FINANCIAL AID OFFER INFORMATION
What you need to know about your financial aid offer:
You must apply for financial aid annually. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available online at Studentaid.gov on October 1 each year.
February 1st is the priority date for all documents to be received by Financial Aid Services (FAS). Please remember that all financial aid offers are based on eligibility and availability of funds.
- Courses that do not count towards a student’s degree cannot be used to determine enrollment status for financial aid purposes.
- A student may receive aid to repeat a previously passed course one additional time.
All information contained below may be subject to change. Please check your MyUH account, your hawaii.edu e-mail, and the financial aid website regularly for important information and announcements.
This offer of financial aid applies only to the 2023-2024 Fall and Spring semesters at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. It is NOT transferable to another institution.
Your financial aid offer is valid for 30 days. Your financial aid offer may be cancelled if you do not accept or decline your financial aid offer within this time frame. If your financial aid offer is cancelled, you may request to have your financial aid offer reinstated. Please be aware that some funds may no longer be available (i.e. Federal Work-Study and Grants).
ACADEMIC STATUS
All students receiving financial aid are expected to make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree. To remain eligible for financial assistance, you must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative Grade Point Average for undergraduates and a 3.0 cumulative Grade Point Average for graduates, unless specified by your program of study and complete your degree program within the time frame allowed at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.
CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION/FINANCIAL AID
If you will not be attending the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, please cancel your registration via your MyUH services. It is your responsibility to notify Financial Aid Services in writing.
COHORT DEFAULT RATE AND PERCENTAGE RATE OF STUDENTS WHO BORROW AT University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
Each year the U.S. Department of Education publishes cohort default rates based on the percentage of student borrowers who enter repayment on FFEL program loans during a federal fiscal year (October 1–September 30) and default before the end of the next fiscal year. The most current official cohort default rate average for the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa is 0.0 percent, while the national cohort default rate average is 0.0 percent.
The percentage of students who borrow loans at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa is 31 percent.
COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL POLICY
Federal regulation mandates a “Return of Title IV Funds” policy for all students who are receiving federal financial aid and who process a complete withdrawal on or before 60% of the semester has elapsed. You may be required to repay a portion or all of the financial aid disbursement received. During the first 60% of the enrollment period, a student “earns” financial aid in direct proportion to the length of time they were enrolled. The percentage of the period that the student remained enrolled is determined by dividing the number of days that the student completed by the number of days in the term. Any unearned aid, other than Federal Work-Study, must be returned to the proper Title IV program(s). Unearned aid is the amount of disbursed aid minus the amount of aid earned. The Institution will hold you responsible for the entire amount of unearned aid. Until this overpayment is cleared, you will not be able to receive any services from the Institution or enroll at any other institution in the University of Hawai’i system.
COURSES TOWARDS YOUR DEGREE
If you receive federal financial aid it is important that you ensure you are enrolling for courses that fulfill degree requirements. If you are uncertain whether a course fulfills your degree requirements, we encourage you to meet with your academic advisor. Your academic advisor can help you build your long term academic and co-curricular plan. If your current program is not correct, work with your advisor to make the appropriate changes to your major or minor.
If you enroll in courses not applicable towards your degree, your aid may not pay for those courses. Your financial aid may be prorated or canceled based on only the applicable coursework.
CREDIT LOAD
Your financial aid offer will be based on full-time status at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa (12 credits for undergraduates, 8 credits for graduates, 12 or more credits for professional students). Your financial aid disbursement will be pro-rated based on your enrollment. If you are not or will not be enrolled as a full-time student, you will need to complete the 2022-2023 Online Financial Aid Enrollment form for each term and submit this online form by the deadline on the form. If you are a graduate student enrolled in more than 8 credits, please notify Financial Aid Services so adjustments can be made accordingly. Note: To receive Federal loans, you must be enrolled at least half-time.
If you will be concurrently enrolled at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and at one of the other University of Hawaii System institutions, you must be enrolled for at least 6 credits at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa in order to be eligible for financial aid. If you would like your enrollment at other University of Hawaii System Institutions’ courses to be counted toward your University of Hawai’i at Mānoa enrollment, you will need to complete the 2022-2023 UH System Concurrent Enrollment Form for each term and submit it to Financial Aid Services by the deadline on the form.
FINANCIAL AID DISBURSEMENT PROCEDURES
Financial Aid Services is able to disburse funds after you’ve accepted your financial aid offer and completed all necessary requirements (please check your MyUH Services). The Cashier’s Office will apply your financial aid towards your University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Tuition, Fees and Student Housing charges 10 days prior to the start of the semester. If your class(es) starts after the posted semester start date, your disbursement date will be delayed. (Please note: you must show full-time enrollment for the automatic financial aid disbursement. If you will not be full-time enrolled, refer to the “CREDIT LOAD” Section) All refunds will be mailed to you or directly deposited into your bank account if you have signed up for E-Refunds on your MyUH Services account.
