The deadline for a popular state scholarship program is quickly approaching for Oklahoma high school students who just completed the 10th grade.
June 30 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.
“The Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship has helped more than 91,000 students achieve the dream of a college education since the program’s inception,” said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. “All eligible students who are in the eighth through 10th grade should take advantage of this opportunity to sign up for Oklahoma’s Promise today. We also encourage parents whose 2020 income may be less than $55,000 due to a recent pay reduction or job loss to submit an application by June 30 based on their estimated 2020 income.”
The Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship covers tuition at any public college or university in the state for up to five years until the completion of a bachelor’s degree or a maximum of 129 semester credit hours. 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 June 30 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.
Parents of students in the 10th grade during the 2019-20 school year who anticipate their family’s 2020 income may be under the $55,000 application limit due to recent reductions in income may submit an application based on their 2020 estimated income. The application must be submitted prior to the June 30, 2020 deadline, and applicants will be required to provide a copy of their 2020 federal tax return when completed to verify that their 2020 income was under $55,000. The application will be held as pending until the tax documentation is received.
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 91,000 Oklahoma’s Promise college students have earned the scholarship through the program. In 2007, the Oklahoma Legislature established a dedicated funding source for the program that has helped ensure that the scholarships earned by Oklahoma’s Promise students are fully paid each year.
During the 2019-20 academic year, over 15,000 students earned the scholarship. An estimated 16,000 students will earn the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship in 2020-21.
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.