The deadline for a popular state scholarship program is quickly approaching for Oklahoma high school students who just completed the 10th grade.
July 1 is the last chance for those students to enroll in Oklahoma’s Promise, a state scholarship program that allows high school students – from families whose annual income is $55,000 or less – the opportunity to earn a college tuition scholarship. Special income provisions apply to children adopted from certain court-ordered custody and children in the custody of court-appointed legal guardians.
“High school sophomores have one last opportunity to sign up for Oklahoma’s Promise,” said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. “We encourage all eligible students who are in the eighth through 10th grade to take advantage of this opportunity to sign up for Oklahoma’s Promise today. Since the program’s inception, this scholarship has helped more than 85,000 students achieve the dream of going to college.”
The Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship covers college tuition for up to five years until the completion of a bachelor’s degree at any public college or university in the state. It will also pay a portion of the tuition at an accredited Oklahoma private college or at public career technology centers for certain programs that are eligible for federal financial aid. The scholarship amount does not include fees, books, supplies, or room and board.
Students must enroll in Oklahoma’s Promise during eighth, ninth or 10th grade. Students who just finished their 10th-grade year will not be eligible to enroll after the July 1 deadline.
After students enroll in Oklahoma’s Promise, they must attend class regularly, take a 17-unit college preparatory curriculum, pass those courses with at least a 2.50 GPA and achieve an overall GPA of at least 2.50 to be eligible for the scholarship. Students must also agree to stay out of serious trouble and avoid drugs and alcohol.
Students must also meet certain income, academic, and conduct requirements in college to receive and retain the scholarship.
The Oklahoma Legislature created Oklahoma’s Promise in 1992 as an incentive for middle and high school students to commit to academic success and prepare for college. Since 1996, more than 85,000 Oklahoma’s Promise college students have received more than $800 million in scholarships through the program. In 2007, the Oklahoma Legislature established a dedicated funding process for the program that has helped ensure that the scholarships earned by Oklahoma’s Promise students are fully paid each year.
During the 2018-19 academic year, about 17,000 students received the scholarship. A similar number of students are projected to receive the scholarship in 2019-20.
Oklahoma’s Promise is recognized by many as one of America’s best college access programs and is considered a model that emphasizes both academic preparation and financial support for college. For more information about Oklahoma’s Promise or to apply online, visit www.okpromise.org. Information is also available by emailing okpromise@osrhe.edu or calling 800-858-1840.