Traditional Financial Aid

..Academic Scholarship (GPA-based)

Amount: $3,000-$6,000 annually

Criteria:
Academic scholarships range from $3,000 to $6,000 annually and are renewable if the appropriate cumulative GPA is maintained and the student remains in good standing with Student Life. Academic awards ranging from $3,000-$4,000 must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3.  Academic awards ranging from $4,500-$6,000 must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.6.  They will be reviewed at the end of the academic year.  (Open to both Incoming Freshmen and Transfer Students.)

ACT Test Score Scholarship

Amount: $1,000-$3,000 annually

Criteria:
OKWU is now an ACT/SAT-optional university.  For students who took the either the ACT or SAT, the follow scholarship levels are available.

Valedictorian & Salutatorian Scholarship

Amount: 100% tuition for Valedictorian, 45% tuition for Salutatorian

Criteria:

• OKWU offers 100% tuition to the valedictorian and 45% tuition to the salutatorian of accredited high schools; some restrictions may apply.
• Must be ranked #1 in his or her class as verified at time of awarding and on final, official transcript.
• This is a competitive scholarship. Qualifying for the scholarship does not guarantee awarding.
• Must be accepted (with 5 semester transcript) to OKWU by April 1
• Must complete FAFSA by April 1
• Enrollment Commitment and accepted aid offer must be received by date noted in award announcement (changes slightly each year based on calendar).
• Transcripts will be evaluated on a weighted GPA, 4.0 scale.
• Must be entering as a first-time, full-time freshman student directly out of high school.
• Renewable annually with a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
• OKWU limits the total number of Valedictorian/Salutatorian Scholarships it packages annually.
• The Valedictorian Scholarship is awarded for a maximum time period of 10 continuously enrolled semesters.
• Students must live on-campus.
• Cannot be combined with percentage of tuition or athletic agreements.

National Merit Scholarship

Amount: 100% tuition for Finalist, 50% for Semi-Finalist

Criteria:

• This award is for finalists and semi-finalists in the National Merit Program who is enrolled full-time and living on campus at the institution.
• The scholarship is awarded for a maximum time period of 10 continuously enrolled semesters.
• Renewable annually with a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
• Students can be packaged up to a maximum of 100% tuition. An academic scholarship or other 50% will not be added to this award for finalists or semi-finalists.
• Cannot be combined with percentage of tuition or athletic agreements.

Amount: Varies based on coach’s submission

Criteria:

• Athletic Agreements are for students participating in intercollegiate sports. The coach determines the aid offer for the student athlete and submits an offer to the Office of Financial Aid each year.
• The activities that award scholarships are: Baseball (M), Basketball (M,W), Beach Volleyball (W), Cross Country (M, W), E-sports, Golf (M,W), Soccer (M,W), Softball (W), Tennis (M,W), Track (M,W), Volleyball (W),  and Wrestling (M).
• Athletic agreements are not stackable with other institutional aid.

 Presidential Leadership Scholarship

Amount: $11,000 annually

The Presidential Leadership Scholarship (PLS) offered at Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s residential campus is an opportunity to highlight the best of the best in our incoming students. The recently revised scholarship is built to attract prospective students who possess strong academic and leadership skills as well as a passion for both campus and community involvement. This is an opportunity for you, the student, to become intimately involved in the leadership community at OKWU, to help mentor other students, and to get involved on campus and in the city!

More Info

Dean’s Scholarship

Amount: $10,000 annually

The Dean’s Scholarships are awarded to extraordinary students committed to excellence in their studies and poised for success in the future. Each Dean chooses students who represent the best of their chosen discipline.

More Info

Christian Education Legacy Scholarship

Amount: $2,000 annually

Criteria:

• The student must be a graduate from a Christian high school or home school
• The student must be enrolled as full-time student
• Cannot be combined with percentage of tuition or athletic agreements

OKWU Prep

Students who complete an OKWU Prep Course(s) as a concurrent student automatically qualify as a full-time undergraduate student.

2024-25 Criteria:

• Amount: $2,000 max annually
• OKWU Prep students will receive a semester scholarship equal to 1/8 of paid tuition dollars, not to exceed $2,000 annually
• Eligibility is based on paid completion of OKWU Prep courses before high school graduation. Once a student has graduated from high school, he/she is no longer eligible for concurrent enrollment.
• Scholarship will not be awarded for repeated coursework
• Cannot be combined with percentage of tuition or athletic agreements

2025-26 Criteria

• $10,000 annual award, maximum 4 years
• Have passed a minimum of one OKWU Dual Credit course before graduating high school
• Classes offered the summer directly preceding attendance to OKWU cannot be used to qualify for this scholarship
• Meet minimum admissions requirements
• Enroll full-time in the residential program
• Stackable with other OKWU aid except for PLS Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, athletic agreements, and percentage off tuition scholarships
• Eligible students must be first-time students/transfers for the 2025-26 academic year

Alumni Dependent

Amount: $400 annually

Criteria:

• Must be a dependent student whose parent attended OKWU or one of its antecedent schools. The parent must have successfully completed 12 hours at OKWU or one of its antecedent schools.
• Cannot be combined with percentage of tuition or athletic agreements
• The form for the Alumni Dependent Scholarship can be found here.

