Hawaiʻi kids with a 3.2 are in. Any Hawaiʻi resident with at least a 3.2 GPA who finished the required high school courses is offered admission. Overall, about 88% of applicants were admitted for Fall 2025.
Test scores can only help. Mānoa calls it “Do No Harm.” If a submitted SAT or ACT would hurt your student for admission or scholarships, they simply ignore it.
Mainland families have two real discounts. WUE cuts tuition to 150% of the resident rate for students from western states, and the Mānoa Excellence Scholarship can bring a top nonresident all the way down to in-state tuition.
GPA 3.2+ (HI) / 3.5+ (WUE) / 3.7+ (other non-res); no test needed
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional (Do No Harm policy)
No superscore.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Jan 5 • FAFSA: Feb 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Regents Scholarship (Hawaiʻi residents, about 16 a year)
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Residency & Waivers
WUE
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at UH Mānoa (Read This First)
Academic merit is first come, first served. Starting with the Fall 2026 class, Mānoa hands out its Academic Merit Scholarship “as long as scholarships are available.” An October application beats a March one.
Jan 5 is the real scholarship deadline. To be considered for the big New Warrior awards (Regents, Provost, Mānoa Excellence), your student has to apply for admission by Jan 5 and send the supplement by Jan 15. Miss it and those awards are off the table.
You only get to keep one merit award. If your student is offered a New Warrior award and Academic Merit, they pick one. They do not add together.
WUE has strings. WUE students can’t receive the Mānoa Opportunity Grant, and they can’t start building Hawaiʻi residency while they’re on WUE.
The renewal bar went up. Academic Merit now requires a 3.20 college GPA to keep (it used to be 2.0). Freshman year grades matter.
Superscoring isn’t the story here. The card below says “No superscore,” but Mānoa’s Do No Harm policy means a weak test simply gets set aside, and the Academic Merit formula doesn’t use test scores at all.
No Common App here. Mānoa uses its own UH application, not the Common App. If your student is filling out the Common App for other schools, Mānoa still needs its own application, and it has to be in by Jan 5 for New Warrior scholarship consideration.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 21-29; SAT: 1130-1350.
Average net price? About $17,202/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes. It participates in WUE.
💰 Cost of Attendance at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly
$600 to $1,400 more than the in-state total below.$1,000 to $2,500 more than the out-of-state total below.
In-State: billed cost per year
$28,364
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$12,674
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,690
Total billed cost
$28,364
Out-of-State: billed cost per year
$50,396
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$34,706
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,690
Total billed cost
$50,396
That is $22,032 more per year than Hawaii residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $17,202 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): Students from WUE states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, plus participating Pacific territories and freely associated states) pay 150% of resident tuition at Mānoa. For 2026-27 that is about $17,640 in tuition instead of $33,792. Every undergraduate major qualifies, there is no GPA cutoff, and eligibility is set from the admission application. Two tradeoffs: you cannot start building Hawaiʻi residency while on WUE, and WUE students are not eligible for the Mānoa Opportunity Grant.
Mānoa Excellence Scholarship: About 15 high-achieving U.S. nonresidents a year have their tuition brought down to the Hawaiʻi resident rate through this competitive New Warrior award (Jan 5 / Jan 15 deadlines).
🌴 Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): UH Mānoa participates in WUE, offering tuition at about
150% of in-state rates for select majors and students from participating Western states. WUE is
competitive and not automatic; strong academics (often 3.5+ GPA) and early application improve odds.
COA Mini-FAQ
Does UH Mānoa offer WUE for all majors? No. Only select majors are WUE-eligible each year; check current lists.
Is WUE guaranteed if I’m from a WUE state? No—awards are limited and competitive.
Can out-of-state students later pay in-state rates? It’s difficult; strict residency rules apply and most undergrads remain nonresident.
Do program fees change the totals? Some majors add lab/course fees; base tuition is the same across majors.
