Here’s the educational opportunity you’ve been looking for.
This fall, Mississippi State students can choose between two mini terms and earn up to seven hours of course credits in only eight weeks. The accelerated format is part of MSU’s Mini Terms designed to help students complete the same courses with the same quality of instruction at a faster pace.
Offering a selection of nearly 30 courses in traditional classroom and online settings, MSU’s Mini Terms allow you to finish core course requirements sooner. You can even add a mini term class to your full semester load. The mini terms also provide transfer students with options to start classes at the beginning of the full semester or when the second session begins. See what mini term classes are available: https://mybanner.msstate.edu/BannerExtensibility/customPage/page/msuPublicMasterSchedule.
Experience academic flexibility like never before.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Registration
Financial Aid
Tuition
Scholarships
Campus Housing
Veterans Affairs
How many hours am I allowed to take during a mini term?
A student can take up to seven hours in each of the mini terms.
If I’m enrolled in 12 hours for the full semester, can I still register for a mini term class?
Yes, as long as you do not go over the maximum hours allowed for the semester. Currently, a student is capped at 19 hours if they are in good standing and 16 hours if they are on probation.
What classes and professors are available?
Mini terms are available for students enrolled in the Starkville, Meridian, Online or Gulf Coast campuses.
ACCESS MSU’S COURSES FOR MINI TERMS
To view available courses, select the appropriate term, such as “Fall Semester 2023” and then “1st Mini Term” or “2nd Mini Term” in the next drop-down menu, for Part of Term.
For questions regarding registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar by emailing registrar@registrar.msstate.edu or calling 662.325.2022.
Can international students enroll in a single mini term?
No. International students must be enrolled full-time for the semester. The maximum number of hours a student can take during a mini term is 7 hours, which is part-time. However, an international student can be enrolled in the full semester and take mini term classes as long as their total enrollment is full time.
Can I get financial aid if I am only enrolled in a mini term?
Yes. A student can receive financial aid for a mini term assuming they meet all the other requirements. If they are only enrolled in the first mini term, aid will disburse on the same date as the full semester. If they are only enrolled in the 2nd mini term, aid will disburse after drop/add ends for that term.
If I receive a Pell Grant, how will that work with the 2nd mini term?
If you are enrolled in the full semester and/or the first mini term for less than 12 hours, your Pell Grant will partially disburse at the beginning of the semester. If you are also enrolled in a second mini term class, that aid will show as “pending aid” and not disburse until after drop/add ends for the second mini term. Please see the scenarios below:
Pell Grant Scenario One:
The student is enrolled in 12 hours combined for the full semester and/or the first mini term. The student is also enrolled in three hours for the second mini term. Since Pell Grants max out at 12 hours, the student will receive their full Pell Grant at the beginning of the semester.
Pell Grant Scenario Two:
The student is enrolled in nine hours combined for the full semester and/or the first mini term. The student is also enrolled in three hours for the second mini term. At the beginning of the semester, we will disburse the student’s Pell Grant for the nine hours for the full and/or first mini term. The Pell Grant for the three credit hours in the second mini term will remain on the student’s account as “pending aid”*. Once the second mini term starts, we will disburse the remaining Pell Grant for the three hours the student is enrolled in for the second mini term.
* If a student is on a payment plan but their second mini term Pell Grant is in a “pending aid” status, we will include this amount toward reducing their MSU balance along with their monthly payment amount.
What happens to my Pell Grant if I drop a full semester or a class in the first mini term and have classes in the second mini term?
Assuming the student has a completed FAFSA, we will take a snapshot of their enrolled hours at the beginning of the full semester. This snapshot will include the total hours for the full semester, the first mini term and the second mini term. Their initial Pell Grant amount will be based on these enrolled hours. At the beginning of the full semester, we will disburse the Pell Grant that covers the enrolled hours for the full semester and/or the first mini term. The second mini term Pell Grant will not disburse for those hours until that term starts. Once the second mini term starts, we will take another snapshot of the student’s enrolled hours and reevaluate Pell Grant eligibility. If the student dropped any full semester and/or first mini term classes, those hours will NOT count toward Pell Grant eligibility. Please see the scenario below:
Pell Grant Scenario One:
At the beginning of the semester, the student is enrolled in 12 hours for the full semester and three hours for the second mini term. Since the student is enrolled in 12 hours for the full semester, we will disburse all their Pell Grant at the beginning of the semester. If the student drops nine of their hours in the first three weeks of the full semester but adds a three-hour class for the second mini term, we will take a new snapshot of the student’s enrolled hours to determine what their Pell Grant award should be.
