RSU Makes Tuition-Free Promise to Bartlesville Students Who Qualify

Graduates of Bartlesville High School who meet certain academic and income requirements may attend Rogers State University beginning this summer without paying any out-of-pocket expenses as part of a new partnership between BHS, RSU and the community of Bartlesville.

The partnership is part of the “Bartlesville’s Promise to Students Program,” which will be signed by officials of BHS and RSU during a ceremony on Friday, May 7.

“RSU is committed to making a college education as accessible and affordable as possible for all students,” said RSU President Dr. Larry Rice. “Students should not be denied an education because they cannot afford it. A lower income should never be a barrier to attending college.”

The agreement will be signed by President Rice; Dr. Gary Quinn, Superintendent of the Bartlesville Public Schools; and Marta Manning, President of the Bartlesville Board of Education.

Participating in the signing ceremony will be Oklahoma Rep. Earl Sears, Rep. Steve Martin, Bill Beierschmitt, provost and chief operating officer of the RSU campus in Bartlesville, and members of the Bartlesville Board of Education. The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. at the Education Service Center, 1100 S. Jennings.

“We want as many students as possible to have a chance to further their education once they graduate from Bartlesville High School,” Quinn said. “We’re very pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to our students.”

To qualify for the Bartlesville’s Promise to Students Program at RSU, a student must graduate from Bartlesville High School with a 2.7 grade point average or higher, achieve a score of 20 or higher on the ACT college entrance exam, qualify for participation in the Oklahoma’s Promise Program, qualify for the maximum level of federal and state financial aid after completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and qualify for admission to RSU. If a student meets those requirements, he or she will incur no out-of-pocket expenses associated with attending the university, including tuition and fees, as long as the student continues to meet the requirements of receiving all applicable financial aid, remains a full-time student and maintains minimum academic standards, Rice said.

“It has been clearly established through decades of research that those who earn a college degree are more likely to earn a higher income and lead a successful and productive life,” Rice said.

Students may enroll now for the summer semester at RSU, which begins on June 1, and the fall semester, which begins on Aug. 12. For more information, visit the Enrollment Center on the first floor of the RSU campus at Fourth St. and Dewey Ave. in downtown Bartlesville, or call (918) 338-8000. RSU also offers classes online, and on its campuses in Claremore and Pryor.