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Enrollment Policies & Procedures
Advisement & Registration
Every student at the MSU-Meridian Campus is assigned an academic advisor within his or her designated division. A student who has selected a specific major will find the names of the advisors for that major listed under the name of the department or the major subject in the appropriate division section in this catalog.
Before registering for any semester, each student is responsible for consulting his or her advisor to secure approval for a specific schedule of courses. With the signed schedule, the student is then entered into his/her classes by an advisor, or can register on the web.
A period for schedule planning and registration for the following semester is provided near the end of each regular term; registration for the summer school terms also may be accomplished in the spring registration period. Late registration and walk-in registration is conducted immediately prior to the beginning of classes.
A student who for any reason has been unable to register during these scheduled registration periods still may do so up to the last day for registration and adding courses as listed in the Academic Calendar but may find the choices of courses and sections limited.
Orientation
All new students entering the Meridian Campus are encouraged to participate in an individual, personalized orientation that will be scheduled prior to the beginning of classes each semester. The purpose of orientation is to enable the student to become familiar with the campus, its activities, and its academic programs. New students may make an appointment by contacting MSU-Meridian Campus Recruiting Coordinator, Jennifer Beaugez, at 601-484-0112 or jbeaugez@meridian.msstate.edu.
Residency Guidelines
Legal Resident Status
Students are classified as in-state or out-of-state for the purpose of paying university fees. The initial classification will be made by the Office of Student Services at the time a student's application for admission is processed. The burden of proof for establishing residency resides with the applicant. If a student misrepresents his/her status, he/she shall be responsible for paying the fees he/she would have otherwise been required to pay and will be subject to disciplinary action or dismissal from school. The University Registrar is authorized to change a student's residence status upon receipt of evidence that the student is improperly classified.
The following state laws and regulations apply to determining the residential status for the purpose of enrolling and paying fees at a state supported institution of higher learning:
- No student may be admitted to any institution of higher learning as a resident of Mississippi unless his residence has been established in the state of Mississippi preceding his/her admission.
- A person who has entered the state of Mississippi from another state to enter an educational institution is considered a non-resident. Even though he/she may have been legally adopted by a resident of Mississippi, or may have been a qualified voter, or landowner, or may otherwise have sought to establish legal residence, such a person will still be considered as being a non-resident of Mississippi if he/she has entered this state for the purpose of enrolling in an educational institution.
Factors Considered in Determining Residency
Although domicile and residency for educational purposes are largely matters of intention, this intention is determined objectively from the facts and circumstances surrounding a claim of in-state residency. Some of the factors relevant to determining residency include:
- Actual physical residency of habitation
- Length of actual physical residence
- Residence used for income tax, loan, banking and other purposes
- Voter registration
- Motor vehicle registration (Persons moving into the state on a permanent basis have thirty days to register vehicles.)
- Driver's license held (Persons moving into the state on a permanent basis have sixty days to acquire drivers' licenses.)
- State to which personal income taxes or other taxes are paid
- Status of income sources
- Location of bank, savings and other accounts
Legal Residence of a Minor
The residence of a person less than 21 years of age is that of the father. After the death of the father, the residence of the minor is that of the mother. If the parents are divorced, the residence of the minor is that of the parent who was granted custody by the court, or, if custody was not granted, the residence continues to be that of the father. If both parents are deceased, the residence of the minor is the same as the residence of the last surviving parent at the time of that parent's death, unless the minor lives with a legal guardian of his or her person duly appointed by a proper court of Mississippi, in which case his or her residence becomes that of the guardian.
Legal Adoption of a Minor
Even though a minor may be legally adopted by a resident of Mississippi, he or she remains a non-resident if the parents are domiciled outside of the state of Mississippi.
Legal Residence of an Adult
The residence of an adult is that place where he or she is domiciled; that is, the place where he or she actually resides with the intent of remaining there indefinitely or of returning there permanently when temporarily absent.
