Overview
GovState is designated as a Predominately Black Institution (PBI), Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority Serving Institution (MSI) (see the latest U.S. Department of Education Eligibility Matrix for FY 2024), meeting the requirement of 40% of domestic students identifying as African American and 20% of domestic students identifying as Hispanic or Latinx.
What is MSI Designation?
The Minority Serving Institution (MSI) designation allows institutions to apply for grants and other opportunities that will fund innovation, research, support, and resources needed to further student success.
What Determines MSI Eligibility?
Eligibility is determined by minority population thresholds and a needy student study requirement. MSI’s typically include institutions of higher education enrolling a significant percentage of undergraduate minority students or serving certain populations of minority students within various programs. These include the following:
- • Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANANHSI)
- • Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI)
- • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- • Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI)
- • Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI)
- • Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI)
- • Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU)
What is the PBIs Competitive Grant Program?
The purpose of the Predominantly Black Institutions Competitive Grant Program is to support Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) to establish or strengthen programs in the following areas:
- • Science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM)
- • Health education
- • Internationalization or globalization
- • Teacher preparation; or
- • Improving educational outcomes of African American males
In 2008, Congress authorized a program to specifically offer financial support to PBIs. It defined PBIs as having: at least 1,000 undergraduate students; an undergraduate enrollment that is at least 50% low-income or first-generation; an undergraduate enrollment that is at least 50% degree-seeking; a low expenditure per full-time undergraduate student in comparison with other institutions offering similar instruction; and at least 40% of enrolled students identifying as Black Americans.”
- • Institutions must be designated eligible for the Title V Part A and the Title III, Part F programs, meaning that the institution of higher education's average educational and general expenditures” (E&G) per full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student is less than the average E&G expenditures per FTE undergraduate student of institutions that offer similar instruction in that year.
Upon general HEA Title III and V funding eligibility confirmation, the PBI program further requires that an institution:
- • Have an enrollment of undergraduate students—
- ‣ that is at least 40 percent Black American students;
- ‣ that is at least 1,000 undergraduate students;
- ‣ of which not less than 50 percent of the undergraduate students enrolled at the institution are low-income individuals or first-generation college students (as that term is defined in Section 402A(g)); and
- ‣ of which not less than 50 percent of the undergraduate students are enrolled in an educational program leading to a bachelor’s or associate degree that the institution is licensed to award by the State in which the institution is located;
- • Is not receiving assistance under Part B of Title III.
There is an application process to determine eligibility. Please refer to the most recent Application for Designation as an Eligible Institution.
Eligibility designation is for one year only. Each institution must apply for eligibility designation annually.
2025 Designation:
FY2026 Eligibility Letter
Eligibility for a one-year period beginning July 1, 20252024 Designation:
FY2025 Eligibility Letter
Eligibility for a one-year period beginning July 1, 2024For more information and resources, please visit the Higher Education Programs Institutional Services website.