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💰 University of Hawaii at Manoa Merit Scholarships

Total Scholarships
17
Automatic
5
In-State Awards
$500-$10,000/yr
Out-of-State Awards
$500-$4,000/yr
Multi-Year Awards
$7,000-$15,000 total
Typical Requirements for Automatic Merit
3.2 GPA

University of Hawaii at Manoa awards merit scholarships automatically on GPA and test scores, with no separate application. Awards run $500-$4,000/yr for out-of-state students. Eligibility starts at 3.2 GPA. Against tuition of $33,336, students receiving the largest award pay about $29,336 a year before other aid.

What you'd actually pay at University of Hawaii at Manoa

Tuition & fees
$33,336
Largest annual award
$4,000
=
Students receiving it pay about
$29,336/yr

Tuition and fees only — housing (about $14,658), books and travel are extra. Awards must still be won and may carry renewal conditions. Need-based aid is separate and may reduce this further.

Official Scholarship Information
View complete details on University of Hawaii at Manoa's website
Visit School Website →

Automatic merit scholarships at University of Hawaii at Manoa — no separate application

5 awards granted on your admission application, based on GPA and test scores.

Hawaiʻi Residents 3.20–3.49
Award
$2,500/yr in-state
Requirements
GPA 3.2+
**Starting with students who enroll in the Fall 2026 semester**, the Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship amount ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 per academic year. The amount awarded ($2,000; $2,500; $3,000; or $4,000) is based on the student’s high school academic performance and cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). This scholarship amount awarded is applied toward and reduces the student’s tuition.
Eligibility: All admitted first-year, degree-seeking applicants with a strong academic record will be considered for a Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship.
How to apply: ["admission application (considered upon admission)", "no separate application"]
Source ↗
Hawaiʻi Residents 3.50–3.69
Award
$3,000/yr in-state
Requirements
GPA 3.5+
**Starting with students who enroll in the Fall 2026 semester**, the Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship amount ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 per academic year. The amount awarded ($2,000; $2,500; $3,000; or $4,000) is based on the student’s high school academic performance and cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). This scholarship amount awarded is applied toward and reduces the student’s tuition.
Eligibility: All admitted first-year, degree-seeking applicants with a strong academic record will be considered for a Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship.
How to apply: ["admission application (considered upon admission)", "no separate application"]
Source ↗
Hawaiʻi Residents 3.70+
Award
$4,000/yr in-state
Requirements
GPA 3.7+
**Starting with students who enroll in the Fall 2026 semester**, the Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship amount ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 per academic year. The amount awarded ($2,000; $2,500; $3,000; or $4,000) is based on the student’s high school academic performance and cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). This scholarship amount awarded is applied toward and reduces the student’s tuition.
Eligibility: All admitted first-year, degree-seeking applicants with a strong academic record will be considered for a Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship.
How to apply: ["admission application (considered upon admission)", "no separate application"]
Source ↗
U.S. citizen, Hawaiʻi non-resident 3.70+
Award
$4,000/yr out-of-state
Out-of-State Requirements
GPA 3.7+
**Starting with students who enroll in the Fall 2026 semester**, the Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship amount ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 per academic year. The amount awarded ($2,000; $2,500; $3,000; or $4,000) is based on the student’s high school academic performance and cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). This scholarship amount awarded is applied toward and reduces the student’s tuition.
Eligibility: All admitted first-year, degree-seeking applicants with a strong academic record will be considered for a Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship.
How to apply: ["admission application (considered upon admission)", "no separate application"]
Source ↗
U.S. citizen, Hawaiʻi non-resident or WUE eligible 3.50+
Award
$2,000/yr out-of-state
Out-of-State Requirements
GPA 3.5+
**Starting with students who enroll in the Fall 2026 semester**, the Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship amount ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 per academic year. The amount awarded ($2,000; $2,500; $3,000; or $4,000) is based on the student’s high school academic performance and cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). This scholarship amount awarded is applied toward and reduces the student’s tuition.
Eligibility: All admitted first-year, degree-seeking applicants with a strong academic record will be considered for a Mānoa Academic Merit Scholarship.
How to apply: ["admission application (considered upon admission)", "no separate application"]
Source ↗

Other scholarships at University of Hawaii at Manoa (12)

These require a separate application, or the school does not publish their eligibility criteria.

