Invest in the future

Attending college requires a financial commitment from the student, the family, the government, and the school. We believe you'll find an extraordinary commitment from Oklahoma Christian University to make a high quality Christian education affordable for your family.

Use our affordability web site to see yourself in the examples given and calculate your own potential scholarship and aid package.

The choice to invest in an education at Oklahoma Christian University is the choice to invest in your own future.

How other families do it

Sometimes it's easier to see it in print. Though the examples seen can't be used for direct comparison, they'll give you an idea of how scholarships, grants, and other aid can add up in your family's favor.

Click here to see the cost to attend OC for 2009-2010.

Case Study 1
Susan (25 ACT) is from a family of 3 and is the only student from her family in college. Her parent's income in 2008 was $53,537. They have $16,000 in savings. Susan has no income and has a small checking account balance of $100. Expand

$6,000	PASS Academic Scholarship
$3,564	OC Grant
$2,000	Work Study
$3,500	Subsidized Stafford Loan
$2,000	Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
$2,000	Perkins Loan
$8,000	Parent PLUS loan
$27,064	TOTAL

Approximate monthly payment for PLUS loan is $99.19 for 10 years

Case Study 2
Thomas is from Portland, OR. He made an 1100 on his SAT. Last year Thomas' parents made $86,000. Both Thomas and his parents have $1,000 in savings. Thomas had a part time job last year and made $2700. Thomas is the only child. Expand

$4,000	PASS Academic Scholarship
$250	OC Grant
$2,000	Federal Work Study
$3,500	Subsidized Stafford Loan
$2,000	Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
$15,500	Parent PLUS loan
$27,250	TOTAL

Approximate monthly payment for PLUS loan is $192.18 for 10 years

Case Study 3
Julie has a 27 ACT and is from Oklahoma. Julie has no savings and did not earn an income last year, but she does qualify for Oklahoma's Promise (OHLAP). Julie is from a single parent home. Her mom made $29,000 last year and has about $500 in savings. Expand

$6,000	PASS Academic Scholarship
$1,000	Art & Design Scholarship
$1,300	Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG)
$2,000	Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Aid Grant (OTEG)
$2,280	Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP)
$4,731	Federal Pell Grant
$525	Supplemental Grant (SEOG)
$750	Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
$2,000	Federal Work Study
$3,500	Subsidized Stafford Loan
$2,000	Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
$1,000	Parent PLUS loan
$27,086	TOTAL

Approximate monthly payment for PLUS loan is $50 for 22 months

Case Study 4
Jed (25 ACT) grew up in California. He worked during his senior year and made almost $4000. He was able to save $700. Jed is from a single parent home and has one younger brother. Jed's father made $122,000 last year and also had $9600 in child support. Jed's father has $6200 in savings and has a stock portfolio worth close to $100,000. Expand

$6,000	PASS Academic Scholarship
$5,500	Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
$15,000	Parent PLUS loan
$26,500	TOTAL

Approximate monthly payment for PLUS loan is $185.98 for 10 years

Case Study 5
Jason scored a 29 on his ACT. He has a one older sister already in college and one younger brother. Last year Jason's parents had a combine income of $76,000. They have savings of $1600 and have a small amount of investments (not including their 401K and Roth IRA) worth approximately $8000. Expand

$8,000	PASS Academic Scholarship
$3,150	OC Grant
$2,000	Federal Work Study
$3,500	Subsidized Stafford Loan
$2,000	Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
$2,000	Perkins Loan
$6,500	Parent PLUS Loan
$27,150	TOTAL

Approximate monthly payment for PLUS loan is $80.59 for 10 years

Case Study 6
Mary hails from the Sun Shine state of Florida. Her SAT score (930) did not qualify her for a PASS award. Mary did work hard during her senior year and earned $6600. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to save much towards college and basically has no savings. Mary's mom earned $36,000 in 2008 and received $2400 in child support. Mary has an older sister already in college. Expand

$6,025	OC Grant
$2,981	Federal Pell Grant
$525	Supplement Grant (SEOG)
$750	Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
$2,000	Federal Work Study
$3,500	Subsidized Stafford Loan
$2,000	Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
$9,500	Parent PLUS loan
$27,281	TOTAL

Approximate monthly payment for PLUS loan is $117.79 for 10 years

Case Study 7
Rebecca is a 24 year old transfer student majoring in Nursing. She has a GPA of 3.3. Expand

$22,419	Student income
$0	Student savings
$500	Student untaxed income
N/A	Parent income
N/A	Parent savings
1	Number in household
1	Number in college
$3,000	Transfer Scholarship
$4,000	OC Grant
$2,000	Federal Work Study
$5,500	Subsidized Stafford Loan
$7,000	Unsubsidized Student Loan
$21,500	TOTAL

Case Study 8
Matthew scored a 28 on his ACT. Matthew earned $11,000 last year but spend almost all of his money on a car. His parents made approximately $230,000 last year and have $2,000 in savings. They have one other son who already attends OC. Expand

$8,000	PASS Academic Scholarship
$5,500	Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
$12,500	Parent PLUS loan
$26,000	TOTAL

Approximate monthly payment for PLUS loan is $154.98 for 10 years

*Names and financial information do not represent specific students.

