Homeschool benefits: Southwest Technology Center
The Next Experience in Training (NEXT) Scholarship waives up to 1,000 hours of tuition in a full-time program at Southwest Technology Center (SWTC) in Altus, worth up to $3,000 at the 2026-27 rate of $3 an hour. A homeschool graduate who lives in the SWTC district, finished with at least a 2.5 GPA, and starts before turning 21 can apply, but only two awards are given per program each year.
Who qualifies
Graduated from an in-district home school
SWTC accepts a high school diploma from any in-district public school or home school, or a high school equivalency diploma. Send a final transcript that shows the graduation date.
Kept a 2.5 GPA
A transcript is required with the application.
Lives in the SWTC district
Your student must prove residency in the Southwest Technology Center school district and keep living there while in the program.
Starts full time before 21
The award is for full-time programs only, and your student must begin class before their 21st birthday. They must also be accepted and enrolled before the scholarship is awarded.
What it is worth
SWTC's 2026-27 program cost sheet charges in-district students $3 per clock hour, and NEXT pays for up to 1,000 of those hours.
- General Aviation, 600 hours ($1,800)
- $1,800
- Administrative Assistant, 600 hours ($1,800)
- $1,800
- Automotive Service Technician, 960 hours ($2,880)
- $2,880
- Airframe Mechanic, 1,200 hours ($3,600)
- $3,000
- Cosmetology, 1,250 hours ($3,750)
- $3,000
Hours past 1,000 are billed to your student unless a Pell Grant covers them, and the cost sheet lists books, lab fees, and certification exams as separate charges for each program.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
File the FAFSA
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with SWTC school code 030087. It must be filed again each year.
- 45 days before the start date
Turn in the NEXT application
Due dates vary by program. Attach the transcript, a written statement of financial need, and two letters of recommendation from people outside the family.
- Before the award
Get admitted and enroll
Complete SWTC's admission requirements and enroll in the full-time program. A Student Services Director and a school counselor decide eligibility.
- While enrolled
Keep up attendance and grades
Attend 90% of classroom, lab, and clinical time, keep satisfactory academic progress, and avoid written disciplinary action, which revokes the award.
- Within one school year
Finish the program
The 1,000 hours are forfeited if a full-time student does not finish within one school year, or two school years when attending part time.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition for up to 1,000 clock hours
- One full-time program
Not covered
- Books and fees
- Equipment and tools
- Uniforms and supplies
- Tuition past 1,000 hours
- Retaken classes
The waiver is applied before tuition is charged to your student's account, and any eligible Pell Grant then pays the tuition left over.
Only two NEXT scholarships are available in each full-time program each year, and applicants are scored on financial need, training and work history, district residency, and full-time plans.
Good to know
In-district homeschool diplomas count
SWTC lists a diploma from any in-district home school alongside in-district public schools. Your student needs a transcript showing at least a 2.5 GPA and must live in the SWTC district.
Eligibility does not guarantee the scholarship
Each full-time program has only two NEXT awards a year, and a committee scores applicants out of 100 points, with up to 50 for financial need.
Who to contact
The main office in Altus connects you with the financial aid coordinator, who answers questions about the NEXT Scholarship and the FAFSA.
580-477-2250 Financial aid page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Oklahoma
Oklahoma law does not require a homeschool filing. The state education department recommends notifying the school when withdrawing a student; that recommendation is not a statutory approval process.
Oklahoma sets these rules:
- Subjects: Instruction should cover reading, writing, mathematics, science, citizenship, the U.S. Constitution, health, safety, physical education, and conservation.
- Testing: Oklahoma does not require a statewide standardized test for homeschoolers.
- Records: No routine state submission is required; attendance and work records are prudent evidence that instruction is being provided.
- Teachers: No state homeschool-parent credential is required.
Read the Oklahoma homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Oklahoma
Questions parents ask
- What will we still pay?
- You pay for books, fees, equipment, tools, uniforms, and supplies, plus any tuition hours beyond 1,000. On the 2026-27 cost sheet, those charges come to $372.58 for Administrative Assistant and $1,213.36 for Cosmetology, for example.
- Can my student use it for part-time classes?
- No. The scholarship is for full-time programs only. If your student later attends part time, the program must be finished within two school years or the award is lost.
- What happens if my student has to retake a class?
- NEXT does not pay for retaken classes, so your student pays that tuition.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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