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Oklahoma’s Promise
Oklahoma’s Promise allows eighth-, ninth-, 10th, and 11th-grade students from families with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 or less to earn a college tuition scholarship. Students must also meet academic and conduct requirements in high school. Special income provisions may apply to children adopted from certain court-ordered custody and children in the custody of court-appointed legal guardians and families receiving Social Security disability and death benefits. The rate the scholarship pays per hour for 2020-21 is located here.
Created in 1992 by the Legislature to help more Oklahoma families send their children to college, Oklahoma’s Promise was originally designated as the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. The program is administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
This site provides detailed information about application procedures and requirements to qualify for the tuition assistance supplied by Oklahoma’s Promise. Online application can be accessed through this site.
As an alternative for tuition assistance to attend Oklahoma public colleges and universities, Oklahoma’s Promise assistance at designated amounts can be used for post-secondary coursework at many private higher education institutions in the state.
To qualify, a student must make initial application prior to the application deadline in the year the student completes the 10th grade.
Application in English.
Application in Español.
OKCollegeStart
SSC GEAR UP students should have created an account at Okcollegestart.org. The site is a partnership project of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Oklahoma colleges and University and various college access organizations.
With that account, students can begin preparation for education after high school and track their progress over time beginning as early as middle school. The site also provides updated information on Oklahoma public and private higher education institutions as students review their choices to make the step to post-secondary education.
Oklahoma 529 College Savings PLan
It’s never too early to prepare your child or grandchild for a successful future. No matter what their age — with the rising cost of tuition — the time to start is now.
The Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan (OCSP) is a state-sponsored, tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan that’s helping families and individuals plan for the cost of higher education. It’s available to any citizen or tax payer. And just about anyone can help contribute including Grandparents, other family members and friends.
It only takes about 15 minutes to open an account online and it is easy to manage. There are a variety of low-cost investment options to choose from including age-based, multi-fund, single-fund and guaranteed options.
A 529 college savings plan helps you save more over time. Any earnings grow free from federal tax, and many states offer a state income tax deduction or tax credit for contributions. Limitations apply. See the Disclosure Booklet for details. As a 529 Plan, OCSP also offers certain gift and estate tax planning benefits; consult your tax advisor. And withdrawals are tax-free at both the federal and state level when used for qualified higher education expenses.
You can use the funds for a lot more than just tuition — including required fees, certain room and board costs, books, supplies, as well as computers and related technology costs such as Internet access fees and printers. Additional equipment required for attendance may also qualify. Funds can be used at most accredited colleges and universities in the United States — even certain colleges abroad.
If you’re worried about having the account in one state and attending school in another, don’t be. With most plans, your school choice is not affected by the state of your savings plan. You can be a resident of Oklahoma, for example, and send your student to college in North Carolina.
College Affordability and Transparency Center
Similar to Oklahoma College Start, this site provides information about colleges and universities throughout the United States. Maintained by the U.S. Department of Education, this site provides has information about colleges and universities throughout the United States through its “College Navigator.”
The site also includes a “Net Price Calculator Center” which can be used for estimating college costs after scholarships and grants. And, the site also includes the opening link to the “College Scorecard” launched in 2015. To help students make informed college choices, the scorecard allows them to find information specifically addressing a college’s affordability and value.