Grants and Scholarships
UH West O‘ahu offers a variety of opportunities to help fund your education. Most scholarships and grants require submitting a FAFSA. We encourage all students to submit their FAFSA regardless of financial circumstances. Grants and scholarships are a form of financial aid that do not have to be repaid, however, both have specific requirements. Some scholarships may be awarded based on merit. This means that students may need a minimum GPA to qualify for a scholarship, whereas grants are need-based and are awarded based on your financial situation. Both grants and scholarships may also have enrollment criteria. Please read below to learn more.
Grants
Grants are a form of aid that do not need to be repaid and eligibility is determined based upon financial need. To be considered for grants, a student must complete their FAFSA. Grant funding is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Complete your FAFSA now!
Federal Pell Grant
The Federal Pell Grant is awarded to students with exceptional financial need, who are pursuing their first baccalaureate degree and have not met their Pell Lifetime Eligibility Usage (LEU). To be eligible for the federal Pell Grant, the student must be enrolled at least half-time (minimum of 6-credits). In a few cases, less than half-time enrolled recipients may qualify. The award amount is based on the student’s EFC as determined by the U.S. Department of Education and based on congressional funding.
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant is awarded to students with exceptional financial need, who are Pell Grant eligible and are enrolled at least half-time (minimum of six credits). Funding is limited and award amounts for this fund will vary.
UH West Oʻahu Opportunity Grant
UH Opportunity Grants are awarded to students with financial need and are intended to protect the access of low-income students to higher education. To be eligible for this fund, the student must demonstrate financial need by completing the FAFSA, be a resident of Hawai‘i and be enrolled at least at half-time (6-credits) as a classified undergraduate student. Funding is limited and award amounts will vary.
Scholarships
Scholarships are usually awarded on the basis of merit, academic performance, and/or financial need. Scholarships are not guaranteed for renewal in subsequent years and may have minimum credit requirements. Scholarships are available to both first-time and transfer students.
Full Tuition
Full tuition scholarships have their own applications and processes. These prestigious scholarships are awarded based on specific requirements.
Regents Scholarships support Hawai’i high school resident students with a record of outstanding academic achievement. Regents Scholars receive a full tuition waiver for four years of undergraduate study, $4,000 a year and a one-time travel grant of $2,000. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is January 15, 2021. Regents Scholarships are awarded to two outstanding freshmen who receive a SAT total score of at least 1340 (test taken after March 2016) or ACT combined score of at least 29, maintain at least a 3.5 GPA in academic subjects in high school, and whose extracurricular achievements are shown to be remarkable.
To apply, complete the documents provided below:
Regents Scholarship Application (PDF)
Letter of Recommendation (PDF)
Personal Statement (PDF)
Presidential Scholarships support students with a record of outstanding academic achievement. Presidential Scholars receive a full tuition waiver for two years of undergraduate study, $4,000 a year and a one-time travel grant of $2,000. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is January 15, 2021. The Presidential Scholarship is awarded to one UH System community college junior who has a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7 for all college-level work, a record of sustained progress in academic courses, and evidence of superior academic achievement or creative endeavor. Presidential Scholarships focus on supporting the transfer of UH System community college students to UH baccalaureate campuses as juniors.
To apply, complete the documents provided below:
Presidential Scholarship Application (PDF)
Letter of Recommendation (PDF)
Personal Statement (PDF)
The Chancellor’s Scholarship is an award that acknowledges academic achievement, leadership and community service. The UH West O’ahu Chancellor’s Scholarship is valued at $7,344 ($3,672/semester) and will be awarded to high-achieving high school graduates who are entering UH West O’ahu for the 2020-2021 academic year. Recipients of the UH West O’ahu Chancellor’s Scholarship will be required to serve as UH West O’ahu Student Representatives. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is January 15, 2021. The Chancellorʻs Scholarship is awarded to Hawaiʻi high school resident graduates with a 3.5 cumulative GPA and evidence of academic achievement, leadership, and community service.
To apply, complete the documents provided below:
Chancellor’s Scholarship Application (PDF)
Native Hawaiian Tuition Scholarship assists in providing to new students of Native Hawaiian ancestry with demonstrated financial need, as determined by the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu. The applicant must be a new classified student, pursuing their baccalaureate degree at UH West Oʻahu. The applicant must be a resident of Hawaiʻi and be enrolled at least half-time (minimum 6 credits). The applicant must also be in good academic standing with at least a 2.0 GPA or better. Completion of the FAFSA and the financial aid process is required. This is a one-time, first-year only award and is not renewed as a continuing student. Other awards may be considered with good standing based on availability.
The Hoʻoilina Scholarship, a partnership between the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA), Hawai’i Lodging and Tourism Association (HLTA), and University of Hawaiʻi –West Oʻahu Business Administration Division will award two (2), two-year scholarships ($8,000 per year) to Hawaiʻi community college graduates with an associate degree in hospitality, tourism, or culinary studies who enroll at UH West Oʻahu and declare Business Administration-Hospitality & Tourism as their program of study.
To apply, complete the online form:
Hoʻoilina Scholarship Application (Freshmen Cohort)
Hoʻoilina Scholarship Application (Transfer Cohort)
Partial Tuition
There is not a separate scholarship application process for partial tuition scholarships, however, a FAFSA is required as well as meeting the minimum scholarship criteria. Scholarships are not guaranteed for renewal in subsequent years and may have additional requirements.
This merit scholarship was established to promote graduating from UH West Oʻahu in an expeditious manner. To be considered, the recipient must be a classified, degree-seeking student at UH West O‘ahu who has successfully completed at least 30 credits in the previous academic year and continuing to enroll in at least 30 credits for the current academic year. Students need not submit a separate application, but the FAFSA is required. Awards will be determined by the Financial Aid Office based on fund availability.
This scholarship is available to students who are from eligible Pacific Island districts, commonwealths, territories, jurisdictions; who have demonstrated financial need as determined by the completion of the FAFSA. This fund is awarded to help offset their tuition costs which is a 150% of the UH West Oʻahu Resident Tuition Rate for the academic year.
This scholarship was established to promote opportunities and increase access to higher education for students of Native Hawaiian ancestry. The student must be a Hawaiʻi Resident, is in good academic standing and demonstrate financial need as determined by the completion of the FAFSA.
This scholarship recognizes Hawaiʻi high school graduates with demonstrated financial need, who have achieved a final high school GPA of a 3.0 or greater. The student must be a Hawaiʻi resident and be enrolled full time (12 or more credits). The recipient may receive this fund for a maximum of four years as long as the student maintains good academic standing at the university.
UH System Common Scholarship
Partial tuition scholarships can be completed using the UH System Common Scholarship Application. A large portion of the scholarships available through this application are funded by UH Foundation donors. However, there are other small system and campus scholarships that utilize this application. Students are encouraged to apply annually. The deadline to apply for UH System Scholarships is March 1, 2021 at 4 p.m. (HST).
Recommended Scholarship Websites
External scholarships are funds awarded and managed by an outside entity such as local businesses, professional organizations, financial institutions, foundations, government and state agencies, etc. For more information on available funding, due dates, and scholarship requirements, please click the appropriate link to the scholarship agency below.