Sources (COA):
Cost of Attendance (UH Mānoa Financial Aid): https://manoa.hawaii.edu/financialaid/cost-of-attendance/
Tuition & Mandatory Fees (UH System schedule): https://www.hawaii.edu/tuition/
Student Housing Services — Rates & Dining: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/housing/
Health Insurance requirement/waiver info: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/health/
Residency Classification (Registrar): https://manoa.hawaii.edu/registrar/residency/
Western Undergraduate Exchange details (WICHE): https://www.wiche.edu/tuition-savings/wue/
Net Price estimate / calculator guidance: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/financialaid/cost-of-attendance/
💰 Cost of Attendance at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly
$600 to $1,400 more than the in-state total below.$1,000 to $2,500 more than the out-of-state total below.
In-State: billed cost per year
$28,364
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$12,674
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,690
Total billed cost
$28,364
Out-of-State: billed cost per year
$50,396
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$34,706
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,690
Total billed cost
$50,396
That is $22,032 more per year than Hawaii residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $17,202 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): Students from WUE states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, plus participating Pacific territories and freely associated states) pay 150% of resident tuition at Mānoa. For 2026-27 that is about $17,640 in tuition instead of $33,792. Every undergraduate major qualifies, there is no GPA cutoff, and eligibility is set from the admission application. Two tradeoffs: you cannot start building Hawaiʻi residency while on WUE, and WUE students are not eligible for the Mānoa Opportunity Grant.
Mānoa Excellence Scholarship: About 15 high-achieving U.S. nonresidents a year have their tuition brought down to the Hawaiʻi resident rate through this competitive New Warrior award (Jan 5 / Jan 15 deadlines).
Three Price Tags at Mānoa (2026-27 tuition + fees, 12 credits a semester)
Hawaiʻi resident: $12,674
WUE student (western states and eligible Pacific jurisdictions): $18,554
Other U.S. nonresident: $34,706
On-campus housing and food add about $15,690 for everyone. Books, personal costs, and transportation are budgeted separately (about $5,364 more for an on-campus student).
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at UH Mānoa
What does WUE actually save us?
For a student from a WUE state, tuition drops from $33,792 to about $17,640 a year. That’s roughly $16,000 a year, or about $64,000 over four years, before any scholarship. It applies to every undergraduate major and there’s no GPA cutoff.
Is WUE automatic?
Mānoa decides WUE eligibility from the information on the admission application, so make sure your home state and residency answers are accurate. You keep it as long as you stay continuously enrolled and don’t change your state of residency.
Can WUE be combined with scholarships?
Yes. WUE is a tuition rate, not a scholarship, so merit awards and most grants can sit on top of it. The one big exception is the need-based Mānoa Opportunity Grant, which WUE students can’t receive.
Can my mainland student become a Hawaiʻi resident after freshman year?
Don’t count on it. Residency for tuition purposes has its own rules, and a WUE student can’t even begin the process until they’ve been off WUE for a full year. If this matters to your plan, ask Admissions to connect you with a residency officer before you commit.
Is on-campus housing guaranteed?
No. UH says housing inventory is limited and rooms aren’t guaranteed, so apply for housing as early as possible. Off-campus living in Honolulu is budgeted at about $20,240 for housing and food, which is noticeably more than living on campus.
Why does the transportation line look so small for an island school?
The budget assumes local transportation. Flights between the mainland and Honolulu aren’t in it, so families from the mainland should plan a separate travel line for trips home.
What do families really pay after aid?
The latest federal figure is about $17,202 a year after grants and scholarships. Most of those students are Hawaiʻi residents, so mainland families without WUE or a big scholarship should expect to pay well above that.
Fall (as early as possible): Apply for admission. Academic Merit is awarded on a rolling basis while money lasts.
Oct 1: UH System Common Scholarship Application opens.
Nov 15: STAR scholarship portal opens.
Jan 5: Admission application must be in to be considered for New Warrior awards.
Jan 15: New Warrior supplement (activities list + short essay) due.
Feb 1: FAFSA priority date (Opportunity Grant, B Plus, Second Century).
Feb 15: STAR closes.
Mar 1: UH System Common Scholarship Application and Shidler DAP application due.
Early March: New Warrior decisions arrive.
Parent rule of thumb: at Mānoa, “early” means fall of senior year. The money that’s first come, first served doesn’t wait for March.
Automatic Merit Scholarships: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
There’s no separate application. Mānoa looks at your student’s cumulative high school GPA and residency on the admission application and awards the scholarship automatically. Test scores aren’t part of the formula. One catch: awards go out while funds last, so apply early in the fall.
