Hawaiʻi Promise serves residents in eligible programs at University of Hawaiʻi community colleges. The practical first step is to understand the new calculation before building a budget: Act 235, effective July 1, 2026, changed the former last-dollar design. The program now provides 95% of unmet direct-cost need, and outside scholarships are no longer subtracted from the state award in the same way; Pell and other funds can help with indirect expenses such as housing, food and transportation.
The law defines direct need around tuition, fees, books and supplies. That is not a promise to pay 95% of every student bill or all housing costs. The UH Community Colleges webpage still contains language from the prior formula, while the statute and UH News article from July describe the change. Use the law as the current framework, but ask your campus how it will calculate your individual file, especially if your offer was created before the update.
Published eligibility includes Hawaiʻi residency for resident tuition, a financial-aid-eligible degree program at one of seven community colleges, at least six credits per semester and a 2.0 GPA. Aid depends on need, credits and funding; the page recommends filing FAFSA by March 1 for priority consideration. Do not confuse this program with a general grant at UH Mānoa, UH Hilo or awards that require a separate application. Apply for admission, file FAFSA, list the correct campus and respond promptly to verification requests.
To estimate your balance, request an itemized breakdown of tuition, fees, books/supplies, Hawaiʻi Promise, Pell and outside scholarships. The new formula is designed to keep the program from absorbing outside grants that a student could use for housing or basic needs, but individual awards still depend on funding and campus review. The program page offers free help at FAFSA@hawaii.edu and phone/email contacts for all seven campuses. If you take fewer than six credits, change programs or your GPA falls, confirm how eligibility changes before editing your schedule.
UH’s published testimonials add human context, not a guarantee: a Leeward student says the aid helped pay for classes, books and supplies while working; a Kapiʻolani alumnus says it helped him transfer to UH Mānoa and reduce work hours; a Maui student describes rebuilding after the Lahaina fire. UH reported $5.69 million awarded to 1,941 students in 2024–25, with a $2,933 average. Those results predate the new formula and do not forecast your 2026–27 award.
Compare the options and confirm eligibility and deadlines directly with the program before applying.
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Hawaiʻi Promise Program — University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges
2444 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 96822
Hawaiʻi Promise serves residents studying in an eligible degree program at one of the University of Hawaiʻi’s seven community colleges. It is not a grant for every UH campus: UH Mānoa and UH Hilo, for example, are four-year universities, not program campuses. The official page requires Hawaiʻi resid
For Hawaiʻi residents with in-state tuition, degree-seeking students at one of UH’s seven community colleges, at least 6 credits and a 2.0 GPA. Act 235, effective July 1, 2026, removes the last-dollar calculation and establishes aid for 95% of unmet direc
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Hawaiʻi Promise Program — University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges ↗
Primary source
University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Hawaiʻi Promise Program — University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges ↗
Primary source
Hawaiʻi State Legislature, Data.Capitol · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Hawaiʻi Promise Program — University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges ↗
Primary source
University of Hawaiʻi System News · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Hawaiʻi Promise Program — University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges ↗
Primary source
University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Hawaiʻi State Legislature · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Hawaiʻi System News · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.