In a continued effort to support Lahaina’s recovery after the 2023 Maui wildfires and invest in the next generation of leaders, the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will once again cover tuition costs for eligible Lahainaluna High School (LHS) graduates entering college in fall 2025.
“We understand our responsibility to invest in our future, and we remain committed to serving these students in their higher educational aspirations. Through this support, these students can contribute their strengths and talents to the future of Lahaina,” said Chancellor Lui Hokoana.
This builds on a systemwide UH initiative launched in 2023, offering one-year scholarships to all LHS seniors impacted by the August 2023 wildfires. A generous anonymous donor later extended that support to two years at any UH community college and four years at any UH university.
“We were greatly encouraged and gratified by the increase in enrollment of Lahainaluna graduates in 2023 from 41% to 81% in 2024,” Hokoana said, “so we are particularly pleased to be able to continue to provide this assistance.”
Scholarship qualifications
UH Maui College’s latest commitment ensures that students from Lahaina continue to have access to higher education opportunities close to home. To qualify, students must:
- Be first-time, first-year degree-seeking students
- Have been enrolled at LHS on August 7, 2023, graduating from a Hawaiʻi high school in 2025
- Be a graduate of LHS in 2025 or previously enrolled at LHS on August 7, 2023
- Reside or have resided in a Lahaina zip code (96761 or 96767) on August 7, 2023
- Demonstrate financial need through the 2025–26 FAFSA and UH Maui College award package
Scholarships will cover tuition and fees based on enrollment, up to the cost of attendance. The support is renewable for two years for associate degree students and four years for those in UH Maui College’s baccalaureate programs.
Eligible students should contact Lahainaluna Maui Student Coordinator Chelsea Kau at ckhk@hawaii.edu.