Flagship Capstone Year Programs
$15,000
Up to $7,000 for Flagship-approved Summer Programs, and up to $15,000 for Flagship-approved Capstone Year Programs.
Eligibility: For current Chinese Flagship students.
How to apply: ["be a current Chinese Flagship student", "contact program for eligibility (email provided)"]
Source ↗
Flagship Summer Programs
$7,000
Up to $7,000 for Flagship-approved Summer Programs, and up to $15,000 for Flagship-approved Capstone Year Programs.
Eligibility: For current Chinese Flagship students.
How to apply: ["be a current Chinese Flagship student", "contact program for eligibility (email provided)"]
Source ↗
International Merit - resident tuition equivalent (150% of resident tuition)
The International Merit Award Scholarship amount is the equivalent of 150% of the resident tuition rate; currently, for the 2023-2024 academic year, this scholarship is valued at approximately $16,380 per academic year.
Eligibility: First-year admitted applicants whose citizenship is outside of the U.S. and who require an F-1 Visa to enroll at UH Manoa, with a cumulative 3.3 high school/secondary school GPA or higher, will be considered for this scholarship award. Transfer admitted applicants ... with a cumulative 3.3 college GPA or higher will be considered for this scholarship award.
How to apply: ["admission application (considered upon admission)", "apply by priority deadlines (Nov 1 for spring, June 1 for fall)"]
Source ↗
Graduate Achievement - minimum award
$500/yr
The award amount varies, depending on the graduate program. Minimum award is $500. Awards are applicable toward the costs of tuition and fees.
Eligibility: To be eligible, a student must be a degree-seeking student in a master’s or doctoral program and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above. Students apply through their graduate programs.
How to apply: ["apply through graduate program", "competitive selection"]
Source ↗
Mānoa Excellence - non-WUE non-resident
For U.S. citizens who are non-Hawai’i residents (and are not WUE-eligible), is equivalent to student paying Hawai’i resident tuition rates. The amount is approximately $22,032 per year for 4 years; and approximately $88,128 total for all 4 years. For U.S. citizens who are non-Hawai’i residents (and are WUE-eligible), is equivalent to WUE-eligible student paying Hawai’i resident tuition rates. The amount is approximately $5,652 per year for 4 years; and approximately $22,608 total for all 4 years.
Eligibility: Residency Status: U.S. citizens who are non-Hawai’i Residents; Student type: First-year, degree-seeking who enrolls at UH Mānoa in the semester following the completion of their high school diploma; GPA: Students with a 3.7 cumulative high school GPA or higher will be considered for this scholarship.
How to apply: ["apply for admission by January 5", "supplemental application (list of activities/achievements and short-answer essay)"]
Source ↗
Mānoa Excellence - WUE-eligible non-resident
For U.S. citizens who are non-Hawai’i residents (and are not WUE-eligible), is equivalent to student paying Hawai’i resident tuition rates. The amount is approximately $22,032 per year for 4 years; and approximately $88,128 total for all 4 years. For U.S. citizens who are non-Hawai’i residents (and are WUE-eligible), is equivalent to WUE-eligible student paying Hawai’i resident tuition rates. The amount is approximately $5,652 per year for 4 years; and approximately $22,608 total for all 4 years.
Eligibility: Residency Status: U.S. citizens who are non-Hawai’i Residents; Student type: First-year, degree-seeking who enrolls at UH Mānoa in the semester following the completion of their high school diploma; GPA: Students with a 3.7 cumulative high school GPA or higher will be considered for this scholarship.
How to apply: ["apply for admission by January 5", "supplemental application (list of activities/achievements and short-answer essay)"]
Source ↗
Mānoa International Excellence - resident tuition equivalent
