Hawaii Scholarships and Grants
The first step in getting college financial aid, whether you need grants, scholarships or student loans, is to apply for a Federal Pell Grant using the free application for federal student aid, or FAFSA form, located at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. This form is the gateway to nearly all your financial aid resources, as most of them will use the information on the form to determine your eligibility for their programs.
The Pell Grant offers students up to $5550 for the 2010-2011 school year, up slightly over the previous year. Also available from the federal government are Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) that are based upon exceptional financial need, and range from $100 to $4000 per year, and several specific grants for particular fields of study or academic excellence, as well as loans and work study opportunities. Find out more at http://www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov.
Hawaii Scholarships and Grant Programs
A wide variety of student scholarships and grants are available from the University of Hawaii system’s ten campuses. Many have particular qualifications or requirements while others are open for anyone going to college in Hawaii. Below is a listing of the most popular programs that are available for use at any campus of the University System, as well as the Community College System in many cases. Each has its own unique requirements and qualifications.
The 442nd Veterans Endowed Scholarship Fund awards students who graduated high school in Hawaii and are Hawaii residents, based on an essay contest and on grades. The 442nd Regiment Combat Team served in World War II and consisted mainly of Japanese-American citizens who’s families were housed at internment camps during the war. While this is the topic of the essay, anyone who meets the above criteria can apply.
The AlohaCare Believes in Me Scholarship is available to any student with financial need attending college in Hawaii, but does give preference to those students attending neighboring island campuses and secondary preference to those students studying in a health related field.
The American Savings Bank Endowed Scholarship Fund assists graduates of the high schools of Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kauai who are residents. This award is merit based.
The Antone and Edene Vidinha Trust Scholarship offers assistance to any student with financial need who are residents of Kauai. It requires that the student attended high school in Hawaii and can be used at any University of Hawaii campus. It is not merit based.
The Arthur and Beatrice Harris Endowment for Graduate Scholarships are intended to award scholarships to graduate students who are studying at any campus of the University of Hawaii system. It is merit based, but available to non-resident students as well as residents.
The Claire and Kuhio Asam Scholarship Fund awards Native Hawaiin students who are pursuing a degree in early childhood education. It is merit based, but available to non-resident students as well as residents.
The Colonel Harold E. Jensen Scholarship Endowment at the University of Hawaii awards full time students based on merit, and is available to non-resident students as well as residents attending any campus of the University of Hawaii system, and enrolled full time in any field of study.
The Doris Ching Endowed Scholarship for Access allows students who attended high school in Hawaii to obtain assistance for any graduate or undergraduate degree program at any campus of the University of Hawaii system. It does not require residency.
The Dr. Richard Linn Stevens Scholarship Fund for Restoration provides funding for any student who shows a commitment to the preservation and restoration of the natural ecosystem of Hawaii, and is merit based. It does not require residency, and can be used at any campus of the University of Hawaii system for any field of study, both graduate and undergraduate.
The Edwin T. Kam and Leilani Kam Scholarship Fund provides awards only to those students who have been accepted at a mainland university system for study in an undergraduate program through the National Student Exchange program. Hawaii residency is required.
The Faa Samoa Scholarship is open to any undergraduate student in the University of Hawaii system who is enrolled full time. It is merit based, and students of Samoan ancestry are especially encouraged to apply.
The Fernandez Earle Endowed Scholarship awards undergraduate students who are residents of Hawaii and attending any four-year campus of the University of Hawaii system. It gives preference to anyone who is pursuing a degree in marine science or biology but is open to all. It was created to encourage students to remain in Hawaii after graduation.
The Fun Factory Scholarships are availabe to residents of Hawaii who attended high school there, and are enrolled in any field of study either as full time or part time undergraduate freshmen. It is merit based. The Fun Factory Scholarship for Second Year Students is a follow up award to students who were accepted for the Fun Factory Scholarship during their freshman year, and is also merit based.
The Harold and Sandy Noborikawa Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate, full time freshmen in any field of study at a University of Hawaii campus on the island of Oahu. It requires attendance in high school in Hawaii, but does not require residency. It is a merit based selection process.
The Hawaii Lions Scholarship for Leos awards aid to Leo Club members in any field of study who are attending the University of Hawaii at any campus. Residency is not required, but students must have attended high school in Hawaii. This award is merit based.
The Herbert H. Lee Scholarshiop Endowment Trust Fund awards undergraduate or graduate students pursuing any degree at any of the University of Hawaii campuses. Students of Korean descent will be given preference, and this award is merit based. Residency is not required.
The Hideo Noguchi Scholarship for the Advancement of Native Hawaiians is aimed at students pursuing a degree at any four-year campus of the University of Hawaii who are or have been enrolled or participating in the Na Pua Noeau Center for the Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children. This award is merit based but has no residency requirements.
The Ho-Pang Endowed Scholarship assists undergraduate or graduate students at any campus of the University of Hawaii system with attendance costs, including tuition, books, fees, etc. This is not merit based and there are no residency requirements.
The Hoaliku L. Drake Scholarship Endowment awards full time undergraduate students who are Hawaiian residents, and who graduated from Nanakuli High School. This award is merit based and can be awarded to students enrolled in any course of study at any University of Hawaii campus.
The J. Watumull Scholarship for the Study of India awards undergraduate or graduate students at any campus of the University of Hawaii system enrolled in any degree. It provides assistance to study in India for a minimum of two months in a pre-approved program of study. Residency is not required. This is a merit based scholarship.
The Jacob Peace Memorial Award aids full time students who have an interest in peace studies. This award is not merit based and there are no residency requirements.
