For the purpose of applying for Scholarships or Loans for Disadvantaged Students, there are two definitions of Disadvantaged.  They are:

1. )  Economic Disadvantage – Students whose parents meet the Low-Income Level Chart (which is based on 200% of the Department’s poverty guidelines) provided by the Division of Student Assistance for the purpose of awarding the SDS and LDS. 

                              For 2007-08 the guidelines are:  

                               Add $6950 for each additional member

Note: The guidelines have not been updated for the 2008-09 academic year yet so if your parent’s income is only slightly higher (several hundred dollars) than the amounts listed for the current year, you are encourage to complete the application form and we will wait until to new guidelines are out to evaluate your application.

 2.)   Educational Disadvantage – Students who are the first generation to complete a college degree.  To qualify, the parents must not have attained a 4-year degree.  In this category, we will accept parents that have some college or associates’ degrees.

What do I do if I think I am Disadvantaged?

The first step to being considered for Disadvantaged funds is to complete the Disadvantaged Application for 2008-09.  When we have received both your disadvantaged application and your FAFSA (containing parental data), we will evaluate your information.  If you are eligible to move to the next step for consideration for these funds, we will request verification materials from you and your parents (these include tax forms and other documentation of resources). 

Important Note:  Each year the Department of Health and Human Services provides OU-COM with funding to be used for Scholarships & Loans for Disadvantaged Students.  For the last few years this funding has been decreasing and there is no guarantee that it will be funded for 2008-09.