COSTS:

Undergraduate tuition and fees for one year (2010 - 2011 school year) is $23,950. Beyond tuition and fees, we estimate a student’s budget for one year based on payment of room and board, personal expenses such as transportation, clothing, and books/art supplies.

Our budget estimates are based on the higher end resident housing costs and other miscellaneous costs. You may spend less than our estimates

UNDERGRADUATE BUDGET (2010 - 2011):
Other than tuition costs, expenses will vary greatly depending on personal preference and restraint.

HOUSING COSTS (per year):

How to apply for Institutional and Federal Aid:
To apply for MCA merit awards a student need only submit all required application materials to be considered for institutional scholarships, grants, and work study. Students will be notified of merit/portfolio awards along with acceptance replies. MCA awards are determined by the admissions review ranking.

Eligibility for Federal Aid is determined upon receipt of a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Click here to apply online. Student and parent information is required on this form if the student is dependent (usually younger than 24). Only student information is needed if the student is considered independent. Memphis College of Art’s institutional need grants are based on information from the FAFSA application as well.

The U.S. government offers Federal Pell Grants of up to $5,350 (for the 2009 - 2010 school year) per year. Federal SEOG grants, Federal student and Federal parent loans, and Federal Work Study are other forms of aid available to qualified students. Also, students may qualify for alternative educational loans.

Tennessee offers a state grant (TSAA) and Lottery Scholarship (TELS) to qualifying residents. Early applicants who qualify for a Federal Pell grant may also qualify for a TSAA grant and/or TELS grant. The TSAA budget is usually exhausted early in the year. Tennessee residents should submit a FAFSA before February 12, 2011 to be certain of qualifying.

Lottery Scholarship recipients must complete the FAFSA by August 1 and have a 21 ACT, 980 SAT or 3.0 GPA and graduate from a Tennessee High School. For more information on Lottery Scholarships you can go to http://www.tn.gov/collegepays/

Students may also be awarded Federal or College Work Study through the admissions and financial aid process. An average yearly allotment of $500 is usually awarded allowing the student to work during the academic year and in some cases during the summer months. Work Study is paid in the form of a paycheck at a rate of $8.00 per hour for undergraduate students ($9.00 per hour for graduate students).

To complete and file the FAFSA form, students should go online to www.fafsa.gov

Additional information is available at www.ed.gov

The MCA required federal code is 003507. International students are not eligible for federal or state aid.

Special Circumstances:
If you have a unique financial situation, please contact our Financial Aid Office at 1-800-727-1088 or locally at 901-272-5136. We’re happy to provide assistance.

download a Special Circumstances Form

MCA Scholarships:
The Portfolio Scholarships that a student receives entering MCA are renewable each year in May by maintaining a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.0 for freshmen (0-29 credits); 2.25 for sophomores (30-59 credits); 2.50 for juniors (60-89 credits); 2.75 for seniors (90+ credits). These awards are based on full-time attendance and will be prorated for part-time enrollment and renewable through the completion of 120 credits. Scholarships will be reinstated any semester the required CGPA is attained. Scholarships are not renewable any semester the semester GPA falls below academic progress limits as defined by Memphis College of Art: 1.75 for freshmen (0-29 hours), 2.0 through the completion of the degree program (30-120 hours) following a first probationary period.

MCA Admissions Portfolio Awards:

MCA GRANTS:

MCA Special Merit Awards:
Once a student attends Memphis College of Art there are continuing opportunities for merit awards based on the student’s performance in classes. Special Merit Scholarships are awarded for excellence each year by faculty nomination. These one-year awards range from $50 cash awards to $6,000 per year tuition discounts. Some awards are based on criteria set by the donor and others are open to all students.

Outside Scholarship Opportunities:
MCA recommends that students do some research to find outside scholarships that can be available through organizations and companies that help students go to college. The best method for locating scholarships is via the internet where students can do free online searches. Parent’s employers, churches, or other organizations that a family might be active in are also potential resources. MCA distributes scholarship application information received by the financial aid office to eligible enrolled students.

Financial Aid Forms

Verification Instructions (click link to open pdf file in a new window)
Dependent Verification Worksheet (click link to open pdf file in a new window)
Independent Verification Worksheet (click link to open pdf file in a new window)

Direct Student Loan Master Promissory Note: to sign the MPN go to https://dlenote.ed.gov/empn/StudentLoanSelector.jsp

Student Loan Entrance Counseling: To do this required entrance counseling online go to http://www.dl.ed.gov/borrower/ to the entrance and exit counseling. For a paper copy complete the form (Counseling for Loans.pdf) and return it by fax to MCA’s Financial Aid Office at 901-272-5134.

Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) Either parent can apply for the PLUS loan by first completing the “Parent Direct Loan credit request for Preapproval.” This completed form can be faxed to MCA’s Financial Aid Office at 901-272-5134 or scanned and emailed to finaid@mca.edu

Pre-Approval Credit Check Permissions Form for PLUS Loans (click here to download form)

Credit Denial Options (click here to download credit denial options information)

Helpful Financial Aid Websites

FAFSA Information:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) www.fafsa.gov
Request PIN for your FAFSA pin.ed.gov
Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation www.CollegePaysTN.com

Financial Aid Information:
College.gov www.college.gov
Federal Student Financial Aid www.ed.gov/studentaid
Federal Student Gateway to the US Government www.students.gov
FinAid www.finaid.org
US Department of Education www.ed.gov

Loan Information:
Federal Student Loan Default Assistance www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/Students/
Financial Aid Calculators www.finaid.org/calculators/
National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) www.nslds.ed.gov

Additional Sites:
Alternative Loan Information www.elmselect.com/oll/SchoolLenderList/?schoolId=8170
Americorps www.Americorps.org
College Opportunities Online (COOL) http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool/
Federal Veterans Affairs www.gibill.va.gov
Selective Service www.sss.gov
Social Security Administration www.ssa.gov
US Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook http://stats.bls.gov

Helpful Financial Aid Websites

Art Scholarships:
www.nationalsculpture.org - figurative or representational sculpture
www.mystateparkphoto.com - photo contests
www.aminoids.com - animated characters, props, movie scenes and sets
www.worldstudio.org

General Scholarships:
www.scholarships.com
www.scolarships4students.com
www.all-ink.com - undergraduate and graduate students
www.cfmt.org - community scholarships for Tennessee residents
www.target.com -undergraduate
www.talbots.com - women

Minority Scholarships:
www.hsf.net - Hispanic students

International Scholarships:
www.collegescholarships.com - international students
www.iefa.org - international students
www.iefc.com - international students
www.internationalscholarship.com - extensive scholarship database