Your Student Is…
High School GPA
Per Year
Hawaiʻi resident
3.20 to 3.49
$2,500
Hawaiʻi resident
3.50 to 3.69
$3,000
Hawaiʻi resident
3.70+
$4,000
Nonresident, WUE-eligible
3.50+
$2,000
Nonresident, not WUE
3.70+
$4,000
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidAutomatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
State of Hawaiʻi B Plus Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Hawaiʻi public high school graduates with financial need.
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All UndergradGraduated from a Hawaiʻi public high school, 3.0+ high school GPA, rigorous curriculum, financial need, 12+ credits.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit awards, Pell, and the Mānoa Opportunity Grant.
💡
Strategic Detail
A state-funded award of up to $2,000 a year for Hawaiʻi public school grads with a B average and financial need. Funding is limited, and it can renew for up to four years with satisfactory progress.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Hawaiʻi public school graduates with a 3.0+ who completed a rigorous curriculum and filed the FAFSA early.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling while funds last (apply early in the fall) ✓ Renews (3.2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000–$4,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.2+ GPARenewal: 3.20 cumulative UH Mānoa GPA and at least 12 earned credits each semester, for up to 8 consecutive semesters.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students offered more than one merit award by the Office of Admissions can accept only one, so a New Warrior winner chooses between that award and this one. It sits alongside WUE tuition, need-based grants, and STAR scholarships.
💡
Strategic Detail
Starting with the Fall 2026 class, Mānoa awards this from the admission application alone, based on cumulative high school GPA and residency. Hawaiʻi residents: $2,500 (3.20 to 3.49), $3,000 (3.50 to 3.69), or $4,000 (3.70+). WUE-eligible nonresidents: $2,000 with a 3.50+. Other U.S. nonresidents: $4,000 with a 3.70+. Test scores are not part of the formula. Awards go out on a rolling basis while funds last, so an early fall application matters.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted first-year students starting in the fall right after high school whose GPA clears the bar for their residency group: 3.20 for Hawaiʻi residents, 3.50 for WUE students, 3.70 for other nonresidents.
Automatic
International Merit Award Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jun 1 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$17,640/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ For F-1 international students only.
🏫 3.3+ GPARequires a 3.3 cumulative high school GPA and an F-1 visa to enroll. Students granted resident tuition under Hawaiʻi HB1170 are not eligible. Renewal: 2.0 cumulative GPA, full-time enrollment.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Only one Office of Admissions merit award can be accepted. Students offered the Mānoa International Excellence Scholarship will choose between the two.
💡
Strategic Detail
Worth 150% of the resident tuition rate, which is roughly $17,640 at 2026-27 rates (UH last published $16,380 for 2023-24). No separate application, but since Fall 2024 it is no longer guaranteed; UH says most eligible students who apply by the priority date receive it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
International first-year and transfer students with a 3.3+ GPA who apply before June 1 for fall.
Data last verified Oct 9, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: These amounts apply to students who start in the fall right after high school graduation. Students can accept only one Office of Admissions merit award, so a New Warrior winner chooses between that award and Academic Merit.
Automatic Merit: FAQs (UH Mānoa)
When should we apply to get the Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship?
As early in the fall as you can. Mānoa awards it throughout the season “as long as scholarships are available,” so there’s no single safe date.
Does my student need SAT or ACT scores for it?
No. Academic Merit is based on cumulative high school GPA and residency. Scores are optional, and under the Do No Harm policy a weak score won’t count against your student.
Why does a mainland student need a higher GPA than a Hawaiʻi student?
That’s how Mānoa set up the new tiers. Hawaiʻi residents start qualifying at a 3.20, WUE students need a 3.50 for $2,000, and other nonresidents need a 3.70 for $4,000.
How does my student keep it?
Starting with the Fall 2026 class: a 3.20 cumulative GPA at Mānoa and at least 12 earned credits every semester, for up to eight semesters in a row. That’s a real step up from the old 2.0 rule.
Can it be combined with WUE?
Yes. A WUE student with a 3.50+ gets the WUE tuition rate plus $2,000 a year from Academic Merit.
What about international students?