Award Amount: Equivalent to student paying Hawai’i resident tuition rates. Approximately $22,032 per year for 4 years; approximately $88,128 total for all 4 years.
Eligibility: Residency Status: International, non-U.S. citizens who require an F-1 Visa to enroll at UH Mānoa. GPA: Students with a 3.7 cumulative high school GPA or higher will be considered for this scholarship.
How to apply: ["apply for admission by January 5", "supplemental application (list of activities/achievements and short-answer essay)"]
Source ↗
Music Department Merit Scholarships
Merit scholarships for new students are available only to those entering in the Fall semester.
Eligibility: Students who want to be considered for Music Department Merit Scholarships must apply through the Music Department separate from any UH aid application. Applications are only accepted via electronic submission through STAR.
How to apply: ["electronic submission via STAR", "separate department application (not the UH aid application)"]
Source ↗
Presidential Scholarship - full award
The award amount is equivalent to full-tuition each year for 2 years + $5,600 per year stipend + $2,500 one-time travel grant.
Eligibility: Residency Status: Hawai’i Residents. Class Standing: Junior class standing by the end of the spring semester. GPA: Students with a 3.7 college GPA or higher will be considered for this scholarship.
How to apply: ["apply for admission by March 1", "supplemental application (list of activities/achievements and short-answer essay)", "short-answer essay (250-400 words)"]
Source ↗
Provost Achievement - standard award
$10,000/yr
The award amount is $10,000 per year for 4 years.
Eligibility: Residency Status: Hawai’i Residents. GPA: Students with a 3.7 cumulative high school GPA or higher will be considered for this scholarship.
How to apply: ["apply for admission by January 5", "supplemental application (list of activities/achievements and short-answer essay)"]
Source ↗
Regents Scholarship - full award
The award amount is equivalent to full-tuition each year for 4 years + $5,600 per year stipend + $2,500 one-time travel grant.
Eligibility: Residency Status: Hawai’i Residents. GPA: Students with a 3.7 cumulative high school GPA or higher will be considered for this scholarship.
How to apply: ["apply for admission by January 5", "supplemental application (list of activities/achievements and short-answer essay)", "submit supplemental materials by January 15"]
Source ↗
Transfer Merit Scholarship - standard award
$2,000/yr
The award amount is $2,000 per year for 2 years.
Eligibility: Residency Status: All residency types. Student type: Incoming transfer student. GPA: Students with a 3.3 college GPA or higher will be considered for this scholarship.
How to apply: ["apply for admission by March 1", "supplemental application (list of activities/achievements and short-answer essay)"]
Source ↗

Common questions about University of Hawaii at Manoa scholarships

How much merit aid does University of Hawaii at Manoa give?

Published awards range $500-$4,000/yr. University of Hawaii at Manoa lists 17 merit scholarships in total.

What GPA or test scores do you need for a scholarship at University of Hawaii at Manoa?

The lowest published threshold across automatic awards is 3.2 GPA. Individual scholarships set their own cutoffs.

Does University of Hawaii at Manoa give merit scholarships to out-of-state students?

Yes. Awards for out-of-state students run $500-$4,000/yr.

Is there a full-ride scholarship at University of Hawaii at Manoa?

Not a full ride. The largest published award covers about 12% of tuition.

Do you have to apply separately for merit scholarships at University of Hawaii at Manoa?

5 of the published awards are granted automatically on your admission application, with no separate scholarship application.

💡 Tip: Award amounts and cutoffs change year to year. Confirm current figures with University of Hawaii at Manoa's financial aid office before making decisions — or check their scholarship page.

More on University of Hawaii at Manoa

Other HI schools with automatic merit scholarships