Bacone College is the nation’s oldest American Indian institution of higher learning and the oldest higher education institution in Oklahoma.  Furthermore, Bacone is the most affordable university option for American Indian students in the State of Oklahoma. No institution of higher education has a longer standing connection to the education of American Indian people, than Bacone College!

For 140 years, Bacone College has served as more than another building of higher education. Founded as Indian University in 1880, the school began classes in “Indian Territory” well before Oklahoma was formed.

Today, four Oklahoma Tribes charter Bacone College. They are the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma, Osage Nation, Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes, and Kiowa Tribe.

Bacone College was not formed as an “ivory tower” escape from the world.  Instead, it was planted in the midst of upheaval and conflict. Bacone was founded to inspire students to rise above the injustices of their day.

10 Reasons Why Bacone College May Be for You

1. Bacone College is the nation’s oldest American Indian University and the oldest university in Oklahoma.
2. Bacone College is the State of Oklahoma’s most inexpensive university for American Indian students.
3. Bacone College focuses on American Indian students (65 percent of the university’s student population) while also having students from various other countries, ethnicities and races on campus.
4. Bacone College participates @ the NAIA Division I level in athletics and the majority of the school’s coaches and athletes are American Indian.
5. Bacone College has an American Indian University President and many staff, faculty and Board of Trustees members who come from a variety of tribal nations and communities.  As well, there are university employees of highly diverse racial, ethnic and international origins who strongly believe in the historic mission of the university.  
6. Bacone College offers up to $10,000 in scholarships to all residential American Indian students.  Please see our scholarships and grants page for more information.
7. Bacone College staff assist American Indian students with grant and scholarship submissions to various state, regional and national American Indian scholarship programs.
8. Bacone College staff diligently work to ensure that all levels of federal, state and tribal aid are applied to your accounts.
9. Bacone College offers many bachelor and associate degree programs in its urban campus of Muskogee, Oklahoma, less than an hour’s drive from the major metropolitan area of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
10. Attending Bacone continues the legacy of American Indian Education and ties you to a rich history of American Indian success, leadership and strength.