Top 2 Tuition-Free Online Colleges in Mississippi

Online learning is great for students who want to earn a degree or take individual college courses but have busy schedules.

This flexible academic option makes learning accessible to a wider range of students, however, it is not always affordable for individuals with limited incomes.

If you need help paying for your online education, you're in luck. There are several ways to attain reduced-cost and free college in Mississippi.

Online Colleges and Universities with Free Courses

The following universities offer excellent opportunities to take advantage of lower-priced and free college in Mississippi.

1. Mississippi University for Women

At Mississippi University for Women (MUW), graduates of East Mississippi Community College can take advantage of the EMCC Tuition Guarantee.

Under this guarantee, residents of Lowndes County, MS can attend MUW tuition-free.

MUW also offers tuition reductions via departmental and transfer scholarships as well as a scholarship for senior citizens ages 65 and older.

At Mississippi University for Women, all financial aid is available to both online and on-campus students.

2. Mississippi State University

Mississippi State University doesn't offer free online courses, however, it does aim to reduce student tuition costs.

For example, the Freshman Alumni Non-Resident Tuition Scholarship covers qualifying students' non-resident tuition costs up to $16,000 over four years.

Similarly, the Transfer Alumni Non-Resident Tuition Scholarship pays $4,000 per year up to $8,000 for non-resident children of MSU alumni.

Mississippi State University also offers low-cost online continuing education courses ranging from $29 to $49 that offer IACET CEU and/or ATD CI Credits.

Other Online Colleges

Purdue Global

At Purdue Global, students can take advantage of Open Learning Courses, which serve as introductions to instructor-led equivalent courses.

All Open Learning Courses are self-paced and available free of charge or at a low cost.

Students of Open Learning Courses have the opportunity to earn credit through Purdue Global after completing assessments for eligible courses.

Anyone interested in earning undergraduate credit is encouraged to enroll in LRC100: Pathway to College Credit--Portfolio Development.

Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University offers MOOCs � Massive Open Online Courses � for students interested in free online learning.

These MOOCs come in the form of online programs or individual online courses.

All courses can be audited free of charge with limited access � or students can pay a small fee for full access and earn a verified certificate.

While courses are self-paced, enrollment is only open during specified periods.

Strayer University

Strayer University is an online and on-campus university that offers flexible schedules for working professionals.

The university offers the Strayer Graduation Fund, which saves students up to $12,200 on their undergraduate tuition.

For every three classes a student successfully completes, they will earn one tuition-free course. In total, students can earn up to eight free undergraduate courses.

The university also offers customized scholarships, tuition discounts, and corporate training credits for students employed by its Corporate Alliance partners.

How To Make College Free

In addition to securing tuition discounts from your school of choice, you can save money on online educational costs, or even gain access to free college in Mississippi, the following ways.

Apply for Grants

One of the best ways to reduce the cost of your college tuition � or attend school free of charge � is by securing grants.

Federal grants are sources of financial aid that you typically don't have to repay.

The following are federal grants created to significantly lower tuition costs:

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
• Federal Pell Grants
• Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants
• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants

You can also look into grants available in Mississippi like the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) and MS Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG).

Gaining access to federal and state grants usually requires submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

Apply for Scholarships

Scholarships are also great options for reducing your college tuition costs since, like grants, they typically don't require repayment.

Some scholarships are need-based, but many are merit-based.

You can find scholarships through a variety of sources, including local organizations and businesses, state agencies, and individual schools.

Popular scholarships in Mississippi include the FAITH Scholarship, LAW - Law Officers & Firefighters Scholarship, and NISS - NISSAN Scholarship.

You can also find thousands of scholarships through the U.S. Department of Education's national database: CareerOneStop.org.

Get Tuition Reimbursement from an Employer

Many employers offer tuition reimbursement options for employees interested in continuing their education. In most cases, employers require their employees to pay for their college courses upfront.

Following the successful completion of the course, the employer will reimburse a portion or all of the tuition costs.

However, some employers offer tuition assistance by paying for courses upfront. Check with your employer to find out about their tuition assistance policy.

Look Into Tuition and Fee Waivers

Some colleges and universities often offer their students reduced-cost or free college in Mississippi by waiving a portion or all of their tuition fees or related costs.

Eligibility is usually granted to state or college employees or out-of-state students.

For example, Mississippi State University's Graduate School offers the Veteran, Service-Member, Dependent, Spouse, and Non-Resident Tuition Waiver.

This waiver covers 100% of the non-resident portion of a veteran, service member, or dependent's tuition.

Find a Free or Low-Cost Degree in Mississippi Today

Students have amazing opportunities to take low-cost online courses and get their degrees to benefit from free college in Mississippi.