Future Teacher Scholarships in Oklahoma

Source and Purpose

• The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education sponsors the Future Teachers Scholarship Program. Established in 1941 along with the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, the regents oversees the 25 state-affiliated colleges and universities in the state of Oklahoma. The purpose of the Future Teachers Scholarship Program is to encourage undergraduate students to pursue careers in education. In particular, the Regents seek to gain teachers in less popular and in-demand educational specialties, including early childhood education, science, English, music and foreign languages.
  
  

Requirements

• In order to qualify for a Future Teachers Scholarship, applicants must meet certain requirements. Students must be Oklahoma residents and promise to teach in a critically needed subject area at an Oklahoma public school for three years after graduation. Additionally, they must be registered for at least six semester credits at an accredited college or university. Interested students cannot apply for the scholarship directly; Oklahoma colleges nominate students for the award. To receive a nomination, students must demonstrate academic merit through class rank, SAT or ACT scores or an academic transcript.
  
  

Applying

• Once nominated for an award through the Future Teachers Scholarship Program, students must submit an application and supporting documentation to receive consideration. Incoming freshmen send a copy of their high school transcript, while upperclassmen need only provide an official college transcript. Students must also submit an essay. Each year, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education selects a new theme for this writing assignment. After gathering materials from nominated students, schools rank their candidates in order of preference and pass along the application packets. Colleges receive the list of winners and notify students directly.
  
  

Awards

• Students who receive a Future Teachers Scholarship may continue to receive the award annually for four consecutive years, provided they maintain their level of enrollment and a cumulative 2.50 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. The amount of the scholarship varies based on how many credit hours of study students have previously completed at the time of the award. As of November 2010, part-time students and full-time (those registered for 12 semester credits or more) with less than 60 credit hours received $500 and $1,000 per year, respectively. With 60 or more completed credit hours, part and full-time students were awarded $750 and $1,500, respectively.