Oklahoma State Fair Scholarship

Established in 2002, the Oklahoma State Fair Scholarship Program has provided over $420,000 to deserving and qualified Oklahoma youth through 10 individual annual awards. Beginning in 2015, the program increased the scholarship amount to $2,500 for each of the 10 winners.

Guidelines & Application

The 2026 Oklahoma State Fair Scholarship guidelines, which outline eligibility requirements, important dates, and materials, are available below. The 2026 Oklahoma State Fair Scholarship application opens February 9 and closes March 9.

The Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. Scholarship program provides collegiate scholarships to students who are graduates of an accredited high school or homeschool in Oklahoma.

The purpose of the scholarship is to:

• Encourage students to continue their educational development.
• Recognize the overall achievements of the students.
• Recognize that Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. is committed to promoting education in the lives of Oklahoma’s young people.
• Assist in the cost of acquiring advanced education by providing ten (10) awards of $2,500 each.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible to compete for an Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Applicant must be a current year high school graduate of an accredited high school or homeschool in Oklahoma.
• Applicant must have verifiable Oklahoma State Fair involvement beyond regular attendance, ex: livestock, equine, creative arts competitions, etc.
• Applicant must be a legal resident of Oklahoma.
• Applicant must be a United States citizen.

SCHOLARSHIP TIMELINE

• The 2026 Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. Scholarship opens February 9 and closes March 8. No late applications will be accepted. The application link can be found online.
• Candidates will be informed via email if they have/have not been selected to move forward to the interview phase on or before March 23. For those moving forward, this email will include a link for you to schedule your interview.
• Those moving forward must select an interview slot by March 30, no exceptions.
• Interviews will take place at the OKC Fair Park Administration Building April 6 through 9.
• Applicants will be notified via mail of their award status on or before May 8.
• Winners must submit their proof of enrollment via email by August 1.
• Scholarships will be presented to winners during the 2026 Oklahoma State Fair on September 26.

SELECTION PROCESS

The scholarship committee will review student applications and select finalists.

• Finalists will be required to attend a personal (or virtual, if necessary) interview at OKC Fair Park. Notifications to schedule an interview will be made via email. Please make sure to check your email as interviews are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. If we have not received a response by the deadline, the applicant will be removed from the running.
  • Students selected to interview will have a photo taken at the interview for use in promotional materials. A photo/information release may be required.
• Students not selected to interview will receive notification via email that their applications were not selected to continue in the process.
• Finalists will be notified of the outcome of the selection process (award/no award) via mail.

AWARD CRITERIA

• Twenty (20) candidates will be selected for interviews. Ten (10) will be selected as scholarship winners awarded a one-time $2,500 award based on overall scholastic performance, leadership, community involvement and verifiable participation in the competitive programs at the Oklahoma State Fair, ex: livestock, equine, creative arts competitions, etc. The remaining ten (10) candidates will be awarded a $500 stipend in recognition of their accomplishments.
• At the time the award is given, the student must be a current year graduate of anaccredited highschool or homeschool in Oklahoma.
• Before receiving awards, students must provide proof of enrollment in an accredited college, university, vocational, or technical school as a full-time student. Full-time enrollment is defined as at least 12 credit hours each semester.