Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver

About the Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver

Every academic year the UH system distributes tuition waivers intended for Hawaiian students pursuing their academics at all UH Campuses. The Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver Program was established to support and increase the number of Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian students seeking higher education. The waivers are allocated to each campus based on enrollment data from the previous academic year, and are intended for students who are NEED BASED according to their FAFSA report. In the past few years, HonCC has been allocated a range of 14-20 Tuition Waivers.

Eligibility

The Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver is available to students who:

• Are enrolled at Honolulu CC as their home campus
• Demonstrate financial need, as determined by federal guidelines based on the completion of the FAFSA
• Are enrolled at least part-time (minimum of 6 credits)
• Maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher

Preference will be given to students who:

• Have identified as Native Hawaiian on their Admissions Application
• Are enrolled full-time (12 credits minimum)

Selection Process

Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center collaborates with the college’s Financial Aid Office to identify students who meet the eligibility requirements outlined above and the criteria below:

• Does not have a Bachelor’s Degree
• Is not on Financial Aid or Academic Probation
• Applied and completed their FAFSA (inclusive of additional documents) by May 1*
• Has an expected family contribution (EFC) of $3,000 or less*

* Subject to change from academic year or semester

The Financial Aid Office will distribute a letter to all identified students, inviting them to submit a Personal Statement based on three set questions. A selection committee created by Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center will rank, review and select individuals based on their Personal Statement and will be awarded the Tuition Waiver. Students will be notified of awards by email to their hawaii.edu account. Awards will be dispersed through the Honolulu Community College Financial Aid Office.

Post-Award Requirements

Students who have accepted the waiver are required each semester to:

1. Attend an orientation at the beginning of the semester
2. Attend an advising session with the Native Hawaiian Counselor
3. Attend one of the scheduled Mālama ʻĀina events

Waivers are distributed on a semester-to-semester basis. Failure to meet the post-award requirements could impact your award in the Spring semester.

For more information contact the Native Hawaiian Counselor: Faith Kahale Saito, 845-9112, fsaito@hawaii.edu