Oklahoma's Promise is a statewide scholarship program for college-bound students that was formerly known as Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP). The program is open to students of low-income families in Oklahoma, including students in foster care or who have been adopted from the foster care system. Income requirements for Oklahoma's Promise are waived for foster youth, and those who are adopted prior to attending college remain eligible regardless of the adoptive family's income. Students apply for the program in the eighth, ninth, and 10th grades. Applicants must meet certain behavior requirements for the remainder of their time in high school. Students with drug-related or violent offenses are not eligible for the program. A minimum high school GPA of 2.5 is required for program eligibility. This program pays full college tuition at an Oklahoma state college or university for all eligible students.
The Education Training Voucher program is a federally funded initiative that is independently administered by each individual state. The goal of the program is to create better access to post-secondary education for students who were once in the state foster care systems. Oklahoma high school students who are currently in foster care or wards of the court are eligible for these grants, as well as students who were adopted out of the foster care system after reaching the age of 12. Funds from the program can be used to attend Oklahoma state colleges or universities or for specialized vocational training. Eligible students can receive up to $5,000 a year through this program. In Oklahoma, this program is administered through the Department of Human Services.
Students who can prove American Indian ancestry or tribal lineage by providing proof of descent, a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood card or an official citizenship card issued by a recognized tribal entity are eligible for scholarships through the American Indian College Fund. These scholarships can be applied for and issued regardless of whether the student is adopted or currently in a state or tribal foster care program. The American Indian College Fund also provides grant assistance to Oklahoma's tribal colleges, which allow American Indian students and tribal members to attend classes tuition-free. In addition to the American Indian College Fund, each individual tribe also administers its own higher education programs, which provide college tuition assistance to tribal members, regardless of whether they were adopted or not.