OERB announces $523,000 in college scholarships to petroleum students

Nearly a hundred university students in Oklahoma will be awarded with more than $523,000 in scholarship funds from the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board for the coming academic year.

The students are those at state universities studying petroleum-related fields. The 97 students will share in $523,500 in scholarship funds.

The Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (OERB), funded by the oil and natural gas industry, provides scholarships for students majoring in Petroleum Engineering, Geoenergy Engineering, Geosciences, and Energy Management at Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa.

“These scholarships are more than financial support; they are an investment in the future of energy,” said OERB Executive Director Mindy Stitt. “We believe in the potential of these students to drive advancement and innovation for our industry.”

The University of Oklahoma (OU) has pledged its support by matching the Geoscience and Petroleum Engineering scholarship dollars provided by the OERB. This generous matching contribution amounts to $221,750, elevating the total impact to $735,250.

Students can apply for the scholarships during each year of undergraduate work. The amount increases annually, with a $7,500 maximum scholarship for seniors. Petroleum Scholars also receive exclusive access to industry networking events and educational activities. The scholarship application period for the 2026-2027 school year will open on November 1. For a list of criteria or for more information, visit oerb.com/scholarships.

The OERB is funded by more than 2,500 producers and thousands of royalty owners across Oklahoma through a voluntary one-tenth of 1 percent assessment on oil and natural gas production. Since 1993, the agency’s purpose is to clean historic well sites and support educational initiatives.

Oklahoma scholarship recipients: