General Information
Who is eligible?
The Presidential Scholarship is open to the following students who meet ALL criteria:
- Bona fide Hawai’i State Resident.
- Junior class standing by the end of the Spring semester.
- Minimum GPA of 3.7 for all college level work.
- Applicants can be a current UHM student or transferring applicant. Preference will be given to incoming Juniors transferring from a University of Hawai’i Community College to UH Mānoa.
- Must enroll in a degree-seeking program at UH Mānoa the following Fall semester.
- Must exhibit evidence of superior academic achievement and/or creative endeavor.
How much is the scholarship?
Presidential Scholars receive a full-time, 12 credit per semester tuition waiver for two years of undergraduate study. All scholars receive a $4,000 a year (stipend) and a one-time travel grant of $2,000.
How do I apply?
Applications will be open between Oct 1, 2022 and Mar 1, 2023 (4:00 pm HST) on the UH System Common Scholarship Application.
Additional scholarship information and eligibility requirements can be found on the Presidential and Transfer Merit Scholarship webpage.
What is the timeline for awarding?
| Date and Time | Event |
|---|---|
| October 1 | Applications Open |
| March 1 (4:00 pm HST) | Application Closes |
| March 8 (4:00 pm HST) | Letter(s) of Recommendation due |
| May (estimated) | Award notices start to go out to your UH email |
Can I combine this Presidential Scholarship with other scholarship opportunities?
The Presidential Scholarship is NOT combinable with the Transfer Merit Scholarship or the Manoa Academic Merit Scholarship. You are encouraged to check with other individual scholarship organizations/programs/committees to see if they have specific stipulations and restrictions.
Can I defer acceptance?
Students awarded must enroll in the Fall semester that immediately follows the scholarship offer. (Eg, if offered the scholarship in the Spring/Summer 2023, students must enroll at UH Mānoa in Fall 2023).
Enrolling and Renewal
What do I need to do each semester once awarded?
The scholarship requires students to be registered for a minimum of 12 Mānoa credits each semester for the money to disburse. Students who take a course at a community college must enroll for an additional 12 Mānoa credits that semester, minimally, for the money to pay out. Failure to enroll in, and earn a minimum of 12 Mānoa credits each semester will result in the student losing eligibility for renewal the following year.
What do I need to do to renew this scholarship?
The Presidential Scholarship is renewable for up to an additional one (1) academic year (Fall/Spring semesters) after the initial award year (two years total). Students must meet the following requirements after the first year to renew the scholarship:
- Mānoa GPA of 3.5 or above.
- Earn 12 Mānoa credits in each of the Fall and Spring semesters of the initial award year.
- Maintain good standing with the Student Code of Conduct.
Eligibility for renewal will be done automatically by Financial Aid Services towards the end of summer after the Spring grades are released. Until eligibility for renewal is confirmed, the student will NOT see the scholarship listed in any financial aid offer. Your financial aid offer may need to be reevaluated once the scholarship is renewed.