They’re considered for the International Merit Award Scholarship instead, worth 150% of the resident tuition rate (roughly $17,640 at 2026-27 rates). It needs a 3.3 GPA and an application by the June 1 priority date for fall.
Mānoa’s big money lives in four awards it calls the New Warrior Scholarships. They’re selective, they’re picked by the Office of Admissions, and they care about two things: strong grades (3.7+ GPA) and real impact in your community. Each one runs for four years.
Award
Who It’s For
Worth
About How Many
Regents
Hawaiʻi residents
Full tuition + $4,000/yr stipend + $2,000 travel grant
16 a year
Provost Achievement
Hawaiʻi residents
$10,000/yr
80 a year
Mānoa Excellence
U.S. nonresidents
Tuition cut to resident rate (about $22,032/yr, or $5,652 for WUE students)
15 a year
Mānoa International Excellence
International (F-1)
Tuition cut to resident rate (about $22,032/yr)
5 a year
How the application works: Apply for admission by January 5. Once admitted, your student gets instructions to send two things by January 15: a list of activities and achievements, and a 250 to 400 word essay about how they make an impact in their community and why it matters to them. Since Fall 2024, letters of recommendation are no longer requested. Decisions come out around early March, and paying the tuition deposit locks in the award. These are fall-start only.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Mānoa?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Parent Translation
New Warrior + Academic Merit
No
Admissions merit awards don’t combine. Your student accepts one, so take the bigger one.
WUE tuition rate
Yes
WUE isn’t a scholarship, so merit sits on top. Mānoa Excellence for a WUE student fills the remaining gap to resident tuition.
STAR / UH System awards
Usually
Departmental and donor money is the gap filler for housing, food, and books.
Need-based grants
Yes
Pell, Opportunity Grant, B Plus, and Second Century all layer in, up to the cost of attendance.
Outside scholarships
Usually
Kamehameha, Pauahi, and local awards generally stack. Report them to Financial Aid Services.
Full TuitionApp Requiredgeographic
Regents Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 5 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
full tuition + $4,000/yr stipend + $2,000 one-time travel grant
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Full tuition for four years, a $4,000 yearly stipend, and a one-time $2,000 travel grant for a small group of Hawaiʻi residents.
🏫 3.7+ GPA👥 ~About 16 per year winners/yrHawaiʻi residents starting in the fall right after high school with a 3.7+ cumulative GPA. Renewal: 3.5 GPA reviewed every semester, 12+ credits, and active in the Honors Program.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Only one Office of Admissions merit award can be accepted, so Regents replaces the Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship rather than adding to it.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission by Jan 5. Once admitted, submit the New Warrior supplement by Jan 15: an activities and achievements list plus a 250 to 400 word essay on community impact. Decisions arrive around early March.
Selection criteria: Holistic review of academic record (3.7+ GPA considered), rigor, demonstrated community impact, activities, and essay quality.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The top New Warrior award for Hawaiʻi students. Regents Scholars are automatically Honors Program Scholars, which brings small classes, personal advising, and research mentoring. Since Fall 2024 recipients are no longer required to live on campus, and letters of recommendation are no longer requested.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: About 16 Hawaiʻi seniors a year with 3.7+ GPAs and a clear, sustained record of community impact. The committee reads holistically, so the activities list and short essay carry real weight.
App Required
Provost Achievement Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 5 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.7+ GPA👥 ~About 80 per year winners/yrHawaiʻi residents starting in the fall right after high school with a 3.7+ GPA. Renewal: 3.0 GPA reviewed every semester and 12+ credits.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Only one Office of Admissions merit award can be accepted.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission by Jan 5, then submit the activities list and 250 to 400 word community impact essay by Jan 15.
$10,000 a year for four years, which covers most of resident tuition. With about 80 awards a year, this is the New Warrior award local families have the best shot at.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: About 80 Hawaiʻi residents a year with 3.7+ GPAs and documented community involvement. Better odds than Regents, but the essay and activities list still decide it.
App Required
Mānoa Excellence Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 5 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,652–$22,032/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.7+ GPA👥 ~About 15 per year winners/yrU.S. citizens who are not Hawaiʻi residents, starting in the fall right after high school, with a 3.7+ GPA. Renewal: 3.0 GPA and 12+ credits.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Only one Office of Admissions merit award can be accepted. Mānoa figures the WUE versus non-WUE amount automatically.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission by Jan 5, then submit the activities list and 250 to 400 word essay by Jan 15.
