Fortunately for many, scholarship programs are available to help ease the financial burden of a higher education.

Over the summer, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved an increase to tuition and mandatory fees for the state’s 25 public colleges and universities. On average, the regents report those increases translate to 5.9% statewide for the 2011-12 academic year, or $255 more for tuition and mandatory fees for in-state residents. The jumps come on the heels of a 5.8% decrease in state appropriations for higher education.

“Our goal is to provide our students with a quality education,” says Regents Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. “In light of the decreased state appropriations, this moderate increase will further enable our state institutions to retain top-quality faculty and provide outstanding service to our students.”

Private schools also have raised tuition.

At Oklahoma City University, it’s up 5.9% over last year, to $29,690. At Southwestern Christian University, tuition did not go up last year, but this year has increased by about 6.7%. Oklahoma Christian University raised tuition 3% over last year.

With rising rates, colleges, universities and regents are working with students to provide financial aid options.

Over the last five years, aid programs have increased 18%, according to the regents. Students who qualify also can take advantage of the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship program. It allows high school students from households with annual income of $50,000 or less to qualify for free tuition. For fiscal year 2012, the program is set to receive $63 million.

At University of Oklahoma, Catherine Bishop, vice president of public affairs, says 78% of students were on some form of financial assistance for the 2010-11 school year. She says last year, OU provided more than $55 million in institutional funds for more than 19,000 scholarship awards.

“Due to our generous OU donors, we have been able to provide additional scholarship funds over the past several years,” Bishop says. “In fact, what began as a $50 million scholarship campaign has now become a $250 million campaign, and we have raised more than $180 million toward that goal to benefit our students.”

The OU Board of Regents recently approved a 5% increase in tuition and mandatory fee rates for the 2011-12 school year. That increase for resident undergraduate students comes out to about $170 per semester.

Oklahoma State University increased tuition and mandatory fees by 4.8% for its Stillwater and Tulsa branches.

At University of Central Oklahoma, Adrienne Nobles, director of communication and marketing, says there are numerous financial aid options, but the common data set shows 68% of fulltime undergraduates receive some form of financial aid in scholarships, grants, loans and other programs. University data shows 47% of first time, full-time undergraduates receive grant aid, and 40% receive loans.

For the 2010-11 school year, OCU reports 48% of full-time undergraduates received some form of need-based financial aid, and the average scholarship or grant was $12,968.

Community colleges raised tuition by an average of 6.6%. Around the metro area, Oklahoma City Community College raised tuition 7.2%, and will cost $2,850 for 30 credit hours. Rose State increased 6.6%, and will cost students $2,849 for 30 credit hours.

Oklahoma City University
Tuition for the 2011-12 academic year: $29,690

Increase in tuition from last year: 5.9%

Fall 2010 enrollment: 2,283

Undergraduate programs offered: 60

Top three undergraduate degree programs: nursing, acting, dance performance

New or expanding programs for fall 2011: Developed by the Meinders School of Business and executives from Oklahoma’s largest energy companies, the master of science in energy management focuses on the business side of energy management, providing advanced education across topics integral to the field of energy management.

Rose State College
Tuition and mandatory fees for 30 credit hours: $2,849

Increase in tuition from last year: 6.6% Fall 2010 enrollment: 5,963

Undergraduate programs offered: 40+

Top three undergraduate degree programs: nursing, liberal studies, business transfer (a program that allows Rose State students to stay on campus and earn a bachelor’s degree from UCO)

New or expanding programs for fall 2011: enriched health programs in new building on campus; environmental science coursework intended to transfer to OU, OSU or UCO

Southwestern Christian University
Tuition for 2011-12 academic year: $17,500

Increase in tuition from last year: 6.7%

Fall 2010 enrollment: 500

Undergraduate programs offered: 29

Top three undergraduate degree programs: business administration, sport management, behavioral science

New or expanding program for fall 2011: teacher education program

University of Central Oklahoma
Tuition and mandatory fees for 30 credit hours: $4,717.50

Increase in tuition from last year: 5.9%

Fall 2010 enrollment: 17,101

Undergraduate programs offered: 116

Top three undergraduate degree programs: nursing, business administration, mass communication

New or expanding programs for fall 2011: undergraduate majors are being offered in the Forensic Science Institute and the Academy of Contemporary Music (until now, the ACM@UCO has only offered associate degree options); new graduate major in criminal justice

Oklahoma Christian University
Tuition: $25,081 (including 15 credit hours tuition, room, board, fees, MacBook)

Increase in tuition from last year: 3%

Fall 2010 enrollment: 2,216

Undergraduate programs offered: 70+

Top three undergraduate degree programs: engineering, business, biology/pre-med

New or expanding programs for fall 2011: photography/videography and performance arts management

Oklahoma City Community College
Tuition and mandatory fees for 30 credit hours: $2,850

Increase in tuition from last year: 7.2%

Fall 2010 enrollment: 22,481

Undergraduate programs offered: 129

Top three undergraduate degree programs: nursing, liberal studies, business

New or expanding programs for fall 2011: none

Southern Nazarene University
Tuition and mandatory fees: $19,794

Increase in tuition from last year: 7.8%

Fall 2010 enrollment: 2,051

Undergraduate programs offered: 70+

Top three undergraduate degree programs: teacher education, kinesiology, business and nursing (tied for third)

New or expanding programs for fall 2011: additional online options, including a fully online MBA program


University of Oklahoma
Tuition and mandatory fees for 30 credit hours: $7,124.50

Increase in tuition from last year: 5%

Fall 2010 enrollment: 30,315 (includes Norman, Health Sciences Center, Tulsa and off-campus students)

Undergraduate programs offered: 167

Top three undergraduate degree programs: nursing, management and psychology

New or expanding programs for fall 2011: new undergraduate major of history of science, technology and medicine