2010 graduates in Itawamba Community College’s five-county district are encouraged to apply for the County Guaranteed Tuition programs before the July 31 deadline.

            Students in Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc counties should be aware of some changes in the program, said Bob Walker, director of financial aid at ICC.

            The general requirements, Walker said, include:

·         Must be a 2010 high school graduate (Chickasaw, Itawamba and Monroe counties allow for the GED in place of the high school diploma.)

·         Applicant’s parents must be resident of the county from which they are applying for assistance.

·         Applicants must take the National ACT on or before June 12.

·         Applicants must enroll full-time in the fall after they graduate from high school or pass the GED (Chickasaw, Itawamba, Monroe or Pontotoc county).

·         Applicants must complete the following: apply for Federal Financial Aid (Pell Grant) at www.fafsa.ed.gov; apply for State of Mississippi Aid (MTAG) at www.mississippi.edu; apply for ICC institutional scholarships  and complete the County Tuition Assistance application at www.iccms.edu.

If the above requirements are met, Walker said, eligibility will be determined by totaling the amount of aid received by other sources (Federal, state, institutional, etc.). If the cost of tuition has not been met, the county grant will be awarded up to the cost of tuition.  Student loans and MPACT are not included in the calculation. Recipients must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester with a 2.0 GPA to continue eligibility.

Walker emphasized that the scores from the residual ACT will not be accepted for the National ACT.

Those who are affected by military deployment during the fall semester after graduation will be allowed to receive county tuition assistance when they return to the United States, Walker said. All other students must enroll full time the fall after high school graduation or passage of the GED.

Walker said that students who receive full academic scholarships to ICC should also apply for the county guaranteed tuition program. “If something happens after the fall semester and students are no longer eligible for academic scholarships in the spring, it’s possible that they may receive county tuition assistance for the spring if they completed 12 hours with a 2.0 GPA if they applied by the July 31 deadline.”

For more information, contact Walker at (662) 862-8223 or e-mail rdwalker@iccms.edu.