that provides students with opportunities to earn money to apply toward their educational expenses. Financial need must be demonstrated.

Some awards are made strictly on the basis of merit. Others may require some level of financial need in order to qualify. Financial Aid determines “need” by the federal definition. To learn more, please refer to the policy “Calculation of Financial Need.”

As you make plans for an upcoming year, be sure to check the Office of Financial Aid’s Timeline for application, awarding, and disbursement.

Please be aware of your rights and responsibilities as a financial aid recipient. Also, the “Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act” and the “Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008” require that universities throughout the country produce statistics and/or information on the subjects below. For more information, please refer to the University of Mississippi Student Consumer Information Disclosures.

• Retention and graduation rates;
• Financial assistance available to students and requirements and restrictions imposed on Title IV aid;
• Crime statistics on campus;
• Athletic program participation rates and financial support; and
• Other institutional information including: the cost of attendance, accreditation and academic program data, facilities and services available to disabled students, and withdrawal and refund policies.