Removal of Parents from Mississippi
If the parents of a minor who is enrolled as a student in an institution of higher learning move their legal residence from the State of Mississippi, the minor is immediately classified as a non-resident student.
Twelve Months of Residence Required of Adult Students
No student may be admitted to any institution of higher learning as a resident of Mississippi unless his or her residence, as defined herein above, has been in the State of Mississippi for a period of at least 12 continuous months after becoming 21 years old. These requirements for residency status must immediately precede registration for the period concerned (see factors regarding residency below).
Residence Status of a Married Person
A married person may claim the residence of his or her spouse or may claim independent resident status like any other adult.
Children of Parents Who are Employed by Institutions of Higher Learning
Children of parents who are members of the faculty or staff of any institution under the jurisdiction of the board of trustees may be classified as residents without regard to the residence requirement of 12 months for the purpose of attendance at the institution where their parents are faculty or staff members. Full-time faculty and staff are also considered residents. Children or spouses of full-time faculty and staff are not automatically considered residents for tuition purposes at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Military Personnel Assigned an Active Duty Station in Mississippi
Members of the armed forces on extended active duty and stationed within the State of Mississippi, except those military personnel whose active duty assignment in the State of Mississippi is for educational purposes, may be classified as residents, without regard to the residence requirement of 12 months, for the purpose of attending state-supported institutions of higher learning and junior colleges of the state of Mississippi. Resident status of such military personnel who are not legal residents of Mississippi, as defined under "legal residence of an adult" shall terminate upon their reassignment for duty in the continental United States outside the State of Mississippi.
Certification of Residence of Military Personnel
A military person on active duty stationed in Mississippi who wishes to avail himself or herself or his or her dependents of these provisions must submit a certificate from his or her military organization showing:
- the name of the military member;
- the name of the dependent (if for a dependent);
- the name of the organization of assignment and its address (may be in the letterhead);
- that the military member will be on active duty stationed in Mississippi on the date of registration at the state-supported institution of higher learning or junior college of the State of Mississippi;
- that the military member is not on transfer orders;
- the signature of the Commanding Officer, the Adjutant or the Personnel Officer of the unit of assignment with signer's rank and title.
A military certificate must be presented to the registrar of the state-supported institution of higher learning or junior college of the State of Mississippi each semester or trimester at (or within 10 days prior to) registration each semester for the provisions hereof to be effective.
Children of Military Personnel
The resident status of children of members of the armed forces on extended active duty shall be that of the military parent for the purpose of attending state-supported institutions of higher learning and junior colleges of the State of Mississippi during the time that their military parents are stationed within the State of Mississippi and shall be continued through the time that military parents are stationed in an overseas area with last duty assignment within the State of Mississippi, excepting temporary training assignments en route from Mississippi. The resident status of minor children shall terminate upon reassignment under the permanent change of station orders of their military parents for duty in the continental United States outside the State of Mississippi, excepting temporary training assignments en route from Mississippi.
Resident Aliens
All aliens are classified as non-residents except that alien students with permanent resident status, temporary resident status, or refugee status can establish Mississippi residence by meeting the other normal requirements for legal residence under these regulations.
Other Categories
All aliens are classified as non-residents except that alien students with permanent resident status, temporary resident status, or refugee status can establish Mississippi residence by meeting the other normal requirements for legal residence under these regulations.
- All graduate students holding assistantships, with minimum stipends of $600 per month.
- Children of Mississippi State University alumni. (For this purpose, an alumnus is defined as one who has completed 48 MSU undergraduate credit hours or 30 MSU graduate credit hours of course work or received a degree from Mississippi State University.)
- Non-resident students who are certified participants in The Academic Common Market.
Petition for Change of Residency Classification
A person who enters the State of Mississippi from another state to enter an educational institution is considered a non-resident. Any person who has attained 21 years of age and has thereafter actually established residency and resided within the State of Mississippi for 12 consecutive months after attaining 21 years of age upon sworn affidavit and other representation, and who can prove financial independence, may petition for a change in residency classification for the purposes of fees and tuition assessment.
