Centennial Scholarship
Frequently Asked Questions

The responses below are current as of December 2006, but details are subject to change without notice. Contact the Centennial Scholarship coordinator at your campus for the most current information.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the Centennial Scholarship

How much is the UH Centennial Scholarship? The scholarship is for $1000 per year ($500 per semester) for students who meet the qualifications and are admitted to a UH campus.

How do I apply? There is no application process; scholarships are automatically awarded. However, for community colleges, you must submit your high school transcript to the financial aid office to be considered for eligibility.

What are the criteria? You must be a Hawai‘i resident who graduates from a Hawai‘i high school (public or private) in May 2007 or later, have a 3.8 high school cumulative grade point average or score 1800 or higher on the three-part SAT Reasoning Test (or 27 composite score on the ACT) at the time of application to the campus, is admitted and will attend as freshman in the fall semester after graduation; student each semester.

What if I qualify but I’m not admitted to the UH campus to which I apply? You must be admitted to a UH campus to receive the scholarship. Meeting the scholarship criteria does not automatically guarantee admission to UH.

What if I am awarded the scholarship, but then go part-time? You must be full-time (12 credits or more) each semester or you forfeit the scholarship.

What if I believe I qualify but I am not awarded the scholarship by my UH campus? Go to your campus admissions office (for UH Manoa, UH Hilo or UH West O‘ahu campuses) or to your campus financial aid office (for the UH community colleges) to talk to a counselor about the scholarship.

If I apply to a UH community college that doesn’t require a transcript for admission, how will the campus know if I qualify for the scholarship? Turn in your sealed high school transcript (or have your high school mail your transcript) to the financial aid office. You can also turn in your SAT Reasoning Test scores to the financial aid office.

I am home-schooled. Am I be eligible for the scholarship? You must submit your SAT Reasoning Test or ACT Test scores to be eligible.

If I scored higher on different sections of the SAT on different dates, can I qualify by using my high scores from different dates? Yes, we will look at your best scores on different sections from different dates. Be sure that you have submitted all of your test scores so that we can review them at the time of your admission application.

I plan to attend a non-UH university and then transfer back to the UH system. Am I eligible? No, you must enter a UH campus in the fall semester after your high school graduation. You can attend summer school at a different institution and still be eligible for the Centennial Scholarship, however.

I plan to attend a UH community college for a while then transfer to a UH baccalaureate campus. Can I still receive my scholarship? Yes. The maximum total eligibility is for 8 consecutive semesters for students enrolled in a baccalaureate campus (Manoa, Hilo or West O‘ahu) or for students who have transferred from a UH community college with no break in education. Community college students may receive the scholarship for a maximum of 4 consecutive semesters. (You must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA each semester to continue to receive the scholarship.) For example, if you attend Windward Community College for 2 consecutive semesters and then directly transfer to UH Manoa with a 3.8 cumulative GPA, you can receive the scholarship for an additional 6 consecutive semesters.

If my UH community college and UH baccalaureate campuses calculate my cumulative GPA differently, which determines whether I qualify for my Centennial Scholarship? Your cumulative GPA must be a 3.0 or higher according to the admitting campus.

The Centennial Scholarship won't cover all my expenses. How can I receive more financial assistance or scholarships? You may qualify for additional grants and scholarships awarded by the federal and state governments or by UH or the UH Foundation. Be sure to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available at high schools or online. Please be aware of the financial aid deadlines. The FAFSA is necessary to determine if you qualify for various types of financial aid.
Also visit the UH Foundation website and the Office of Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity for other scholarships that might be available to you.

Who can I contact to discuss the Centennial Scholarship? Contact the listed office for the campus to which you are applying (Admissions Offices at UH Manoa, UH Hilo or UH West O‘ahu or the Financial Aid Offices at the UH community colleges).

How can I find out more information about the Chancellor’s Scholarship at UH Manoa and at UH Hilo? The UH Manoa Chancellor’s Scholarship awards an additional $1000 to Hawai‘i students who have both a 3.8 GPA and 1800 on the SAT Reasoning Test. For more information, visit the Manoa Admissions Office website. Priority application deadline is Feb. 1.

The UH Hilo Chancellor’s Scholarship is awarded to approximately 15 students in a competitive application process. Full tuition is awarded to successful applicants. Download more information. The application deadline is Jan. 31.