Access Missouri is a need-based program designed to be simple to understand, provide predictable, portable awards, and increase access to your school of choice. Your financial eligibility is determined by your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). The information below is effective for the 2023-2024 academic year, unless otherwise noted.How will I receive my award?
- Am I eligible?
To be eligible for assistance you must meet the following requirements:
Initial Students Renewal Students - Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and a Missouri resident.
- Be an undergraduate student enrolled full time at a participating Missouri school. Full-time enrollment is defined as a minimum of:
- 12 semester hours, or
- 8 quarter hours, or
- 6 semester hours for students who are unable to enroll in 12 hours as a result of a disability defined by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Have an EFC of $12,000 or less.
- Not be pursuing a degree or certificate in theology or divinity.
- Not have received your first bachelor's degree, completed the required hours for a bachelor's degree, or completed 150 semester credit hours.
- Have a FAFSA® on file and make any FAFSA® corrections affecting your eligibility by the deadlines indicated in the table below.
- Continue to meet the eligibility requirements for initial students.
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.5 and otherwise maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by your school. If this is the first academic year in which you have received an Access Missouri payment, this requirement does not apply.
- Not have received an Access Missouri award for a maximum of five semesters at a 2-year school or 10 semesters at any combination of 2-year or 4-year schools, whichever occurs first.
2024-2025 Academic Year
Deadline Type FAFSA Deadlines* Priority Deadline
April 1, 2024 Award Deadline
TBD Final Deadline
June 1, 2024 Correction Deadline
July 31, 2024 * Priority Deadline: Generally, you must submit your FAFSA® by February 1 each year in order to meet the priority deadline. Due to the delayed roll-out of the 2024-2025 FAFSA, the priority deadline has been moved to April 1, 2024. Eligible students who apply on or before the priority deadline are guaranteed an award.
Award Deadline: Generally, this deadline is set between the February 1 priority deadline and the April 1 final deadline based on funding availability. Due to the delayed roll-out of the 2024-2025 FAFSA, the Award Deadline is yet to be determined. Eligible students who apply on or before the award deadline will be awarded. The award deadline may change before it is set in August each year as more information about funding and the number of eligible students becomes available. The changing award deadline will only move closer to the April 1 final deadline to make more students eligible.
Final Deadline: Generally, you must submit your FAFSA® by April 1 to meet the final deadline to be considered for eligibility. Due to the delayed roll-out of the 2024-2025 FAFSA® the Award Deadline is yet to be determined.
Correction Deadline: If you have a FAFSA® on file on or before the award deadline you may make corrections to it that affect your Access Missouri eligibility until the correction deadline. For example, if you filed a FAFSA® before the award deadline but it erroneously indicates you are a graduate student (making you ineligible for an Access Missouri award), you may correct the error on or before the July 31 correction deadline. Your eligibility status will be set on August 1. Although you can continue to make FAFSA® corrections after the deadline for other purposes, those corrections will not make you eligible for an Access Missouri award. However, if you are eligible on August 1, a correction received after the correction deadline can make you ineligible for an award. If you have questions about your eligibility status, contact the MDHEWD at (800) 473-6757, option 4.
- How much can I receive?
Award amounts are based on your EFC and the type of school you are attending when you receive the award. If you transfer to a different school, your award amount may change based on the type of school to which you transfer.
All award amounts are estimated until August, when the amount of funding for the program and the final number of eligible students are known. Visit the Student Portal or contact your financial aid office or the MDHEWD to see if you are eligible and to learn the estimated or actual amount of your award, depending on what time of year it is.
If you are eligible for A+ tuition reimbursement, your Access Missouri award will be reduced by the amount of the reimbursement. Award amounts may also be reduced if your total aid package, excluding educational loans and aid based solely on academic performance, exceeds your school's cost of attendance.
Awards are not available during summer terms.
The table below displays the minimum and maximum annual awards for each school type as established by the statute. Award amounts may be less than those shown in the table depending on the amount of funding that is available for the program. Award amounts may vary depending on your total financial aid package.
Public 2-Year Maximum Public 2-Year Minimum Public 4-Year, State Technical College of Missouri, Private and Approved Virtual School Maximum Public 4-Year, State Technical College of Missouri, Private and Approved Virtual School Minimum $1,300 $300 $2,850 $1,500 - How can I apply?
Submit your FAFSA® each year by the deadlines indicated above in the "Initial Students" section under "Am I eligible?". The MDHEWD receives electronic FAFSA® records for Missouri residents directly from the federal government. There is no state Access Missouri application to fill out.
- How will I know if I am eligible?
Visit the Student Portal to monitor your eligibility status. Contact your school or the MDHEWD if you have questions.
The MDHEWD will notify you by letter if you provided conflicting information on your FAFSA® that needs to be corrected before July 31 in order to be considered for an award. It is very important that you accurately report information concerning your residency, citizenship and undergraduate or graduate status when completing or correcting the FAFSA®.
The school you are attending determines your final eligibility by ensuring you meet all of the program’s requirements, including full-time enrollment, satisfactory academic progress, and CGPA. The school may determine you are ineligible even though you appear to be eligible in the Student Portal.
- How will I receive my award?
Each semester the school you are attending will certify your eligibility and request your award. The certification process occurs electronically in real-time. Schools typically certify eligibility at the beginning of each semester, although they can do so through the end of the semester.
If your school certifies you are eligible, the MDHEWD will disburse your award within 3-5 business days of the certification. Your school will then deliver it to you. Delivery timeframes can vary from school to school.
- How do I renew my award?
You may renew the Access Missouri award annually. To renew you must reapply and have your eligibility re-evaluated each year. This means that if you fail to file a new FAFSA® by the deadline or your EFC increases to a point above the eligibility cutoff, you will not be eligible for an Access Missouri award for that academic year even though you received one in the previous year. However, you may be eligible for an Access Missouri award the following year if your FAFSA® is received by the deadline and you have an eligible EFC.
If you are denied an Access Missouri award for not maintaining satisfactory academic progress or a 2.5 CGPA, you cannot receive another award until the enrollment period after you have once again met those requirements. Your school's satisfactory academic progress policy will determine how often your progress is checked.
While you are receiving an Access Missouri award, if you are found guilty of or plead guilty to any criminal offense that disqualifies you from receiving federal Title IV aid, you cannot renew your Access Missouri award.
- How do I transfer my award?
You may transfer your eligibility to any participating school. If you choose to transfer to a different participating Missouri school, either between academic years or semesters, you must contact the MDHEWD at (800) 473-6757, option 4.