Brings a nonresident's tuition down to the Hawaiʻi resident rate. That is worth about $22,032 a year for non-WUE students and about $5,652 a year for WUE students, who already pay a reduced rate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
About 15 mainland students a year with 3.7+ GPAs and a strong community impact story.
App Required
Mānoa International Excellence Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 5 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$22,032/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ For international students who need an F-1 visa.
🏫 3.7+ GPA👥 ~About 5 per year winners/yrInternational students requiring an F-1 visa, starting in the fall right after high school, with a 3.7+ GPA. Renewal: 3.0 GPA and 12+ credits.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Only one Office of Admissions merit award can be accepted.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission by Jan 5, then submit the activities list and 250 to 400 word essay by Jan 15.
Brings international tuition down to the Hawaiʻi resident rate, roughly $22,032 a year or about $88,128 over four years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
About 5 international students a year with 3.7+ GPAs and a polished community impact essay.
Data last verified Oct 9, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ New Warrior Scholarship FAQs
What GPA does my student need to be considered?
A 3.7 cumulative high school GPA or higher for all four New Warrior awards. Above that, it comes down to the activities list and the essay.
Which one gives a Hawaiʻi student the best odds?
Provost Achievement. Mānoa has historically given out about 80 a year, compared to about 16 Regents Scholarships. Your student is considered for both through the same application.
Is Regents a full ride?
Close, but no. It covers full tuition and adds a $4,000 yearly stipend plus a one-time $2,000 travel grant. With on-campus housing and food around $15,690, the stipend covers part of living costs, not all of it.
Does Regents require living on campus?
Not anymore. That requirement ended in Fall 2024, though Mānoa still encourages it.
How does a mainland student get in-state tuition?
The Mānoa Excellence Scholarship. It brings a U.S. nonresident’s tuition down to the Hawaiʻi resident rate for four years. With about 15 awards a year it’s a long shot, but it’s the single biggest out-of-state deal Mānoa offers.
What does it take to keep a New Warrior award?
Full-time enrollment (12+ credits) every semester. Regents requires a 3.5 GPA and active Honors participation; the other three require a 3.0.
What if my student transfers in later?
Hawaiʻi residents reaching junior standing can apply for the Presidential Scholarship through Mānoa’s upper-level program, with a March 15 supplement deadline. That’s a separate path from the freshman awards above.
Getting admitted to Mānoa doesn’t put your student in line for most of the smaller money. There are three separate doors, and each one has to be opened on purpose:
FAFSA by Feb 1. This is the only way into the Opportunity Grant, B Plus, Second Century, and Pacific Islander grants.
STAR between Nov 15 and Feb 15. This is where Mānoa’s departmental and donor scholarships live.
UH System Common Scholarship Application by Mar 1. A different portal with several hundred more UH Foundation awards.
Parent translation: STAR and the Common App are two different applications. Doing one doesn’t count for the other, so set aside an evening for each.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These aren’t automatic, but most of them stack on top of merit and help cover the part of Mānoa that merit doesn’t: housing, food, and books. A few are only for specific students (Native Hawaiian students, Hawaiʻi public school grads, Pacific Islanders, band members), and those are often the ones with the least competition.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Mānoa Opportunity Grant
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 ✓ Renews
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Need-based; WUE students are not eligible.
🎓 All UndergradFirst bachelor's degree, at least 6 Mānoa credits, demonstrated need on the FAFSA. WUE students and students with a military tuition exemption are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit scholarships and federal aid up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Mānoa's own need-based grant, up to $5,000 depending on tuition charged and enrollment. Funding is limited and preference goes to Hawaiʻi residents who file the FAFSA by Feb 1.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families with real financial need who file the FAFSA early, especially Hawaiʻi residents.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Second Century Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 Non-Renewable
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Native Hawaiian ancestry; priority to Hawaiʻi residents.
🎓 All UndergradFirst bachelor's degree, at least 6 Mānoa credits, demonstrated financial need. Prorated below 12 credits.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit, Pell, and the Mānoa Opportunity Grant.