After drop/add ends for the second mini term, we will take a new snapshot of the student’s enrolled hours to determine what their Pell Grant award should be. We will NOT include the nine dropped hours for the full semester in this calculation. Therefore, at the end of drop/add for the second mini term, the student’s enrolled hours are three for the full term and three for the second mini term. Since we originally paid the student for 12 enrolled hours, we would have to reduce the Pell Grant by half since the student is now only enrolled for six credit hours.
The most important thing to remember is, if a student drops classes from the full semester and/or the first mini term and has enrolled in the second mini term, the Pell Grant might be reduced.
If you are a Pell Grant-eligible student and enrolled in any second mini term classes, it is highly recommended that you contact the Financial Aid Office if you plan to drop any full semester and/or first mini term classes.
What happens to my Pell Grant if I drop a class before the second mini term begins?
Any Pell Grant that was awarded to the student as “pending aid” for the second mini term will be removed and the student will not receive the funds as a result of dropping the class before it began.
What if I drop all of my full semester and first mini term classes but remain enrolled in the second mini term?
You will need to complete the online certification that you plan to return for the second mini term. If you do not return for the second mini term, the financial aid for the entire semester will be prorated based on the number of days you were enrolled. Therefore, a student could owe money back to the Department of Education. If a student does return for the second mini term and is awarded a Pell Grant, the Financial Aid Office will take a new enrollment snapshot at the beginning of the second mini term. Since the student has dropped all full semester and first mini term classes, those hours will NOT be included in the new snapshot analysis. Please see the scenario below:
Dropping Classes Scenario
At the beginning of the semester, the student is enrolled in 12 hours for the full semester and three hours for the second mini term. Since the student is enrolled in 12 hours for the full semester, we will disburse the Pell Grant at the beginning of the semester. If the student drops all 12 hours three weeks into the full semester but keeps the three-credit hour class for the second mini term after drop/add ends for the second mini term, we will take a new snapshot of the enrolled hours to determine the Pell Grant award. We will NOT include the 12 dropped hours for the full semester in this calculation. Therefore, at the end of drop/add for the second mini term, the student’s enrolled hours are three. Since we originally paid the student for 12 enrolled hours, we would have to reduce the Pell Grant to a “less-than-half-time” status and return the majority of the Pell Grant.
How would withdrawing from classes during the Winter intersession impact my Pell Grant and student loan eligibility?
If you withdraw from a winter intersession class before it begins, those hours will not be included in the Pell Grant snapshot of eligible classes.
Can I keep my HELP, MTAG or MESG if I drop the second mini term class before it starts?
Assuming you were enrolled in 15 hours at the beginning of the semester and meet all state aid requirements, we will disburse your HELP, MTAG or MESG. If you then drop the second mini term before it begins, you can keep your state aid for that semester. However, since you ended the semester with less than 15 completed hours, your state aid would be suspended for the next semester.
What if my enrolled hours at the beginning of the full semester are less than 15 but I add a second mini term class once the semester starts that brings me back to 15 hours?
At the beginning of the full semester, we will take a snapshot of your combined enrollment for the full semester, first mini term and the second mini term. If your total enrolled hours are 15 or greater, we will disburse your state aid. If your total hours are less than 15, we will not disburse your aid. However, if you add classes to the second mini term, we will take another snapshot of your enrollment after drop/add ends for the second mini term. If your enrolled hours are then 15 or greater (excluding “W” or “F” grades), we will award and disburse the state aid.
Will mini terms have an impact on when Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is evaluated?
No, the financial aid will run the SAP process at the end of the full semester. Furthermore, if a student is on bad SAP and their first mini term class grade(s) get them above the minimum requirements, we will NOT change the SAP status until the end of the full semester. In other words, you cannot regain student aid eligibility at the end of the first mini term.
How many hours do I need to be enrolled in to qualify for student loans?
Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least six credit hours to qualify for student loans. Graduate students must be enrolled in at least five credit hours. Your loan eligibility based on credit hours will be determined on the disbursement date. Therefore, if a student is enrolled in three hours for the full semester and three hours for the second mini term but drops one of the classes before the loan disburses, they lose eligibility for the loan since they are no longer enrolled in the minimum number of credit hours.
If I’m only enrolled in 2nd mini term classes, can I get my loan disbursed at the beginning of the full semester?
No. If a student is only enrolled in a second mini term, all of their aid, including loans, will not disburse until after drop/add ends for that second mini term.
If I have a SEOG grant or Federal Work-study and was enrolled in the full semester along with 2nd mini term classes, what would the impact be if I dropped the 2nd mini term classes before they started?
