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Leadership through Excellence in Academics Program

If you're eager to get to work on your college degree but apprehensive about student debt, then LEAP just might be for you. In an effort to support and encourage academic excellence, while seeking to alleviate some of the concerns and uncertainty surrounding student debt, ORU has adopted the Leadership through Excellence in Academics Program (LEAP) to provide eligible students the opportunity to receive up to a $15,000 graduation credit toward their ORU Integrity Loan!

Your hard work could pay off in more ways than one. See the details below to find out if you meet the eligibility requirements for this generous opportunity! 

FAFSA

Haven't submitted your FAFSA yet? Get started right way! Students must submit this in order to be eligible.

Submit Your FAFSA

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

What follows is an overview of program eligibility and should not be considered comprehensive. All final terms of the program offer are listed in the LEAP contract. For additional details and stipulations that may apply or to see if you qualify for LEAP, contact the Enrollment Team at 918.495.6518 or admissions@oru.edu

  • Student must be a first-time college student or new transfer student with full-time enrollment in ORU’s undergraduate residential degree programs beginning the Fall Semester of 2024 or Spring 2025
  • Student must submit their FAFSA to be eligible
  • First-time freshmen must earn an undergraduate degree from ORU in four years or less through continuous full-time enrollment in fall and spring semesters at ORU
  • Transfer students must complete at least 4 consecutive semesters of full-time enrollment
  • Student must maintain compliance with the terms of the Integrity Loan (e.g. monthly payments)
  • Student pledges to borrow only what is necessary from the Integrity Student Loan program to meet educational expenses. The ORU Integrity loan must be accepted during the student's first year in order to join the LEAP program

*LEAP is offered as a credit to first-time, full-time residential students who may qualify. Those receiving full athletic scholarships, tuition benefits, or returning to the university, do not qualify at this time.

The amount of the Credit will vary depending on a student’s final cumulative undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) at ORU out of a possible 4.0, as well as a student's entry status as a first-time freshman or transfer as outlined below:

  • Students graduating with a GPA of 3.75 or higher
    • $15,000 for First-Time Freshmen 
    • $7,500 for Transfers
  • Students graduating with a GPA of 3.5 to 3.74
    • $12,500 for First-Time Freshmen 
    • $6,000 for Transfers
  • Students graduating with a GPA of 3.25 to 3.49
    • $10,000 for First-Time Freshmen 
    • $4,500 for Transfers
  • Students graduating with a GPA of 3.00 to 3.24
    • $7,500 for First-Time Freshmen
    • $3,000 for Transfers
  • Students graduating with a GPA of 2.75 to 2.99
    • $5,000 for First-Time Freshmen
    • $2,000 for Transfers

*The amount of the Credit shall not exceed the sum of all Integrity Loans received by Student under the Program


Frequently asked questions

No. Students who do not submit the LEAP contract prior to the end of drop/add in their first semester at ORU cannot later sign up for LEAP. Click here for additional scholarship opportunities.

Students who qualify for LEAP are emailed a digital LEAP contract to electronically sign. You must submit the signed digital contract prior to drop/add of your first semester at ORU to participate in LEAP. Keep a copy of your signed contract in case you have questions later regarding the terms of your LEAP eligibility.

No. Signing up for LEAP is limited to first-time college students or new transfer students at ORU.

Please check the “eligible students” section of your signed LEAP contract.

No. When you sign up for LEAP you are sent a LEAP contract to complete.  Your loan forgiveness will be based solely upon the terms of your signed LEAP contract.

Please allow up to 30 days after graduation for your determination of LEAP eligibility to be completed. Per the LEAP contract, following verification of all the requirements for the issuance of the Credit, the Credit will be awarded within 60 days. This means that the full amount of loan forgiveness may not be distributed until 90 days after completion of your degree. For more information, please reference your signed LEAP contract.

Integrity Loans will be updated electronically through ORU’s partnership with ECSI. Direct Loans are processed through a physical check distributed to your federal loan servicer(s). ORU cannot control the timeline of funds application to your federal loan account once the physical check is mailed.

Once your eligibility is certified you will be notified of your qualifying amount(s) in writing. Once funds are distributed, Integrity Loan borrowers will see a decrease in Outstanding Principal Balance on the ECSI loan summary. Direct Loan borrowers will not see the distribution from ORU reflected as a payment with their federal loan servicer; the government will apply it to the principal balance as an “adjustment” rather than a payment.

If you are an incoming student and would like to find out if you qualify for LEAP,  please contact the New Student Relations Team at 918.495.6518 or admissions@oru.edu. If you have further questions regarding the terms of the LEAP contract, please contact ORUFinaid@oru.edu or call the Financial Aid Office at 918.495.6510. If you have already signed the contract, please reference your signed copy.

 

contact us 

918.495.6518
admissions@oru.edu

 

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