💡
Strategic Detail
A Financial Aid Services award of up to $2,000 for Native Hawaiian students with financial need. Funding is limited, so early FAFSA filers are in the best position.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Native Hawaiian undergrads with financial need who file the FAFSA early.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Kuaʻana Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver
📅 Deadline: Annual application (FAFSA by Feb 1) ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Native Hawaiian students at Mānoa with financial need.
🏫 2.5+ GPA🎓 All UndergradFull-time Native Hawaiian undergraduates with a 2.5+ GPA and a current FAFSA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Generally stacks with other aid; students on graduate or employee tuition waivers may not be eligible.
📄
How to Apply
File the FAFSA, then complete the annual Kuaʻana application online. Office is in QLCSS Room 113.
💡
Strategic Detail
Need-based tuition awards from Kuaʻana Native Hawaiian Student Development Services, part of Native Hawaiian Student Services at Mānoa. Awards are made yearly and the office also helps students navigate other aid.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Full-time Native Hawaiian undergrads with need who file the FAFSA and the yearly Kuaʻana application.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
UH Mānoa STAR Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 15 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Most STAR awards stack with merit and need-based aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
After admission, log into STAR with your UH username between Nov 15 and Feb 15 and complete the scholarship application.
Selection criteria: Award-specific — varies by scholarship listed in the portal.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
STAR is Mānoa's scholarship portal for departmental and donor-funded awards. Academic departments pick the winners, and one application matches you to the awards you fit. For 2027-28 the window runs Nov 15, 2026 to Feb 15, 2027. Incoming freshmen can apply once they have a UH username.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who actually log in, complete every section, and apply to the awards that match their major, hometown, and story.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
UH System Common Scholarship Application
📅 Deadline: Mar 1 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradOpen to current and incoming UH students; individual awards set their own criteria.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit and need-based aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Draft essays offline first (the portal times out), submit by Mar 1 at 4 p.m. HST, and make sure recommenders upload before the deadline.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
One application for several hundred UH Foundation and system scholarships across all ten UH campuses. For 2027-28 it runs Oct 1, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027. Mānoa students should do this AND STAR, since Mānoa's own departmental awards run through STAR.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who write strong general essays, add the optional community service essay, and line up recommenders early.
App Required
Shidler Freshman Direct Admit Program (DAP) Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Mar 1 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Incoming freshmen admitted to the Shidler Direct Admit Program.
High school seniors enrolling at Mānoa as first-time freshmen who choose a business major and are selected for DAP.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with Mānoa merit and STAR awards.
📄
How to Apply
Select Exploratory Business or a business major on the UH Mānoa application, then submit the DAP additional documents (two essays, optional test scores) by Mar 1.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Shidler says DAP students are eligible for a scholarship when they enroll; the amount is not published. DAP itself is the bigger prize: business students normally wait until junior standing to enter Shidler.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: High-achieving incoming freshmen who list business as their first-choice major and submit the two DAP essays.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
UH Bands ʻOhana Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Register for marching band (fall) and concert band (spring) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradAny major, residents and nonresidents, new and returning students. Must register for the Rainbow Warrior Marching Band (MUS 419D) in fall and an assigned concert band in spring.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit and need-based aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
A tuition scholarship for members of the UH Band program with no audition required. Students who want more can audition for the limited Kūleʻa Scholarship for excellence in performance. Amounts are not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any student who played in high school band and is willing to march in the fall and play concert band in the spring.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Kamehameha Schools College Scholarships (Nā Hoʻokama a Pauahi)
📅 Deadline: Mid-January via CSS Profile (confirm yearly) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ External; for Native Hawaiian students.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with UH aid; KS considers your college aid package when setting the amount.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the CSS Profile with KS code 0274, then finish the KS portal steps emailed to you before the required document deadline.
Selection criteria: Ancestry, essay
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
External scholarships from Kamehameha Schools, not UH. The CSS Profile is the single application for every KS college scholarship; enter KS code 0274. The window opens Oct 1 and has closed in mid-January in recent cycles.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Native Hawaiian students with financial need who are committed to giving back to the Hawaiian community.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Pauahi Foundation Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Early to mid-December (confirm yearly) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ External; preference to Hawaiian ancestry where permitted by law.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with UH aid.