Please note: Financial Aid Offers are valid for 30 days. Your financial aid offer will be based on full-time enrollment at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa (12 credits for undergraduates, 8 credits for graduates, 12 or more credits for professional students). Your financial aid disbursement will be prorated based on your enrollment. If you are not or will not be enrolled as a full-time student, you will need to complete the 2022-2023 Online Financial Aid Enrollment Form for each term and submit it to Financial Aid Services by the deadline on the form. If you are attending Extension Courses at Outreach College, expect delays in aid disbursement due to manual checking of enrollment, irregular course start/end dates, and cost of course tuition/fees.
If you made a payment by cash or check, any residual financial aid monies will be mailed or deposited into your bank account in approximately two weeks from the disbursement of your financial aid. Please update your mailing address through your MyUH Services or at the Office of the Registrar, QLCSS 001. Failure to update your mailing address may delay the delivery of your refund check.
For recipients of the SHEL, Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, and Direct Grad PLUS loans, an Entrance Interview and a Promissory Note must be completed before your loan is processed. In addition, for the Grad PLUS loan and Parent PLUS loan, a PLUS loan request must be completed and requires a credit history check.
If you will be receiving a scholarship check from an outside donor (e.g. Hawai’i Community Foundation/Harriet Bouslog/Unity House) and the scholarship is made payable to the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa only, your scholarship will be applied towards your University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Tuition, Fees and Student Housing charges and all residual amounts will be refunded to you.
If your scholarship check is a co-payable check made out to you and the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, you must endorse the scholarship check at the Cashier’s Office and apply it towards your University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Tuition, Fees and Student Housing charges or if your tuition and fees have already been paid, the Cashier’s Office will refund all residual amounts to you.
FINANCIAL AID SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS
In addition to the general eligibility requirements, you must be making financial aid satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate in order to receive financial assistance from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Please Note: Your financial aid academic history may be different from your academic history. Semesters in which a student did not receive financial aid are included in our review in determining Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid eligibility. Failure to meet these standards may impact your future eligibility for financial aid. The standards you must adhere to are as follows:
- Qualitative Grade Point Average (GPA) Standards
- Quantitative (Pace) Standards
Please refer to the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
NAME/TELEPHONE/MAILING ADDRESS/REFUND ADDRESS CHANGES
Please update your information on your MyUH Services account or at the Office of the Registrar, QLCSS 001.
NATIONAL STUDENT LOAN DATA SYSTEM (NSLDS)
All federal student loans obtained by a student and/or parent are reported to and tracked on the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). NSLDS loan records are accessible to all authorized NSLDS users, including schools, student loan guaranty agencies, lenders, federal agencies, and other authorized users.
Alternative and private education loan information is not reported to NSLDS.
National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Access
Student and parent loan borrowers may view their federal loan information on NSLDS. Borrowers access the system using their StudentAid.gov Account. Students can also access prior federal grant information on NSLDS.
ONLINE FINANCIAL AID REQUEST
You may also go to financial aid forms to complete a Financial Aid Change Request. This online request may be used to:
- Notify Financial Aid Services of additional outside scholarships or resources (stipends, fellowships, tuition waivers, etc.)
- Request a cancellation, decrease, or increase of your financial aid
OTHER FINANCIAL RESOURCES
If you receive any other form of financial assistance in addition to those shown on your Financial Aid Offer (e.g., Kamehameha/Hawai’i Community Foundation/UH Foundation scholarships, University Department Tuition Waivers, Stipends, Fellowships, Resident Advisor Stipends, etc.), you must notify FAS immediately. As required by federal regulations, an adjustment to your financial aid offer may be necessary to reflect the increase of your resources. Failure to notify FAS may delay your financial aid disbursement and/or may require you to repay the university.
Your outside resource/scholarship is based on full-time enrollment (12 or more credits for undergraduates, 8 or more credits for graduates, and 12 or more credits for professional students). Please have your donor contact Financial Aid Services in writing if you are eligible to receive your outside resource/scholarship for less than full-time enrollment.
OVERAWARDS
An “over award” situation may result if funds have already been disbursed. This may happen when the following occurs (some examples):
- You receive additional resources (if not already accounted for in original financial aid offer)
- Your residency status changes
- Your living situation changes
- Your enrollment is below full time at University of Hawai’i at Mānoa (12 credits for undergraduates, 8 credits for graduates, 12 or more credits for professional students)
- Verification information changes your expected family contribution (EFC)
Repayment may be required, and/or adjustments may be made to other types of aid and/or future disbursements within the academic year.
STUDENT CONDUCT CODE
Students are expected to abide by the University of Hawai’i rules, regulations, and student code of conduct. Please see the Student Conduct Code Policies and Procedures.
OTHER
Financial Aid Services is doing our best to go green. All requests (unless specified) must be sent to finaid@hawaii.edu from your hawaii.edu account.