Music Scholarship

Amount: Varies

Criteria:

• Non-majors are eligible for a scholarship up to $2,000 per year (requires audition with Music Professor and to be a Chorale member)
• Majors only are eligible for a scholarship up to $5,000 per year (requires student to be a Chorale member, 8 semesters of private instruction, and be a member of at least one additional performing ensemble)
• Chapel worship leaders are eligible for a scholarship up to $3,000 per year (requires student to be a Chorale member, have an interview/audition with University Pastor, and be a member of either the worship leader or production team in Chapel)
• Cannot be combined with percentage of tuition or athletic agreements

Opportunity Knocks

Amount: Varies

Criteria:

• If qualified, student will receive a tuition and standard fees scholarship
• Must be admitted to OKWU by November 1 (transcripts and test scores)
• Must have FAFSA completed by February 1, 2024 (usually November 1, but pushed back due to FAFSA opening late)
• Must qualify for Oklahoma’s Promise
• Must qualify for full Pell Grant (0 EFC)
• Must participate in the federal work-study program at OKWU
• Must be a first-time or transfer student enrolled full-time at OKWU
• Cannot be combined with other OKWU institutional aid

Multiple Student

Amount: $600 annually

Criteria:

• This is awarded to dependent siblings who are attending OKWU at the same time
• This award is renewable annually as long as at least two dependent students remain in attendance
• Cannot be combined with percentage of tuition or athletic agreements

Church Partnership Grant

Amount: $1,500 annually

Criteria:

• OKWU will match each gift from a church, district or church organization up to $750 per semester for qualified students.
• To receive matching portion, the annual amount of funds must be received by OKWU by September 1. If you are unable to meet this deadline, please contact the Office of Financial Aid as soon as possible
• No personal checks are accepted. The check must come from the church, district, or church organization
• For percentage of tuition or athletic agreement recipients, the church gift will be applied, but OKWU will not apply the matching portion

Second-Degree Scholarship

Amount: $5,000 annually

Criteria:

• This is awarded to students who are seeking a second bachelor’s degree
• Cannot be combined with other OKWU aid

Eagle Mascot Scholarship

Amount: $8,000 annually

Ready to soar into the spotlight as OKWU’s mascot? Apply to be the ultimate superfan if you are a full-time student in good academic standing. Eligible applicants will be contacted about tryouts. Don’t miss your chance to be the next mascot – after all, the sky’s the limit when you’re an OKWU Eagle!

More Info

Honors College Scholarship

Amount: $11,000 annually

The Honors College Scholarship enables students at Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s residential Honors College to make creative connections across disciplines and grow into lifelong Christian learners.

Criteria:

• 3.5 minimum high school cumulative GPA
• Scholarship recipient is required to live on-campus
• Letter of reference – (must be a non-OKWU reference)
• An interview, conducted either on Zoom or in person.

More Info

The Federal Pell Grant is a grant for undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA information and have not earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree. The amounts change yearly; for the most up-to-date information, visit the Federal Pell Grant link above.

Unlike a loan, the Federal Pell Grant does not have to be repaid, except under certain circumstances, which can be found here.

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is a grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. SEOG amounts at Oklahoma Wesleyan University range from $400 to $2,000 annually. OKWU funds are limited by U.S. Department of Education allocation; priority is given to those students who apply early.  The FAFSA processing date is used to determine aid eligibility as well as federal need and unmet charges. If verification paperwork is not completed by the priority deadline, funds may be removed.

Through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Congress created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides grants for up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low income families. In exchange for receiving a TEACH Grant, you must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students. As a recipient of a TEACH Grant, you must teach at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which you received the TEACH Grant.

IMPORTANT: If you fail to complete this service obligation, all amounts of the TEACH Grants that you received will be converted to Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. You must then repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education. You will be charged interest from the date the grant(s) was disbursed.

The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program includes Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans. These funds are packaged based on the budgeted annual cost of attending OKWU. If you are an undergraduate student, the maximum amount you can borrow each year varies from $5,500 to $12,500 depending on your year in school and dependency level. If you are a graduate student, the maximum amount you can borrow each year is $20,500. The interest rate is fixed; for the most up-to-date information, please visit the Direct Loan link above. Students who use Direct Loans are not required to make payments until six months after they leave school or drop below half-time enrollment.

The Direct Subsidized Loan is a need-based loan for undergraduate students who have financial need based on the information submitted on the FAFSA. The interest on the Direct Subsidized Loan is paid by the U.S. Department of Education while the student is in school at least half-time.

The Direct Unsubsidized Loan is a loan not based on financial need for undergraduate and graduate students. This loan accrues interest while the student is still in school, but the borrower has the option to pay the interest while in school. If he/she chooses not to pay the interest, the interest is added to the principal of the loan.

The Direct Parent PLUS Loan is a loan that the parent of a dependent undergraduate student can apply for to help his or her dependent student pay for the student’s education. The interest rate is fixed; for the most up-to-date information, please visit the Direct Parent Plus Loan link above.

The loan process does require a credit check and an application to be completed by the parent. The application can be found at StudentAid.gov. There are two types of applications; it is important that your parent choose: “Direct PLUS Loan Application for Parents”. If the application is denied, the parent can submit an Appeal or find an Endorser.

Work-study eligibility is based on a student’s financial need and FAFSA processing date. Eligible students are employed through the university in on-campus and off-campus positions. Work-study positions pay $9-$11 per hour depending on the position, and students are scheduled to work 8-10 per week. Work-study will be treated like a regular job with Human Resources requirements as well as general work-related requirements.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services, a program of the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, provides quality individualized services to enhance and support people with disabilities to prepare for, obtain, or retain employment. Through active participation in their rehabilitation, people with disabilities achieve a greater level of independence in their workplace and living environments. For more information, visit the VRS link above.

Military/Veterans Benefits may be utilized by those who have served or who are serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, their spouses and dependents, and/or their surviving family members. There are several different military/veteran benefits available to many of our students. OKWU students may contact the Registrar’s Office for more information at 918.335.6261.

Many tribes fund scholarships for college-bound members. Contact your tribe’s Education Office for more information and how to apply.