Types of Scholarships Available
There are several types of scholarships available to students at UCO. Here’s a breakdown of the different categories and their specific details:
Automatic Scholarships
These scholarships require no separate application. Students are automatically considered based on their admissions application.
- Incoming freshmen who apply and submit all admission documents before the February 1 priority deadline are guaranteed an academic scholarship if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Scholarships are awarded based on unweighted GPA and ACT scores.
- Incoming transfer students who apply and submit all admission documents before the scholarship deadlines (June 1 for Fall and Summer admission; November 1 for Spring admission) are guaranteed an academic scholarship if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Scholarships are awarded based on cumulative GPA and earned hours.
- Qualifying students from Arizona, Arkansas, California, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas are eligible.
- No additional application is needed; this will be applied automatically for qualifying students.
UCO-Specific Scholarships
- Incoming student Foundation Scholarship applications for 2025-26 will be available from June 2 - August 4, 2025.
- Continuing student Foundation Scholarships for 2025-26 were due in February 2025 and have been awarded. The portal will open for continuing students for 2026-27 scholarships in December 2025.
- Thanks to the generosity of donors, the UCO Foundation offers more than 450 scholarships and awards each year. Each scholarship has its own unique selection criteria. All students are encouraged to create a profile and apply for scholarships on our Scholarship Manger webpage. For questions, email foundation-scholarships@uco.edu or call 405-974-3776.
- Available to incoming freshmen, continuing students, and transfer students. Please see the link above for application criteria.
- Awarded through the UCO Foundation for Oklahoma Residents. Open to all incoming freshman legacies, with only a select few being awarded.
- Recipients are selected in September and receive $1,000 per year for four years ($500 per semester).
UCO Legacy Non-Resident Scholarship
- Non-resident students whose parent(s) or grandparent(s) graduated from UCO are eligible.
- Students must complete the Legacy Nonresident Tuition Waiver Form with all required documentation to be considered.
Oklahoma Scholarships
- Offers qualified Oklahoma students an opportunity to earn a scholarship for college tuition.
- Students must be Oklahoma residents, enroll in the program in 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th grade, and their parents’ federal adjusted gross income must not exceed required thresholds.
Scholarship Disbursement
Scholarships will not disburse until we begin processing payments for the semester that the award is authorized to pay the charges. These dates tend to fall on or around:
- Fall: July 10th
- Spring: December 10th
- Summer: May 10th
Please note that scholarships disburse much earlier than other aid. Federal aid (Pell Grants, SEOG, Direct Loans) does not disburse until the first week of class. State grants (Oklahoma's Promise, OTAG) typically do not disburse until a few weeks after classes have started. It is important to remember that not all aid disburses at the same time.
How Will I Know If I Receive a Scholarship?
All communication regarding UCO awards is sent to your UCO email account. If you were awarded a UCO Foundation Scholarship using the scholarship portal, you can check within the scholarship portal.