Financial Aid Types

Federal Pell Grant: A federal grant for FAFSA-eligible students who have enough financial need, as determined by the federal financial need formula, and have not already earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. Eligibility is limited to six full-time school years, and award amounts are prorated based on enrollment intensity.

More information about the Federal Pell Grant is available on the US Department of Education’s Federal Pell Grant web page.

Requirements: FAFSA, financial need, full-time or part-time degree-applicable enrollment

Hawaiʻi Promise: A last-dollar state grant for first-degree Hawaiʻi residents that have financial need, as determined by the federal financial need formula, and do not have enough federal, state, or institutional gift aid (free financial aid) to cover eligible direct costs. Eligible direct costs include tuition, fees, and a standard estimated amount for books and supplies. Award amounts are initially calculated using estimated direct costs for full-time enrollment, but later adjusted based on actual enrollment.

Requirements: FAFSA, financial need, minimum half-time degree-applicable enrollment

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG): A federal grant for Pell-eligible students with the most financial need, as determined by the federal financial need formula.

Requirements: FAFSA, financial need, minimum half-time degree-applicable enrollment

UH Opportunity Grant: An institutional grant for students with financial need, as determined by the federal financial need formula.

Requirements: FAFSA, financial need, minimum half-time degree-applicable enrollment

Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver: A UH grant for Hawaiʻi residents of Native Hawaiian descent with financial need, as determined by the federal financial need formula. Only Hawaiʻi CC tuition is eligible; tuition for enrollment at other schools is not eligible.

Requirements: FAFSA, financial need, minimum half-time degree-applicable enrollment, Hawaiʻi resident, Native Hawaiian ancestry

Second Century Scholars: A UH grant for first-degree Hawaiʻi residents of Native Hawaiian descent with financial financial need, as determined by the federal financial need formula.

Requirements: FAFSA, financial need, minimum half-time degree-applicable enrollment, Hawaiʻi resident, Native Hawaiian ancestry, first degree

Hawaiʻi B+ Scholarship: A UH scholarship for Hawaiʻi residents with financial need, as determined by the federal financial need formula, who enroll at Hawaiʻi CC for the school year directly following graduation from a State of Hawaiʻi public high school.

Requirements: FAFSA, financial need, minimum full-time degree-applicable enrollment, minimum 3.0 high school GPA, rigorous high school curriculum

Hawaiʻi CC Achievement Scholarship: An institutional scholarship for students with demonstrated achievement or service to Hawaiʻi CC.

Requirements: UH Common Scholarship Application, minimum half-time degree-applicable enrollment

UH Foundation (UHF) Scholarships: Hundreds of scholarships for students who complete the annual UH Common Scholarship Application and meet scholarship-specific requirements. Many UHF scholarships require financial need, so FAFSA completion is strongly encouraged.

Requirements: FAFSA (if applicable), UH Common Scholarship Application, scholarship-specific criteria

Grants, scholarships, or other financial assistance from organizations not affiliated with UH. External organizations determine their own criteria and select their own award recipients, so applicants should read all information and track deadlines carefully. Most legitimate grant and scholarship opportunities do not charge application fees or request sensitive information like social security and credit card numbers. With few exceptions, students should never pay to apply for external grants and scholarships, and should never disclose sensitive information.

Hawaiʻi CC is not affiliated with, nor endorses or recommends, any external organizations or resource providers. However, many Hawaiʻi CC students apply for and receive funds from the external organizations listed below. Students may also search for opportunities using scholarship search engines provided by organizations like Fastweb, College Board, and Sallie Mae.

• Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF)
• Hawaiʻi Education Association (HEA)
• Pauahi Foundation
• ALU LIKE – Hana Lima Scholarship Program

Federal Work-Study (FWS): Federal funding for part-time student employment for FAFSA-eligible students who are eligible to work in the United States. The primary benefits for students include work hours that do not interfere with class schedules, wages that are not counted against future financial need determinations, valuable job experience, and various networking opportunities. Students with FWS funding may also be more likely to be hired for eligible on-campus employment if employer funding for student wages is limited.

More information about Federal Work-Study is available on the US Department of Education’s Federal Work-Study web page.

To request a FWS allocation for an eligible student employee, employers must submit a Federal Work-Study Request, available on the Financial Aid Forms web page.

Requirements: FAFSA, financial need, minimum half-time degree-applicable enrollment, eligible on-campus employment

Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans: Federal student loans for most FAFSA-eligible students that must be repaid and are subject to interest and loan fees. Interest on subsidized loans does not accumulate while students are enrolled at least half-time and during eligible deferment periods; interest on unsubsidized loans accumulates from the date of disbursement. Because subsidized loans do not accumulate interest while students are enrolled at least half-time, students are not eligible to accept unsubsidized loans unless they have accepted the full subsidized amount for which they qualify.

Federal student loans are subject to both annual (per school year) and aggregate (lifetime) limits. Limits are determined by class standing, financial aid dependency status, and degree type. Subsidized loans are only available to students with financial need.

More information about subsidized and unsubsidized loans – including interest rates, fees, and limits – is available on the US Department of Education’s Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans web page.

Federal direct student loans are disbursed in two equal installments, one at the beginning of the loan period and one at the midpoint. An additional 30-day delay is applied to the first disbursement for first-time, first-year borrowers. Accepted loans may be canceled before they disburse and up to 14 days after the disbursement notification. After 14 days, recipients must work with their loan servicer to cancel or repay their loans.

When a student loan borrower graduates, completely withdraws, transfers to a different school, stops attending classes, or otherwise enrolls in fewer than six credits, they must complete Federal Direct Loan Exit Counseling, available on the US Department of Education’s Federal Direct Loan Exit Counseling web page. No loan payments are required during applicable grace periods, but students must begin making payments to their loan servicers when their grace period ends.

Requirements: FAFSA, Federal Direct Loan Request, Master Promissory Note (MPN), Student Loan Entrance Counseling, minimum half-time degree-applicable enrollment

Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans: Federal student loans for biological or adoptive parents of dependent undergraduate students to cover educational costs that must be repaid and are subject to interest and loan fees. Eligibility is not based on financial need but a credit check is required. If a parent’s PLUS Loan application is denied, the student may request additional unsubsidized loan funding, or the parent may add an endorser (co-signer) to their application.

Parent PLUS Loans are subject to both annual (per school year) and aggregate (lifetime) limits. Provided the amount fits within the student’s remaining COA budget, parents may borrow up to $20,000 per year, per student, and no more than $65,000 total per student.

More information about Parent PLUS loans – including interest rates, fees, and limits – is available on the US Department of Education’s Direct PLUS Loans for Parents web page.

Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans are disbursed in two equal installments, one at the beginning of the loan period and one at the midpoint. An additional 30-day delay is applied to the first disbursement for first-time, first-year borrowers. Accepted loans may be canceled before they disburse and up to 14 days after the disbursement notification. After 14 days, recipients must work with their loan servicer to cancel or repay their loans.

Requirements: FAFSA, Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan Application, MPN, minimum half-time degree-applicable enrollment

Private Education Loans: Non-federal student loans offered by banks or other lenders for school expenses. Hawaiʻi CC does not offer, certify, or otherwise process private loans, and does not maintain a preferred lender list. Students should consider all other financial aid and payment options prior to applying for private loans.

Pursuant to 34 CFR 601.11(d), students admitted to or enrolled at Hawaiʻi CC may request a copy of the Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form and any information necessary to complete it by emailing hawccfao@hawaii.edu.