Rising Scholars SAT Requirements: Oklahoma 2026-27

Updated October 2026 by Carson Flowers, from Oklahoma's official program pages.

The short answer: Oklahoma's score-based award is the Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award. For students entering college in Fall 2026, it took a 1560 SAT or a 103 ACT sum score, and it pays up to $24,000 a year in cash plus a full in-state tuition waiver. Oklahoma's Promise is a separate program built on family income and a 2.50 GPA, and most students need no test score for it.

The score and GPA for each tier

Tier	SAT	ACT	GPA	What it pays
Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award (Automatic Qualifier)	1560 (Fall 2026 entrants)	103 sum score, English + Math + Reading (Fall 2026 entrants)	None published	Up to $24,000 a year in cash for 4 years, plus a full in-state tuition waiver for up to 5 years
Oklahoma's Promise (OHLAP)	No score needed	No score needed	2.50 cumulative GPA in grades 9 to 12, and 2.50 in the 15-unit core	Tuition and part of fees at Oklahoma public colleges

Beyond the score:

Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award (Automatic Qualifier): The line is set at the 99.5th percentile of Oklahoma test takers, and your teen must enroll full time at an Oklahoma public institution.
Oklahoma's Promise (OHLAP): Family income at enrollment must be under $60,000 (1 to 2 dependents), $70,000 (3 to 4), or $80,000 (5 or more).

How the test score counts

For Rising Scholars, the ACT sum score adds English, Math, and Reading only. Science is optional and does not count toward the 103. Official ACT superscores are accepted. For Oklahoma's Promise, a score only matters for homeschool students and graduates of non-accredited high schools, who need a 22 ACT composite or an equivalent SAT or CLT score.

How the GPA is calculated

Oklahoma's Promise checks two GPAs, and your teen needs both: a 2.50 cumulative GPA across all grade 9 to 12 courses, and a 2.50 GPA in the required 15-unit curriculum. Rising Scholars publishes no high school GPA line. In college, the Rising Scholars cash award needs a 3.25 cumulative GPA to renew.

Which class year these rules cover

The 1560 SAT and 103 ACT lines apply to students entering college in Fall 2026. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education reset the line each October for the following year's entering class, so check the current figure for your teen's class.

Deadlines

What	When
Oklahoma's Promise application, recommended date for 8th to 11th graders	June 30
Oklahoma's Promise final enrollment deadline	December 31 of senior year
Rising Scholars score line set by the State Regents	Each October, for the next year's entering class

Testing has its own clock: see every 2026-27 date in Oklahoma SAT test dates.

Keeping it in college

To keep the Rising Scholars cash award, your teen needs full-time enrollment, a 3.25 cumulative college GPA, and 24 credit hours by the end of each spring term. The tuition waiver needs full-time enrollment and a 2.0 cumulative GPA, and it renews for up to 5 years. Oklahoma's Promise rechecks family income through the FAFSA every year of college against a $100,000 cap, and a year over the cap means no benefit that year.

Where it pays

Both programs pay at Oklahoma public colleges and universities. Oklahoma's Promise students on the CORE pathway use it at public technology centers, and that benefit does not transfer to a college or university.

The misconception: Oklahoma's Promise is the SAT scholarship

Many families searching for an Oklahoma SAT scholarship land on Oklahoma's Promise. That program runs on family income and a 2.50 GPA, and most students never need a test score for it. The high-score award is Oklahoma Rising Scholars, a separate program that requires a 99.5th percentile score.

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Quick answers

What SAT score does my teen need for Oklahoma Rising Scholars?

For students entering college in Fall 2026, the line was a 1560 SAT or a 103 ACT sum score. The State Regents reset it every October for the next entering class, based on the 99.5th percentile of Oklahoma test takers.

Is Oklahoma's Promise a test score scholarship?

No, it is based on family income and grades. Your teen needs a 2.50 GPA, and family income at enrollment must be under $60,000 to $80,000 depending on the number of dependents. Only homeschool students and graduates of non-accredited high schools need a test score.

How much is Oklahoma Rising Scholars worth?

Up to $24,000 a year in cash for four years, plus a full in-state tuition waiver for up to five years. The waiver's dollar value depends on each school's tuition. Oklahoma State University puts the total at up to $124,400.

Does family income matter for Oklahoma's Promise?

Yes, there is a hard income cap. At enrollment, family income must be under $60,000 with 1 to 2 dependents, $70,000 with 3 to 4, or $80,000 with 5 or more. In college the cap is $100,000, checked through the FAFSA every year.

Does a homeschooled student need a test score for Oklahoma's Promise?

Yes, a 22 ACT composite or an equivalent SAT or CLT score. Official score reports and superscores count. Residual and on-campus scores do not.

Does the ACT Science section count for Rising Scholars?

No. The 103 sum score adds English, Math, and Reading only, and Science is optional.

Sources

Rules change by class year. Confirm with the program's own pages before you plan around any summary, ours included.

Turn the cutoff into a plan

Knowing the number is the easy part. In a free Strategy Session we put your teen's current score next to the Rising Scholars line and the ranges at their Oklahoma colleges, then build the six to twelve week plan to close the gap. More for Oklahoma families: Oklahoma SAT prep and SAT Scores for Oklahoma Colleges.