Students, faculty, representatives from Oklahoma’s public colleges and universities, and other supporters gathered at the state Capitol today to show appreciation for the Governor, Legislature and state Board of Equalization’s ongoing support of the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship program and to encourage legislators to continue to fund the program.
State Regents’ Chair Jack Sherry and Secretary of Education Nellie Tayloe Sanders provided opening remarks during the event, and Rep. Cyndi Munson, Oklahoma House of Representatives; Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, Oklahoma House of Representatives; and Jeff Peters, chief of staff, Office of the Senate President Pro Tempore, spoke to Oklahoma’s Promise students about the significant positive impact of the scholarship in their lives.
Oklahoma’s Promise was created in 1992 by the state Legislature to help more Oklahoma families send their children to college.
“Oklahoma’s Promise is a life-changing program that encourages students to dream, to prepare for college and to earn degrees,” said Chancellor Allison D. Garrett. “More than 110,000 Oklahomans have earned the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship, covering tuition at a time when a college degree and an educated workforce have never been more valuable. We thank Governor Stitt and our legislators for continuing to keep the promise.”
Nationally recognized as one of the country’s best college access programs, Oklahoma’s Promise is a transformational model that combines emphases on academic preparation and financial support for college. The scholarship pays tuition at any Oklahoma public college or university until the student receives a bachelor’s degree or for five years, whichever comes first. It will also cover a portion of tuition at an accredited Oklahoma private institution or for certain public career technology programs. The scholarship does not cover the cost of fees, books, or room and board.
Students must enroll in Oklahoma’s Promise in the 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th grade. Family income may not exceed the following levels at the time of application: $60,000 for families with one-two dependent children; $70,000, three-four dependent children; or $80,000, five or more dependent children.
To receive the scholarship upon high school graduation, students must achieve a minimum 2.50 GPA in 17 core courses that prepare them for college and an overall GPA of 2.50 or better for all courses in grades nine through 12. Oklahoma’s Promise graduates must attend class regularly, stay out of serious trouble, and avoid drugs and alcohol. A student’s family income must not exceed $100,000 each year the student is enrolled in college.
Students completing the Oklahoma’s Promise program continue to be successful academically, with high school GPAs that exceed the state average and ACT scores that exceed those of non-Oklahoma’s Promise students.
The college-going rate of Oklahoma’s Promise students exceeds the state average for high school graduates. They also have above-average full-time college enrollment, persistence and degree-completion rates. In addition, Oklahoma’s Promise college graduates are employed and remain in Oklahoma after college at a higher rate than non-Oklahoma’s Promise graduates. More than 96% of Oklahoma’s Promise graduates earning an associate or bachelor’s degree remain and work in the state one year after graduation, and over 91% still live and work in Oklahoma five years later.
For the high school graduating class of 2023, over 7,000 students met the program requirements to be eligible for the scholarship. During the current academic year, more than 14,300 students are expected to receive the scholarship in college. Approximately 15,000 students are projected to receive the scholarship next year.
By law, the program has a dedicated funding source that helps ensure the scholarships are fully funded each year.
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 by calling 800.858.1840.