$4.5M Available for College Scholarships at Hawaii Community Foundation

University of Hawaii Maui College campus. Courtesy of UHMC.

By Sonia Isotov

A new online system at the Hawaii Community Foundation will make it easier for students to apply for the $4.5 million in financial assistance available to Hawaii students for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Maui students seeking financial assistance to fund their college or vocational education can apply using Hawai’i Community Foundation’s new online application process. Applicants simply need to complete an online application at www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/scholarships between December 1, 2011 and February 17, 2012.

As the third largest private scholarship provider in the state, the organization distributes $4.5 million in scholarships to students each year, with individuals receiving an average scholarship award of $2,054.

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“Our new online system will make it easy for deserving students to be considered for multiple scholarship opportunities without filling out dozens of different forms,” said Ronnie Hee, scholarships officer at the Hawai’i Community Foundation, in a written statement. “We are committed to helping young people in Hawai’i achieve higher education and succeed in life through connecting them to scholarships sponsored by our generous donors.”

The Hawai’i Community Foundation’s online Student Profile takes approximately 60 – 90 minutes to fill out and upload the required documents to the application. Supporting documents include: A full Student Aid Report (SAR) generated when completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), official grade transcript, and personal statement. Students can determine if additional information, such as letters of recommendation or essays, may be required by using the scholarship search function to view specific opportunities.

The Hawai’i Community Foundation scholarship program consists of over 160 different scholarship funds established by generous individuals, families, businesses or organizations to assist Hawaii’s residents in obtaining a college education.

To submit an online application, search for a scholarship or find more information, please visit hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/scholarships.