📄
How to Apply
Create a profile through Kamehameha Schools, complete the common application and any fund questions, and upload transcripts and recommendations before the December deadline.
Selection criteria: Ancestry, essay
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
More than 100 donor-funded scholarships run through one application. Open to the general public, not just Kamehameha graduates, with preference for applicants of Hawaiian ancestry. The window opens in the fall and closes in December, earlier than most families expect.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Seniors who apply in the fall and match a donor's specific criteria, such as major, island, or background.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Pacific Islander Opportunity Grant
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 ✓ Renews
$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Students from eligible Pacific Island jurisdictions paying the 150% rate.
🎓 All UndergradUndergraduates from eligible Pacific Island districts, territories, or nations without a public bachelor's-granting institution, who pay the 150% resident tuition rate and show need on the FAFSA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with WUE-rate tuition and other aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $4,000 based on enrollment, with preference for students who meet the Feb 1 FAFSA priority date. Funding is limited.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Pacific Islander students with financial need who file the FAFSA by Feb 1.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
ASUH Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Each fall and spring (check ASUH site) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Current full-time Mānoa undergrads only.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Generally stacks with other aid.
📄
How to Apply
Once enrolled, apply through the ASUH Scholarship form on asuhmanoa.com and choose one category.
Selection criteria: Category-specific — GPA-driven for Academic Achievement, FAFSA-driven for Financial Need, narrative-driven for Unique Situations.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Run by the student government. Three lanes: academic achievement, high financial need, and unique situations. Funding is offered in fall and spring only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Full-time classified Mānoa undergrads who pick the lane that fits them best.
Data last verified Oct 9, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
We’re a Hawaiʻi family with a public school grad. What should we not miss?
The State of Hawaiʻi B Plus Scholarship (up to $2,000 a year for a 3.0+ public school grad with need) and the Mānoa Opportunity Grant (up to $5,000). Both run through the FAFSA, so filing by Feb 1 is the whole game.
Are there awards just for Native Hawaiian students?
Several. On campus: the Second Century Scholarship (up to $2,000) and the Kuaʻana tuition waiver, both need-based. Outside UH: Kamehameha Schools college scholarships through the CSS Profile (KS code 0274), and the Pauahi Foundation, which closes in December, earlier than most families expect.
My kid played in high school band but isn’t a music major. Anything there?
Yes. The UH Bands ʻOhana Scholarship is a tuition scholarship for band members of any major, with no audition. Your student just signs up for marching band in the fall and concert band in the spring.
My student wants to study business. Is there something early?
The Shidler Freshman Direct Admit Program. It lets a freshman start inside the business school instead of waiting until junior year, and DAP students are eligible for a scholarship when they enroll. The DAP essays are due around Mar 1.
Can incoming freshmen use STAR?
Yes, once they have a UH username, which comes with the admission process. The window for 2027-28 awards is Nov 15, 2026 to Feb 15, 2027.
We’re from the mainland on WUE. Which of these can we get?
STAR, the UH System Common Application, Shidler DAP, the band scholarship, and outside awards all work. The Mānoa Opportunity Grant does not; WUE students are excluded from it.
Honors Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Mānoa has an Honors Program, not a separate honors college. Think of it as a small-school experience inside a big research university: smaller discussion classes, priority registration, a personal Honors advisor, and a senior project with a faculty mentor. There’s no fee to join, and it’s open to every major.
Who should apply: First-year students with a 3.5+ cumulative high school GPA.
How: Online application in the Honors Mākālei portal, one recommendation, then a “talk story” interview with an Honors advisor.
May 1: Priority deadline for Honors housing and priority registration.
June 15: Final deadline for fall entry.
Honors Scholarships
App Required⚠ Sophomore Only
Honors Program Hubert and Mable Frings Scholarship
📅 Deadline: February (via STAR) Non-Renewable
$2,200
✔ Stackable
⚠ Honors Program sophomores only.
🎓 Sophomore
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit and need-based aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the UH Student Scholarship site (STAR) in February of sophomore year.
Selection criteria: Quality and feasibility of proposal; demonstrated faculty mentorship; Honors standing.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $2,200 for Honors sophomores in good standing, used toward cost of attendance or an independent research or creative project. The fund exists to build mentoring between faculty and Honors students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Honors sophomores with a specific project and, ideally, a faculty mentor already on board.
