UH System Common Scholarship – Application Tips

The UH System Common Scholarship application can feel a little overwhelming and clunky to navigate. Here are some tips on how to apply to make the most of the time you spend completing your application, and maximize your chances of receiving funding awards.

Application Now Open: October 1 to March 1

The UH System Common Scholarship application is now open for funding in the 2025-2026 academic year. Review the application requirements and follow steps below to get the most out of your application.

Steps to apply

  1. Go to https://www.hawaii.edu/tuition/scholarships/how-to-apply/
  2. Scroll all the way down the page to the login button, and login with your username & password.
  3. In right column next to 20XX-XX University of Hawai’i System Common Scholarship Application, click on “Start Application.”
  4. Complete all fields as applicable (must complete the fields with an asterisk * to continue to the next page).
    • Be sure to answer fields honestly. All your answers will be verified so it is best to be straightforward from the beginning.
  5. When you get to the Personal Statement and Community Service essay, click save and start a document in your own personal files to begin writing your essays. 
    • You *could* type as you directly into the UH System Common Scholarship application, but it is not advised because the system times out frequently and you could easily lose your work.
  6. Complete the following before returning to the UH System Common Scholarship Application portal to finalize and complete your application. *Note* Be sure to leave enough time to complete this step before the deadline so you don’t miss it!
    • Ask for Letters of Recommendation (see tips below).
    • Complete your Personal Statement (see tips below).
    • Complete your Community Service Essay (see tips below).
    • Type up responses to any “Other Optional Essays” (these are listed under “Other Optional Essays” in the application instructions)
  7. Go back into the UH System Common Scholarship Application portal and:
    • Copy and paste your Personal Statement, Community Service essay, and any other Optional Essays in their respective fields and click save.
    • Complete any other fields in the application as necessary.
    • Review your application from beginning to end before you submit. Then click submit!
      • *Note* Once you click “submit” you may not go back to make changes.

Letters of Recommendation Tips

  • Think of people who will write letters of recommendation for you. Examples of recommenders include past or present teachers/professors, employers, religious leaders, caseworkers, community leaders, and organization leaders. Letters from relatives and friends will not be accepted.
  • Respectfully request their permission to use submit their email addresses in your application and advise them that if they agree to write you a recommendation, then you will submit their email addresses to your application. They will then receive an email requesting them to complete a letter of recommendation on your behalf. Advise them of the deadline to submit their Letter of Recommendation through the online application process (deadlines are posted on the UH System Common Scholarship website). Be sure you ask recommenders at least one month in advance of the deadlines–the earlier the better. Do not just submit their email addresses without asking first–this can reflect poorly on you and can hurt your application.
  • If they agree to write you a letter of recommendation, offer to share a brief write up of how you qualify for the scholarship(s) you are applying for. This helps make the task of writing a recommendation for you a little easier on them. It also helps to share a draft of your personal statement with them.
  • Thank your recommenders in a way that is sincere and authentic to your relationship with them. Writing letters of recommendation takes time and energy away from their own busy schedules and lives.
  • Use this general guideline as a checklist when asking for letters of recommendation.
  • Visit this helpful blog on How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation by Coursera for more helpful tips.

Personal Statement Tips

In your personal statement, be sure to:

  • State your career and academic goals in Early Childhood Education. This is especially helpful for scholarships that are focused on supporting students studying Early Childhood Education. You can:
    • discuss your experience working with young children
    • the impact you want to make as an early childhood educator
    • State which scholarships you would like to apply for through the UH System Common Scholarship
  • Describe how you meet the criteria for each of the scholarships (review scholarship “description” and other criteria). This is where you will “address the criteria” in your application. For example, if the scholarship description mentions anything about providing funding for:
    • students with financial hardships, write about the challenges you’ve faced financially and how scholarship funds will help you.
    • students who are single parents, write about the challenges (and joys) of being a single parent while also trying to go to school and earn your degree.
    • students who are first generation college students, discuss your experience trying to navigate the college system with limited support, and/or what this means to your family for you to be the first to attend college and earn your degree.
  • Stay within the 900 word limit!

Community Service Essay Tips

  • This essay is NOT required but strongly recommended. Writing one will increase your chances of receiving scholarships.
  • This is a good place to write about:
    • any volunteer work or formal and/or informal service activities; indicate if these activities were paid, unpaid and/or part of coursework
    • any significant home or family responsibilities (e.g., contributing to family financial support, providing care for family members, working unpaid for family business, etc.)
    • any activities that demonstrate your willingness to contribute or give back to your community
    • any activities relating to early childhood education and childcare
  • Connect any of these experiences to your goals as an Early Childhood Education student, where applicable.
  • Stay within the 600 word limit!

Other Optional Essay Tips

  • Not all of these optional essays will show up in your UH System Common Scholarship application portal because some of these are only open to students on certain UH campuses.
  • Even if fields for some optional essays show up in your UH System Common Scholarship application portal, only complete essays that are relevant to you and leave it blank if it does not apply to you. It does not make sense to make something up if the essay topic is not relevant to your life experience or field of study.
    • For example, Honolulu Community College students will automatically have the Loui Student Innovation essay field in their UH System Common Scholarship application. This scholarship targets carpentry students. Unless you plan to be a carpentry major, skip this essay.