The institution may make reasonable inquiry into the validity of the petitioner's claim. Such petition for change of residency must be received prior to the first day of class of the term for which the student is applying for residency.
Responsibility for Reporting Residency Change
It is the individual student's responsibility to report immediately to the Registrar any change which will affect his or her residence status under these regulations.
Re-admissions
Students who previously have attended Mississippi State University and wish to re-enter must secure a registration permit from the Office of Student Services. Former students who have attended another college for a least one quarter or semester must be eligible to re-enter that institution, if they desire to return to Mississippi State University. Students who have attended another institution are required to provide the Office of Students Services with an official transcript for all other institutions attended prior to receiving a registration permit from MSU. Provisional permits may be issued to former MSU students whose MSU and cumulative GPAs are 2.0 or higher. All readmission students must meet the academic standing guidelines outlined in the Credits, Grades, and Standing section. If the GPA is less than the required average, they may be readmitted only on the recommendation of the dean and with the approval of the provost. Students readmitted with an MSU or cumulative average less than 1.95 will be readmitted on academic probation.
College/School Changes
A student changing from one college or school within the university to another must complete all arrangements for the transfer prior to beginning the new course of study. Before making the change, the student must initiate a change form in the Office of Student Services or the college or school in which the student is currently, or was last, enrolled. Transfer to a new college or school is subject to approval by the new dean.
Schedule Changes
A student may register for or add during the first 5 days of class or drop a class during the first 10 class days of a fall or spring semester. During the summer semester sessions, a student would need to refer to the summer academic calendar.
Undergraduate Student Policy
Students may add classes for the first five days and drop courses during the first 10 class days. From the 11th class day through the 30th class day, students may drop with approval of their advisor. The student will be assigned a "W" grade on their transcript. There will be a $50 course change fee charged to the student account. Students cannot drop an individual course after the 30th class day.
Graduate Student Policy
Graduate students may add classes for the first five days and drop courses during the first 10 class days. From the 11th class day through the 30th class day graduate students may drop courses only with the recommendation of the academic division advisor and the approval of the dean. There will be a $50 course change fee charged to the student account. A grade of "W" will be assigned.
Exceptions
Regardless of these and/or other University policies, a student's dean may remove a course (or courses) from a student's schedule at any time during a period of enrollment in case of special circumstances such as accident, illness or scheduling errors. Requests for such changes should be directed to the student's academic division, then the Dean. A student will not be permitted to drop a course after the 30th day of classes because of a heavy course load, a change of major, or the likelihood of poor grades. All requests must be documented in writing.
Auditing
During registration and the first 5 days of class in the semester, students are not permitted to enter classes as auditors unless authorized by the dean of the college or school and by the registrar, upon recommendation of the instructor concerned. A student may not change from credit to audit or audit to credit status after the 5th day of class. A course being audited counts as part of the regular load on the same basis as if taken for credit. Auditors are not required to take tests and/or examinations or to prepare other written assignments. Otherwise, conformity to regular classroom decorum is the same as that required for all students. At the time the request for audit is approved, the professor will inform the auditor of attendance expectations.
Assessment
Students may be required to undergo testing for the purpose of assessing institutional effectiveness.
Military Credit
Mississippi State University offers credit for training and experience in the armed services to currently enrolled students. Those wishing to receive this credit must furnish the Office of Student Services with a DD214 (discharge papers), a DD295, or a Certificate of Achievement. The student's academic advisor and dean will determine applicable credit toward a degree. Air Force veterans may request Community College of the Air Force transcripts by writing directly to the Registrar at CCAF/RRRA, Simler Hall, Suite 128, 130 W. Maxwell Blvd., Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6613. The transcript should be forwarded to the Office of Student Services at MSU-Meridian Campus.
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