Homeschool benefits and savings in Lauderdale County

Meridian Community College charges homeschooled dual credit students in Lauderdale County $35 per credit hour for academic classes and $50 per credit hour for career-technical classes in 2026-27, so a three-hour academic class costs $105 instead of $645 at the regular part-time rate. Your student must be a junior or senior with a 3.0 GPA.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Is a junior or senior

   Academic dual credit is for high school juniors and seniors, shown on an official high school transcript.

2. Has a 3.0 GPA and scores

   Your student needs at least a 3.0 high school GPA and must take the ACT or Accuplacer before enrolling.

3. Submits a sworn homeschool transcript

   Homeschooled students submit a transcript prepared by a parent, guardian, or custodian with a signed, sworn affidavit, plus the parent's written recommendation on MCC's form.

4. Lives in Lauderdale County

   Students must be residents of Lauderdale County. Out-of-state homeschool students pay $163.05 per credit hour.

What it costs

MCC's Fall 2026 to Summer 2027 tuition schedule, approved June 18, 2026, lists home school dual credit at $35 per academic credit hour, compared with $215 for regular part-time Mississippi residents.

One 3-hour academic class

$105

Two 3-hour academic classes

$210

One 3-hour career-tech class

$150

Same 3-hour class at the regular part-time rate

$645

One 3-hour class, out-of-state homeschool

$489.15

Some classes add an Inclusive Access Materials fee for textbooks and course materials, so ask the Dual Education Coordinator what your student's classes add.

From applying to keeping it

1. Before you apply

   Take the ACT or Accuplacer

   Your student needs a score on file. English Comp I takes a 17 English subscore and College Algebra a 19 math subscore.

2. Step 1

   Apply for admission

   Submit the MCC application at meridiancc.edu/apply with Dual Credit/Enrollment as the enrollment path and UT-Dual Education as the program of study.

3. Step 2

   Choose classes

   Pick classes from the term's offerings and note each course name and CRN. Fall 2026 online classes run August 24 to December 4.

4. Step 3

   Submit the dual credit form

   Send the dual credit form with the sworn homeschool transcript and parent recommendation.

5. Each course

   Earn a C or better

   A course counts for college credit only with a C or higher, and MCC recommends keeping a 2.5 GPA to protect future financial aid.

What it pays for

Covered

• Academic general education classes
• Career and technical classes
• Online and on-campus classes

Not covered

• Inclusive Access Materials fees on some classes

Good to know

• Homeschoolers pay per credit hour, not per course

  Lauderdale County high school students pay $45 per course, while the homeschool rate is $35 per credit hour for academic classes and $50 for career-tech classes.

Who to contact

Katie Barrett, MCC's Dual Education Coordinator, answers questions about eligibility, homeschool paperwork, and class fees.

katie.barrett@meridiancc.edu 601-481-1311 Academic Dual Credit

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Mississippi

You must file the annual Certificate of Enrollment with the local school attendance officer by August 15. A child enrolled in public school within the first 15 calendar days of the school year may transfer to a legitimate homeschool later and file then.

Mississippi sets these rules:

• Subjects: No state-prescribed curriculum, but the child must receive a legitimate home instruction program rather than one established to evade compulsory attendance.
• Testing: Mississippi does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
• Records: No mandated homeschool portfolio. MDE recommends keeping the enrollment certificate, work samples, assessment results, and a materials log.
• Teachers: No state degree or teaching-license requirement for homeschool parents.

Read the Mississippi homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Mississippi

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