If a student initially signed up for the full semester and 2nd mini term classes, was paid SEOG and/or Federal Work-study, but then drops the 2nd mini term classes before they begin, the Financial Aid Office will recalculate the student’s Cost of Attendance (COA). The recalculation of the student’s COA could make the student ineligible for some of the aid they were paid at the beginning of the semester and therefore, a downward adjustment could be made to their financial aid. Please keep in mind that a student’s entire financial aid package cannot exceed the COA.
I have pre-registered for a full semester, first and second mini term classes. When is my account balance due?
Fall charges will be billed on July 15th with a due date of August 1st.
When will tuition be charged to my student account if I register for the second mini term after classes begin in August?
Mini term tuition charges will be posted to your account upon registration. Charges will then be included on the next billing statement and due on the 1st of the following month.
I am on a payment plan. Will my plan rebalance if I add a second mini term class?
Yes. A student’s payment plan will automatically rebalance each month prior to the next installment due date. This will divide the new charges net of pending aid to the remaining installments. You also have the option to manually rebalance if the automated rebalance has already been processed.
For on-campus classes, is there a tuition cap?
Yes. Students at the main, Meridian or Gulf Coast campus can take up to 19 hours, and the tuition will cap at the 12-hour rate. However, for students who take winter intersession classes, those hours will NOT be included in the 19 hours. Winter intersession classes are always billed separately on a per-credit hour basis.
What if I drop a first or second mini term class before the start of those terms?
If you are enrolled in a total of 12 hours and drop a three-hour class from a mini term before it starts, we will reduce your tuition by the cost of that class.
How many credit hours do I need to be enrolled in to receive my institutional scholarships?
A student must be enrolled in at least 12 hours to receive scholarships. Those 12 hours can include any combination of hours taken during the full fall semester, the first mini term and the second mini term.
If I receive an institutional scholarship, how will that work with the second mini term?
You must be enrolled in at least 12 total hours for the scholarship to disburse. For example, a student may be enrolled in the full semester and/or the first mini term for nine hours and three hours for the second mini term.
What happens to my institutional scholarships if I drop a full semester or first mini term class and have classes in the second mini term?
We will take a snapshot of the student’s enrolled hours at the beginning of the full semester. This snapshot will include the total hours for the full semester, the first mini term and the second mini term. Their initial scholarship amount will be based on these enrolled hours. At the beginning of the full semester, we will disburse the scholarships that cover the enrolled hours for the full semester and the first mini term. The second mini term scholarship will not disburse for those hours until that term starts. Once the second mini term starts, we will take another snapshot of the enrolled hours and reevaluate the scholarship eligibility. If the student drops any full semester or first mini term classes, those hours will NOT count towards their scholarship eligibility. Please see the scenario below:
Institutional Scholarship Scenario One:
At the beginning of the semester, the student is enrolled in 12 hours for the full semester and three hours for the second mini term. Since the student is enrolled in 12 hours for the full semester, we will disburse their entire scholarship at the beginning of the semester. Three weeks into the full semester, the student drops nine of their hours from the full semester but adds a 3-credit hour class for the second mini term. After drop/add ends for the second mini term, we will take a new snapshot of the student’s enrolled hours to determine what the final scholarship award should be. We will NOT include the nine dropped hours in this calculation. Therefore, at the end of drop/add, the student’s enrolled hours are three for the full term and three for the second mini term. Since we originally paid the student for 12 enrolled hours, we would have to remove their scholarship. They are now only enrolled in six credit hours.
The most important thing to remember is if a student drops classes from the full semester and/or the first mini term and has enrolled in the second mini term, their scholarship could be removed if their enrolled hours do not equal 12.
If I start taking classes for the first time during the second mini term, can I live on campus?
Yes. A new transfer student who takes their first classes beginning at the start of the second mini term can live in on-campus housing if space allows. Please check with Campus Housing for more information on availability.
Can I use my VA benefits during intercession and/or 8-week terms?
Yes. You are still eligible to use your VA benefits during non-traditional length terms.
What is considered full time for the intercession or 8-week terms?
Full time rates for VA benefits are:
Intercession – 3 hours
Full (16-week) term – 12 hours
First 8-week term – 6 hours
Second 8-week term – 6 hours
Can I combine terms to be considered full time for VA benefits?
Yes. A student can combine terms to be full time. Contact the Center for America’s Veterans for counseling on this.
How are non-traditional terms reported to the VA?
Non-traditional terms are reported to the VA separately based on the start and end date of the term.
Can I use tuition assistance for terms that are non-traditional?
Yes. You can use tuition assistance for these terms. Remember that the hours taken for each term will reduce your 16-hour military fiscal year maximum.
Do I complete my usual paperwork to receive my VA benefits?
Yes. Complete the Military Benefits Form and submit to the Center for America’s Veterans. Be sure to let the school certifying official know you are taking one of the non-traditional terms.