Nissan Scholarship (NISS) Rules and Regulations

Nissan Scholarship (NISS) Rules and Regulations. These Rules and Regulations are subject to change by the Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board (Postsecondary Board). I. GENERAL ELIGIBILITY Only first-time entering freshmen are eligible for the Nissan scholarship. II. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS A student is eligible to be selected as a Nissan scholar if he or she: A. Is a legal resident of the State of Mississippi; B. Will be graduating from a Mississippi high school; C. Will be enrolling as a full-time student at a public two-year college or four-year university in Mississippi; D. Has a high school grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 grading scale and a minimum score of 20 on the national ACT. In lieu of ACT scores, students may submit equivalent SAT scores according to the official ACT/SAT concordance tables in publication at the time of the test in question; E. Submits an essay which demonstrates a desire to incorporate their career goal to support the automotive industry; F. Demonstrates financial need as determined by the Mississippi Office of Student of Financial Aid; and G. Demonstrates leadership abilities through extracurricular participation in 3 or more activities during the 9th – 12th grades as outlined in the student’s résumé and transcript. III. NUMBER AND AMOUNT OF AWARDS A. The Nissan Scholarship Selection Committee will determine the number of Nissan scholarships to be awarded annually. B. Each scholarship will be in an amount that pays full tuition (and required fees) and a book allowance to be determined by the Nissan Scholarship Selection Committee, contingent upon the availability of funds. IV. DISBURSEMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP A. The college or university shall certify that the student has met the general requirements for initial student eligibility and continuing eligibility. B. For each scholar who meets the requirements for initial eligibility under Section 2 and continuing eligibility under Section 10, the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid shall disburse one-half of the annual award for each semester (one- fourth for a quarter or one-third for each trimester) to the educational institution with each scholar designated as the recipient of a specified amount. C. Funds will be mailed directly to the institution, to be applied first to tuition. V. SCHOLARSHIP LENGTH A. The length of the scholarship will vary depending upon the certificate or degree the student pursues. B. This scholarship will provide support for up to a maximum of four years of undergraduate work at a public four-year university (up to a maximum of two years of undergraduate work at a public four-year university if the scholar first completes two years of undergraduate work at a public two-year college). C. This scholarship will provide support for up to a maximum of two years of undergraduate work at a public two-year college. VI. SELECTION PROCESS A. Upon recommendation by the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid, Nissan North America, Inc. will determine the number of Nissan scholarships to be awarded annually. B. There will be a Nissan Scholarship Selection Committee appointed each year. The committee shall consist of the following five members: one member from Nissan North America, Inc., two representatives from the Mississippi Community College Board staff, and two representatives from the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning staff. The Director of the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid shall act as the coordinator of the selection committee. C. Selection of scholarship recipients will be based on the following criteria and scoring percentages: 1. Academic achievement (50%) 2. Extracurricular activities/work/leadership/community involvement (15%) 3. Quality of applicant’s signed maximum 200-word essay described in Section 7 below (15%); and 4. Demonstrated financial need (20%) D. If the selection committee must select recipients from applicants with similarly scored applications, selection preference should go to applicant(s) from the Hinds, Madison, Rankin tri-county area. VII. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS Submission of the following on or before the deadline will constitute a “COMPLETE” application: A. Online application B. Resume C. Two documents verifying Mississippi residency D. Completed needs analysis form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid – FAFSA) E. High school transcript showing national ACT score and seven semester grades (through December). The GPA must be calculated on a 4.0 scale. Also, send a college transcript, if taking advanced placement courses. F. Signed maximum 200-word essay describing the applicant’s plans for the future and reasons for choosing his/her particular field of study as it relates to the automotive industry. VIII. APPLICATIONS The application will be available October 1 each year on the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid’s website at www.mississippi.edu/financialaid or you may contact: Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid 3825 Ridgewood Road Jackson, MS 39211-6453 1-800-327-2980 or (601) 432-6997 IX. APPLICATION DEADLINE Complete applications must be received in the office of Mississippi Student Financial Aid by March 1 each year. X. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA A Nissan scholar is eligible to continue on the program if he or she: A. Attains a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale at the end of each semester or quarter or trimester. 1. The award may be renewed upon certification by the eligible institutions that the recipient meets the necessary qualifications. 2. If any recipient transfers from one college or university to another, his or her award will be transferable, provided that he or she is otherwise eligible for the award; B. Demonstrates satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of a degree including continuous full-time enrollment; and C. Maintains good standing at the college or university. XI. CONSEQUENCES OF A SCHOLAR’S FAILURE TO MEET THE CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA A. If a scholar loses eligibility due to having less than the required cumulative grade point average, the scholar shall receive no subsequent awards until the student regains eligibility. The scholar will regain eligibility when the cumulative grade point average is improved to the required minimum for the program. B. If a scholar fails to maintain continuous enrollment, he/she may submit a request for “exception for cause” to the Coordinator of the Nissan Scholarship Selection Committee. If the request is denied, the scholar shall receive no subsequent awards. C. A scholar, who receives an award for a period for which the Coordinator of the Nissan Scholarship Selection Committee subsequently determines the scholar was ineligible under the requirements in Section 10, shall, at the discretion of the Selection Committee, return all or a portion of the total amount of the scholarship funds received for the period during which he or she was ineligible.