University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents Presidential Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by University of Hawaii

Here’s a clearer, teacher-friendly version of the information—organized so it’s easier to follow and with practical tips you can use if you’re applying.

Overview
- The Upper-level Scholarship Programs at UH Mānoa are competitive awards for degree-seeking students who enroll as transfer students. They recognize strong academics and meaningful community impact.
- Two scholarships in this program:
- Presidential Scholarship — for Hawaiʻi residents
- Transfer Merit Scholarship — open to all residency types
- Award timing and purpose: scholarships are granted when you begin your Mānoa degree and are intended to support you for up to two years while you complete your degree. The award amount reduces your educational expenses.

Who should apply
- Admitted transfer students who will be degree-seeking at Mānoa, and current Mānoa students entering junior year (rising juniors) are eligible to apply.
- Typical requirements to be competitive:
- Class standing: junior by the end of the spring semester
- GPA: 3.7 college GPA or higher will be considered (this is a guideline for strong consideration)
- Residency: Presidential Scholarship — Hawaiʻi residents; Transfer Merit — all residency types

Important dates and process
- Apply for admission by March 1 (this is required for scholarship consideration).
- If admitted and eligible, you’ll receive instructions for the scholarship supplemental materials.
- Supplemental application due: March 15.
- Review period: Admissions and Scholarship Selection Committees review applications in March and April.
- Notification: scholarship decisions announced around early May.
- Note: If you are offered more than one merit award from the Office of Admissions, you may accept only one.

How awards are chosen
- The Office of Admissions reviews:
- your admission application,
- a holistic review of your academic record, and
- evidence of your community impact.
- You must submit two supplemental documents (in addition to the admission application) to show your community engagement and impact.

Required supplemental materials
1) Activities/Achievements list
- Tell us how you spend your time outside the classroom.
- Include positions held, dates, hours per week (if possible), and concrete results or impact (e.g., number of people helped, events organized, improvements made, awards).
- The goal: help the committee understand your contributions and leadership.

2) Short-answer essay
- Prompt: Share the way(s) that you make an impact in your community/communities through your activity(ies)/commitment(s) and why that impact is important to you.
- Suggested length: 250–400 words. Responses slightly shorter or longer are acceptable as long as you answer the prompt fully.
- Questions to address: Why is this activity important to you? What results or changes came from your efforts? How will this experience shape your college career at Mānoa?
- Tip: Be specific. Use examples, quantify results when you can, and reflect on what you learned and how you’ll apply it in college.

Optional
- Updated transcript: If you have new grades since you first applied for admission, you may upload an updated transcript. This can strengthen your academic record.

Additional notes
- Historically, Mānoa has awarded 10 Presidential Scholarships each year.
- The scholarship reduces your educational expenses and supports your progress toward degree completion.
- Prepare materials early—clear, specific descriptions of your impact and concise reflection in your essay make your application stronger.

If you want, I can help you draft the activities list or review a 250–400 word essay to make sure it clearly shows impact and growth.