Financial aid helps students and their families pay for college. This financial assistance covers educational expenses including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. There are several types of financial aid, including grants and scholarships, work study, and loans. Financial aid awards may include a combination of the various types of aid.

The Financial Aid Offices at each campus have professional staff members to administer the aid programs and advise students and their families regarding the financial aid and scholarship opportunities available to them.

Federal Grants

A grant is a form of financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund). For information about grants, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

Federal Work Study

Under the Federal Work-Study Program, you can work part-time to earn money for your education. Federal Work-Study (FWS) job openings can be viewed at www.hawaii.edu/sece.

The FWS Program provides part-time employment while you are enrolled in school, helps pay your educational expenses, is available to undergraduate, graduate, full-time, and part-time students, is administered by schools participating in the FWS Program, and encourages community service work and work related to your course of study, whenever possible.

Loans

• Student Loan Information (Request for Federal Direct Loans)
• Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
• Learn more about loan repayment

Scholarships & Waivers

Scholarships are gift aid that is awarded based on a variety of factors, such as academic achievement, leadership, field of study, and/or financial need. Scholarships do not need to be repaid. The UH System Common Scholarship Application is one application for numerous scholarships and for students at any of the ten UH campuses.

State of Hawaiʻi B Plus Scholarship: A scholarship for Hawaiʻi residents who graduated from a Hawaiʻi public high school. To be eligible, students must:

1. Have a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0
2. Complete a rigorous high school curriculum
3. Be admitted to and attend full-time as a freshman in the fall semester immediately following high school graduation
4. Demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA

The scholarship may be renewed for a second year if the student completes 30 credits in their first year with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher at their home campus.

UH Opportunity Grants: Grants available to students who are enrolled in at least six credits, show demonstrated financial need, and meet satisfactory progress requirements. Eligibility is based upon financial need as determined through the FAFSA.

Hawaiʻi Promise Scholarship: UH Community Colleges are committed to meeting 100% of tuition costs for qualified students from Hawaiʻi.

Hawaiʻi Promise, funded by the State of Hawaiʻi, provides scholarships to qualified new, continuing and transfer students pursuing a degree at one of the UH Community Colleges. Up to 100% of students' unmet tuition need is met through a combination of federal grants (if applicable) and other scholarships, including Hawaiʻi Promise. Awards are contingent upon funding and amounts are based upon enrollment level, financial need, and other financial resources.

Additional terms and conditions:

1. Hawaiʻi Promise is available for Hawaiʻi residents who enroll in six or more credits at a UH Community Colleges during the Fall or Spring terms.
2. "Unmet tuition need" is based on the cost of tuition, information from a student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and other aid received. Hawaiʻi Promise supports tuition costs that are not fully covered by other grants and scholarships.
3. To qualify, students must submit their FAFSA and make Satisfactory Academic Progress (e.g. 2.0 grade point average).

Click here for additional information about Hawaiʻi Promise.

Charles R. Hemenway Scholarship: A scholarship for bonafide Hawai’i residents pursuing their first degree. Students must be enrolled for at least six credits and demonstrate financial need based on the FAFSA. Requires a personal statement and a letter of recommendation.

Hawai’i Veterans Memorial Scholarship: A scholarship for bonafide Hawai’i residents pursuing their first degree. Students must be enrolled for at least 12 credits and demonstrate financial need based on the FAFSA. Requires personal statement and letter of recommendation.

Ruth E. Black Scholarship: A scholarship for Hawai’i residents whose parents are/were a part of the construction industry. Students must be pursuing their first degree and demonstrate financial need based on the information provided on the FAFSA. Requires a minimum enrollment of at least six credits.

Second Century Scholarship: A scholarship for Native Hawaiian students pursuing their first degree. Students must be Hawai’i residents and demonstrate financial need based on the FAFSA. Requires a minimum enrollment of at least 6 credits.

Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver: A waiver for Native Hawaiian students pursuing their first degree. Students must be Hawai’i residents and demonstrate financial need based on the information provided on the FAFSA. Requires a minimum enrollment of at least 6 credits.