The University of Hawaii at Hilo (UH Hilo) is an institution that offers opportunities for higher education located in the Hawaiian archipelago. UH Hilo has grown and developed over the years to meet educational needs and provide aspirations for the community. In addition to focusing on its undergraduate education, UH Hilo also provides a variety of postgraduate degree programs in focused areas at both the master’s and doctoral levels.

The strengths of UH Hilo can be found in its small classes, low student and faculty ratios, diverse student bodies, faculties that are actively researching and encouraging students to actively participate in the latest research, community service, and “the spirit of aloha” which embodies the student-centered approach of UH Hilo.

There are the following academic units at UH Hilo:

• College of Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM)
• College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), including Divisions of Humanities and Social Sciences
• College of Natural and Health Sciences (CNHS)
• College of Business and Economics (COBE)
• College of Hawaiian Language (KHUOK)
• Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP)

For those who are eager to study abroad, UH Hilo offers the following scholarships that are eligible for international students:

UH Hilo International Student Scholarship

This scholarship is aimed at international students on F-1 visas who have provided exceptional academic performance and have some degree of financial need. New students who apply for this educational assistance program must first register for UH Hilo admissions. Once accepted, all new international students will automatically be considered for receiving the UH Hilo International Student Scholarship and will be notified by email if they are offered a scholarship. No application is needed at this stage. However, those who wish to register can fill out an online form here.

The deadline for registration of the UH Hilo International Student Scholarship for the 2020-2021 school year is March 15, 2020.

UH Scholarships

These scholarships are available for students who have been accepted by the University. The UH System Common Scholarship Application is a single application form that can be used to apply to all scholarships, including both UH Hilo and UH scholarships. You only need to submit one application for these scholarships. What you should pay attention to is that as an international student on a visa you don’t need to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for these scholarships.

The deadline for registration of these scholarships for the 2020-2021 school year has yet to be announced. Please wait for further notice.

UH scholarships that are eligible for international students are as follows.

1. Ambassador Mary Olmsted Endowed Fellowship Fund (for citizens of Papua New Guinea)
2. Arthur & Beatrice Harris Endowment for Graduate Scholarships (for graduate students)
3. Richard Linn Stevens Scholarship Fund for Restoration
4. Faʻa Samoa Scholarship Fund
5. Henry E. Renteria Scholarship Fund (for English majors)
6. Ho-Pang Endowed Scholarship
7. John Vernon & Shizuko Nakagawa Harry Endowed Scholarship
8. Leon J. Rhodes Scholarship
9. Michael J. Levin Endowed Scholarship
10. Mildred Towle Scholarship for International Students
11. Military Intelligence Service Veterans of Hawaiʻi/Makiki Japanese Language School Endowed Scholarship Fund
12. Stars of Oceania Scholarship
13. Victor and Peggy Brandstrom Pavel Scholars
14. Virginia Pearson Ransburg Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship

Loans

International students who meet certain requirements are entitled to receive several college loans. Specifically, these loans require someone who guarantees that you will repay the loan and is responsible for repaying the loan if the candidate cannot do it (co-signer).

International Student Loan Center and International Student Loan can provide you with information about the ranges for international students to apply for loans. In addition, SallieMae Smart Option Student Loan is also available, which accepts loan applications from non-United States residents. Even so, this type of loan will require you to have a credit-worthy co-signer who must be a US citizen or permanent resident.

Instead of determining eligibility based on your co-signer, loans without a co-signer generally look at factors such as how soon you will graduate, your career potential, and whether you attend an approved school on the list. Each lender has their eligibility requirements, and because of this it is very important to compare each lender. You can find out more about loans for international students who don’t need a co-signer at the following link.

U.S. Federal Financial Aid

Students should fill out and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online to register for U.S. financial assistance. federal. Students must register for each year beginning in January for each new school year. Students from FSM and Marshall Islands are eligible for Pell Grants, while students from Palau are eligible for Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) and Federal Work-Study.

Government Scholarships

A list of Government Scholarships that deserve to be taken into account by international students include:

1. FSM National Government Scholarship
2. Chuuk State Scholarship
3. Kosrae State Scholarship
4. Kosrae Baccalaureate Degree Initiative Scholarship
5. Pohnpei Scholarship
6. Yap State Scholarship
7. Marshall Islands Scholarship
8. Palau National Scholarship

In general, the UH System Scholarship Application imposes candidates for fulfilling the following criteria:

• Personal Statement: Your personal statement must address why you think you deserve a scholarship, how this scholarship can help in your studies, your educational and career goals, any achievements you have received, your current job, your personal background, and any obstacles in pursuing your educational goals as well as how you plan to overcome them.
• Community Service Essay: Topics for essays that you can choose from include Community or Volunteer Service, Health Care, 442nd Veterans Endowed Scholarship, Restoration, Environmental Sustainability, etc.
• Letters of Recommendation: It is recommended that you ask permission from certain parties to become your recommenders and ask them to submit a Letter of Recommendation online before the deadline. Recommenders include past or present teachers/professors, employers, religious leaders, community leaders and organization leaders.
• Transcripts (if applicable)
• Completion of a FAFSA: Candidates who have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will allow the review committees to determine the requirements of their eligibility if a scholarship requires demonstration needs.
• Campus specific questions and requirements: The applicants will be given a number of additional questions that will help them to determine whether they are eligible for specific funds from the campuses of their choice.

Because the application system has a security feature where the application process will close automatically after 45 minutes, the candidates are recommended to prepare their personal statements and essays early and paste them into the application to avoid data loss. You can save and continue your application at any time before the deadline, but once you submit your application you will not be able to return to make any changes.

Click on this link to register for scholarships available at UH Hilo.