Data last verified Oct 9, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Where the big Honors money really is: Mānoa’s Regents Scholars are automatically Honors Program Scholars. So the largest “honors” award at Mānoa (full tuition plus a stipend) actually comes through the New Warrior application in January, not the Honors application. The Honors Program’s own scholarship, the Frings award, is a smaller sophomore-year boost for research or costs.
Honors Perks Worth Knowing
Honors housing: Reserved floors for first-year students. It’s a separate application through Student Housing, so apply for both.
HON 101: An intro-to-research course built for first-year students.
Three ways to finish: A research thesis, a creative thesis, or a portfolio, all with a faculty mentor.
Honors Program FAQs (UH Mānoa)
Is Honors admission automatic for strong students?
No. Honors sends some pre-invitations, but anyone with a 3.5+ GPA can apply, and everyone goes through the application and interview.
Does joining Honors come with a scholarship?
Not by itself. The scholarship money tied to Honors mostly comes through Regents (which makes you an Honors Scholar) or the Frings award in sophomore year.
When should my student apply?
By May 1 if they want Honors housing and priority registration. The final deadline for fall is June 15.
Can my student join later?
Yes. Current Mānoa students and transfers with a 3.5+ college GPA can apply to a two-year Honors track.
Do Regents Scholars have to stay in Honors?
Yes. Staying engaged in the Honors Program is one of the Regents renewal requirements, along with a 3.5 GPA and full-time enrollment.
Mānoa is the flagship of the University of Hawaiʻi system and a major research university, and its location is its superpower. It’s one of only four universities in the country that holds land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant, and sun-grant status all at once. In plain English: if your student is drawn to the ocean, the sky, volcanoes, or the Pacific and Asia, very few schools can match the classroom Mānoa has right outside its doors.
Nationally Known Program: School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST): One of the country’s leading ocean and earth science schools, home to oceanography, marine biology research at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, geology and volcanology, and atmospheric science. Undergrads here study the Pacific firsthand rather than from a textbook.
Astronomy: The Institute for Astronomy works with world-class telescopes in Hawaiʻi, giving undergrads unusual access to real observational research.
International Business (Shidler College of Business): Shidler’s international business program has ranked in the U.S. News top 20 in recent years, and the Freshman Direct Admit Program lets strong students start in the business school from day one.
Hawaiian Studies and Language: Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge is the leading place in the world to study Hawaiian language, culture, and history.
Asian and Pacific Studies: Mānoa is a long-standing national center for Asian studies, Pacific Islands studies, and less commonly taught Asian languages.
Biology, Marine Biology, and Public Health: Popular pre-health and science pathways, with research opportunities that use Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems and diverse population.
Nursing: Offers direct entry for high school graduates, so students know they’re in the nursing program from the start.
🔗 Official UH Mānoa Links
These are the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s own pages for admissions, scholarships, costs, and data. Use them to double-check deadlines and award rules before you make any decisions, since schools can change details from year to year.
Here’s the honest picture. For Hawaiʻi families, Mānoa is one of the best deals in the country: a 3.2 gets your student in, resident tuition is about $12,700, and a strong student with real community involvement has a genuine shot at $10,000 a year or even full tuition through the New Warrior awards. Add a FAFSA filed by Feb 1 and the state and Native Hawaiian awards, and a lot of local families can get the bill down to housing and food.
For mainland families, the math hinges on two words: WUE and early. If you live in a western state, WUE cuts tuition roughly in half, and a 3.5 adds $2,000 a year on top. If you don’t, the Mānoa Excellence Scholarship is the big prize, but with about 15 awards a year it’s a reach, not a plan. Either way, budget for flights home, apply for housing right away, and remember that Mānoa’s academic merit now goes to whoever applies first.
The one thing every family should take from this page: mark January 5 and January 15 on the calendar in September. That’s where the biggest money at Mānoa is decided.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent while working through college costs for my own kid, and quickly figured out that the number a school advertises and the number a family actually pays are two very different things. Since then I’ve gone school by school pulling apart award letters, scholarship pages, and cost sheets to find what families are supposed to just know. This site is the version of that research I wish someone had handed me. More about Leo →
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