How do my finances compare?

We want you to see yourself and your family in our student body. Students from all family income levels have found their college home at Oklahoma Christian University.

This chart demonstrates the significant scholarships and grants at most every income level.

Remember, the charts reflect the average amounts awarded to students in particular income brackets. It is not intended to reflect exact amounts that will be awarded during a given year, but merely as a means to demonstrate eligibility for scholarships and grants regardless of family income.

Click here to see the Income Distribution of OC Student Families, 2007-08.
Click here to see a Financial Aid chart of OC Student Families, 2007-08.

Estimate my financial aid

Click here to visit the Financial Aid Estimator.

When considering university costs, it's important to look beyond just sticker price to carefully consider the most important financial figure- net cost to your family.

Use the scholarship and financial aid calculator to determine an early estimate of your financial aid package at OC.

Aid is awarded based on merit and need. Results are estimates and not guarantees of the actual amounts. To receive an official award letter, follow the steps listed at www.oc.edu/financialprocess.

The estimator reflects financial aid policies for new students beginning in the fall of 2009. It is not intended for use by readmitted, continuing, international, or part-time students. Some financial aid policies may change for students entering in subsequent years.

Testimonials

Panter Family - Sulpher Springs, TX family values OC Scholarships, Community

Three of the four Panter sons went to Oklahoma Christian University.

Tommy and Gwen Panter didn't have a big nest egg to draw from when their kids went to college. But OC's academic scholarships, which reward good scores on the SAT or ACT, and other financial opportunities are a big help to families who want to invest in a Christian atmosphere for their children.

As their sons got involved on campus, it paid off big time; not just in taking care of tuition, but in the experiences they've had.

Their sons have been involved and earned scholarship money in many ways- as officers with OC's student government association, helping to lead Earn Your Wings, OC's big event for incoming students. Also by working as a residence assistant, in a variety of offices around campus, and through athletic scholarships.

"OC has made it a real experience for them, and that's helped pay for their schooling. They had to figure out ways to enjoy all of it and figure out ways to pay for it," Gwen said. "It's been a sacrifice, but God has taken care of us and we totally give Him the glory. It's like the feeding of the 5,000 - we don't know how it happened, but it happened."

Hobbes Family - California family spreads the word about what OC means to them

Through the years, mission work and evangelism have taken Pancho and Lera Hobbes' family all over the world - from Guatemala to Oklahoma City.

Now, when they spread the word about the Christian life, they also talk about the impact Oklahoma Christian has made on their family. And their passion has built a pipeline from northern California that has blessed their kids with a lot of friends and familiar faces on the OC campus.

Of course, that doesn't mean it wasn't hard sending Ben and their oldest daughter, Miriam, off to college thousands of miles away.

Ben is a mass communication major who had an award-winning radio show and played varsity basketball at OC. Miriam is a nursing major whose interests were a perfect match with courses that send students to practice in Honduras.

Ben and Miriam were joined this year by their sister, Rachel, who also plans to pursue a career in medicine. The Hobbes' youngest daughter, Rebecca, will hit campus in two years, along with several friends from her California bible camp.

"We know our kids will be making big decisions in this time of their lives," Pancho said. "Good teaching is so important because we want them to be challenged and supported. OC has a healthy environment with caring faculty who are so helpful, and it's a place where they'll make friends that last forever."

"Your child's faith is going to be challenged wherever they are," Lera said. "We know OC isn't perfect, but it gives our kids the last vestige of a concentrated Christian environment before they go out into the world - not as protection, but as preparation. OC's a good place for them."

Thomas Family - Edmond, OK family looking to make a difference

"If you are looking to change the world, OC is a great place to start."

It might sound like something you'd expect a university to say about itself, but this was said by KC Thomas, an electrical engineering major and the son of Steve and Nancy Thomas. Nancy, by the way, is an RN who works in the university's health center.

KC concluded that OC is a great, world-changing launching pad after seeing how the students themselves will organize projects - like Wishing Well (a project to raise money to provide fresh water wells in Africa) - and participate in prayer sessions, accountability groups and late-night devotionals.

"The university is progressive to let us look for ways to grow and change and find our own faith," KC said.

His mom agrees. In fact, she says that is one of the reasons she and her husband planned for their son and daughter, Lacey, a nursing major, to attend OC.

"Academics and education for our children have always been priorities for Steve and me. We always prayed that our children would come into their own faith and be independent," Nancy said. "OC gives them that platform so they can ask questions and be taught and mentored by faculty who show their faith in everything that they do."

The opportunities at OC have not come without planning and sacrifice. The kids grew up eating off-brand cereal, wearing clearance-rack clothes and riding around in older cars (giving kids at school many ribbing opportunities).

It was a strategy to be good stewards of their money and to keep materialism at bay. It was also what we parents like to call "character-building" exercises.

Having an OC education is part of Steve and Nancy's long-term vision for their family. A vision that could change the world.

Order Parent View magazine

Much of the information contained in our affordability website was inspired by the information in Parent View Magazine, OC's annual publication for parents of prospective students. Click here to order your own copy of Parent View, or click here to view it online.