Classes start Monday at Bacone College, which announced Thursday it is extending its enrollment to Sept. 1.

Those taking advantage of the extended enrollment period will follow the same schedule as other students, the same breaks, said Christy Duncan, a Bacone administrative assistant. Students will be able to complete 12 credit hours before Christmas, she said.

That’s not all the good news, according to Duncan.

Bacone is offering a 35 percent scholarship “to all Christian and Native American students.”

The scholarships are to be applied to tuition, room and board, Duncan said.

For a student living in Muskogee or the surrounding area who does not need or want room and board, the 35 percent will apply to tuition only, said Dr. Charles Thompson, campus chaplain and acting director of admissions.

Room and board at Bacone is $6,300 for the school year, he said. In comparison, to share a room with another student at Northeastern State University will cost you $996 each semester. A private room at NSU costs $1,516 a semester. Meals are not included in those costs.

NSU has various meal plans from $776 to $1,466 a semester, said Sean Michael Kennedy of NSU Media Relations.

To live in a quad area at Connors, the cost for each student is $1,933.75 a semester, according to Connors Business Office. Meal plans vary from $786 for 150 meals to $1,413.75 for a seven-day meal plan per semester at Connors.

Tuition is not by the hour but in a package of 12 to 17 hours for each semester at Bacone, Thompson said. Annual tuition is $9,400 for the year, whether you take 12 hours each semester or up to 17 hours each semester, Thompson said.

That would be $400 an hour if you were taking 12 hours each semester. In comparison, Connors State College charges $85.07 per semester hour each semester, which includes all student fees. Northeastern State University tuition is $138.50 credit hour, including student fees.

Native Americans are eligible for the new Bacone scholarship by participating in Native American culture clubs on campus, which include: Native Song and Dance, Native Art and Crafts, Native Language and Storytelling and Native Stickball Team.

“Bacone is the only college in the United States with a Native Stickball Team on scholarship,” Thompson said.