The John M. Ross Foundation Scholarship awards undergraduate students from the Big Island who have financial need and are attending any campus of the University of Hawaii system. It requires that applicants attended high school in Hawaii, are Hawaiian residents, and it is merit based. It is only available for those students who have received their high school equivalent or diploma within the last three years prior to applying.
The John Vernon and Shizuko Nakagawa Harry Endowed Scholarship awards aid to students enrolled in any undergraduate degree either full time or part time at any University of Hawaii campus. This is a merit based scholarship and open to residents and non-residents alike.
The Justice Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund awards funds to Hawaiian resident students who attended high school in Hawaii and are enrolled in a degree program at any University of Hawaii system campus. Full time graduate or undergraduate students are encouraged to apply. This award is merit based.
The Kaiser Permanente Scholarships are awarded to Hawaiian residents who graduated high school in Hawaii and are attending an undergraduate health care degree program at any campus of the University of Hawaii. It is a merit based program.
The Kauai Government Employees Federal Credit Union Scholarship awards aid to full time resident students who are attending any campus of the University of Hawaii system and are either current or past residents of Kauai. This is a merit based scholarship program.
The Kim Chon-hung Memorial Fund is available to students involved in projects to bring awareness to Korean dance or music, and is offered to undergraduate or graduate students attending any campus of the University of Hawaii system. It is merit based but there are no residency requirements.
The L. Stephen Lau Water Research Endowed Scholarship aids graduate or undergraduate students who are enrolled in a water resource related field of study at any University of Hawaii campus. The focus is on upper division full time or part time students, and this scholarship is merit based, but has no residency requirements.
The Leon J. Rhodes Scholarship Fund is available to students who are attending the Manaoa, Hilo, or West Oahu campuses of the University of Hawaii and are in their sophomore year. It is merit based and is designed to recognize students who have become outstanding citizens due to their college education and campus life experiences. Residency is not required, but awards are generally given to those students who have active community involvement in terms of leadership or various extracurricular activities.
The MIS Veterans of Hawaii / Makiki Japanese Language School Endowed Scholarship awards students who are enrolled in a program that is focused on Japanese culture or language at any campus of the University of Hawaii. Full time graduate or undergraduate students are encouraged to apply. This is a merit based award, but there are no residency requirements.
The Maggie and Dan Inouye Hawaii Education Foundation Endowed Scholarship aids full time students at any campus of the University of Hawaii system who are residents of the state and attended high school in Hawaii. This award is not merit based.
The Mildred Towle Scholarship for International Students at the University of Hawaii aids international students who are attending any program at any campus of the University of Hawaii in either a graduate or undergraduate degree. This is a merit based award and is also available to those students who are from American territories.
The Palolo Lions Club Scholarship Fund awards students from their district who are attending any campus of the University of Hawaii. Students must be enrolled as full time freshmen, but can be enrolled in any discipline. This is a merit based scholarship.
The Stars of Oceania Scholarship awards funds to graduate or undergraduate students who are enrolled in any campus of the University of Hawaii system, but is limited to helping those students who are from one of the following areas: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Gutuna, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Nieu, Republic of Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, or Wallis. While helping students with tuition, they also award grants for travel related expenses for students involved in work that assists Pacific Island countries. This is a merit based award program.
The University of Hawaii Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship is avaliable to children and grandchildren of the alumni of any University of Hawaii campus who pursue an undergraduate degree. This is a merit based scholarship and there are no residency requirements.
The University of Hawaii Scholarship Endowment Fund is awarded to undergraduate students enrolled full time at any campus of the University of Hawaii system. Hawaiian residency and attendance at a Hawaiian high school are conditions of the award, which is merit based.
The Varsity Victory Volunteers Endowed Scholarship is a merit based award targed at students who attended Hawaiian high schools and are attending one of the University of Hawaii campuses full time. There is no residency requirement for this scholarship award.
The Violet S. Sato Endowed Scholarship Fund is available to students who graduated from either Waialua High School or Kaimuki High School and is merit based. There is no residency requirement, but students must be coming in as full time freshmen to qualify.
The Virginia Pearson Ransberg Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship is available to students attending the Manoa, Hilo or West Oahu campuses with an education major. It is open to full time or part time, graduate or undergraduate students and is merit based. There are no residency requirements.
The Walter A. and Diane N. Dods Endowed Scholarship is available for students who attended high school in Hawaii and are enrolled either full or part time in a graduate or undergraduate program at any campus of the University of Hawaii system. This award is merit based.
The Walter Francis and Mary Dillingham Frear Scholarship Fund is available to residents of Hawaii who attended high school there and are enrolled in any graduate or undergraduate program at any campus of the University of Hawaii. This is a merit based program.
For more information on any of these programs and many others, contact your local campus financial aid office or high school guidance counselor, or contact the University of Hawaii System Scholarships, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, 2600 Campus Road, CQLCSS #414E, Honolulu, HI 96822. To see them online visit http://www.hawaii.edu/admissions/aid.html. You can also email scholarships@hawaii.edu.
The above outlines only those programs that are available for a wide variety of students and is not an exhaustive list. More details on each of these programs and more can be found online at the University of Hawaii Foundation system website, at http://www.uhf.hawaii.edu. Also be sure to contact local municipal offices and other local resources, such as your employer or the employer of your parents, or local church or community organizations which may have aid available that is not listed here. Prospective students are also encouraged to visit http://www.college.gov for inspiring stories about attending and paying for college, and http://www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov for more information and updates concerning federal grants, loans, and work study programs.