Atlanta—Morris Brown College (MBC) is proud to announce its reinstatement to participate in the Federal Financial Aid program administered by the United States Department of Education.
This announcement comes on the heels of receiving accreditation candidacy by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), a Virginia-based accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
This monumental achievement came after nearly 20 years of effort, marking a historical milestone for the 140-year-old college.
Morris Brown College earning accreditation candidacy is a major achievement demonstrating the institution can meet quality standards and its engagement in continuous improvement.
Candidacy indicates that the institution is compliant with the rigorous standards and criteria it has set forth, in addition to being evaluated by an on-site peer team, including the professional judgment of its evaluation team and the Accreditation Commission, based on the institution providing sound instruction and student services. As of July 1, 2020, the United States Department of Education holds all accrediting agencies to the same standard and it no longer holds a distinction between regional and national accrediting agencies. In 2002, Morris Brown’s accreditation was revoked due to debt and financial mismanagement, which barred students from applying for Federal Financial Aid. After obtaining accreditation candidacy, Morris Brown College became eligible to participate in the Federal Financial Aid programs.
Financial aid is any type of college funding that does not come from family, personal savings, or earnings. It can include grants, scholarships, work-study jobs, federal or private loan programs. Financial aid can be used to cover educational expenses such as tuition/fees, room/board, books/supplies, and transportation.
FAFSA can be used to determine eligibility for the following programs:
- Federal Student Aid –Pell Grants, Student loans, and Federal Work-Study.
- State Financial Aid – HOPE Scholarship and Grant programs.
- Institutional Financial Aid – Institutional Scholarships offered by a college.
- Private Financial Aid – Private Scholarships provided by businesses or other organizations.
“We are elated about the reinstatement of Federal Financial Aid at Morris Brown College- this is history! I want to thank the team for their hard work and for making this possible. Students can now pay to attend Morris Brown College which happens to be one of the most affordable colleges in the entire state of Georgia at $4250.00 each semester. It is my goal that our students graduate with little to no debt. Morris Brown College is now a viable option to everyone as we are historically a haven for all hungry souls. It is a new day for Morris Brown College. This is truly The Hard Reset!” as quoted by President Kevin James.
Founded by formerly enslaved religious leaders at Big Bethel AME Church in 1881, MBC is the first college in Georgia to be owned and operated by African Americans. The iconic Fountain Hall and the current Morris Brown College campus is where Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois wrote “The Souls of Black Folk” in 1903. Notable alumni include Alberta Williams King, mother of Martin Luther King, Jr., and James Alan McPherson, the first black writer to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
