Every year, students apply for scholarships and financial aid to reduce their overall tuition or cover the cost of books and supplies. (Photo by Cameron Enomoto)

By Cameron Enomoto | Staff Writer

Scholarship season has officially begun, and for students looking to save money on tuition for the ’24-25 school year, here are scholarships and financial aid opportunities you don’t want to miss out on.

UH Common Application: The UH System Common Scholarship Application is comprised of a personal statement, letters of recommendation, transcripts, as well as optional essays, and additional questions and requirements. Students are encouraged to apply annually, and the deadline for the next application is March 1, 2024. Letters of recommendation are due by March 8, 2024.

FAFSA: The FAFSA form for the ’23-24 school year is still open, though the FAFSA for the ’24-25 school year will not be available until December 2023. Students can prepare to fill out the form by creating an FSA ID.

Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver: The Kapoʻoloku Native Hawaiian Student in Transition Waiver is awarded to students who are attending Kapiʻolani Community College and are transitioning from one stage in life to another. Awards will be applicable for the Spring 2024 semester and the deadline to apply is Dec. 1. Additionally, the peer mentors from the Kapoʻoloku Program for Native Hawaiian Student Success will be hosting a scholarship workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 28 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. for students of Native Hawaiian ancestry. To sign up, please RSVP here.

APIA Scholarship: The APIA Scholarship is our largest scholarship program and is open to AANHPI undergraduate students attending any U.S. accredited university or college. Scholarship amounts range from $2,500 one-year awards to $20,000 multi-year awards. APIA Scholars has a special focus on supporting AANHPI students who live at or below the poverty line, are in the first generation of their family to attend college, and are representative of the APIA community’s diversity. The deadline to apply is Jan. 9, 2024. The deadline for the optional letter of recommendation deadline is Dec. 6.

Kamehameha Schools Scholarship: The Kamehameha Schools has a scholarship for students of Native Hawaiian ancestry that requires only one application called the CSS Profile. The CSS Profile application is the single-entry point to all the available 2024-2025 KS college scholarship opportunities. Applications will be reviewed and based on students’ responses as they may be eligible for one or more of the KS college scholarships. The deadline to complete the CSS Profile is Jan. 19, 2024. The deadline to submit the required documents and KS net partner forms is Jan. 31, 2024.

KCC Grants & Scholarships (FAFSA required): A number of grants and scholarships require students to fill out the FAFSA, some of which are KCC affiliated. KCC also has institutional grants and scholarships that do not require students to fill out the FAFSA. International students can also apply for various scholarships based on academic achievement, leadership, or if they are new students.

Additional Scholarships: Aside from UH and KCC-related scholarships, outside organizations and corporations like AAUW Honolulu, Hawai‘i State Federal Credit Union, and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation have available scholarships for the ’24-25 school year. Each scholarship has varying deadlines for applications and additional materials if they are required.