Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 70-2404: Scholarship award - Set-aside of funds - Additional

selection and allocation criteria - Awards to nonresidents.

A. Scholarships awarded under the Oklahoma Rising Scholars

Award Program shall be awarded to all eligible applicants without

any limitation on the number of scholarships to be awarded in any

year other than the amount of funds available for the scholarship

program and the number of eligible applicants.

B. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may, at the

time a scholarship is awarded to a student, set aside in the

Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award Trust Fund funds for the full five-

year commitment made to such eligible scholar. For all academic

years, students who have previously received academic scholarships

under the provisions of this act and who have continued at all times

to fulfill the requirements for eligibility to receive academic

scholarships provided in this act shall be given an absolute

priority for continued financial support by the Oklahoma Rising

Scholars Award Program superior to any students who are applying for

such academic awards for the first time.

C. In addition to the qualifications specified in Section 2403

of this title, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may

adopt additional criteria for selection and allocation of awards

which may include, but are not limited to, consideration of high

school academic performance and personal interviews. The Oklahoma

State Regents for Higher Education shall annually report on the

number of former Rising Scholars Award Program participants who stay

in state as compared to those who leave Oklahoma within five (5)

years of leaving the Award Program. In addition, the Oklahoma State

Regents for Higher Education are hereby authorized to determine a

maximum number of awards or a maximum amount of funding which may go

to nonresident students. Such maximum limitations shall not exceed

twenty-five percent (25%) of the awards or amount of funding in any

category provided in paragraph 2 of subsection A of Section 2403 of

this title.