Hawaii Pacific University Scholarships for International Students: A Comprehensive Guide

Hawai'i Pacific University (HPU), located in Honolulu, provides a unique educational experience by combining academic rigor with a vibrant, multicultural environment. As the largest private university in Hawai'i, HPU offers a wide array of programs spanning business, marine science, health sciences, liberal arts, and more. For international students aspiring to study at HPU, financial aid opportunities are available through various scholarships and grants. This article provides a detailed overview of the scholarships offered by HPU to international students.

Merit-Based Scholarships

HPU offers competitive merit scholarships to international undergraduate students based on their academic achievements. These scholarships are designed to recognize and reward students with exceptional academic abilities.

Automatic Consideration

New incoming freshmen and transfer students are automatically considered for merit scholarships during the admissions process. A separate scholarship application is not required. To be eligible, international undergraduate freshman and transfer applicants must complete an application for undergraduate admission.

Eligibility Criteria

Academic merit scholarships are applied towards tuition. These scholarships are awarded based on academic merit and do not require a separate financial aid application. However, HPU encourages students who believe they may need additional financial assistance to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Scholarship Value

HPU offers competitive scholarships of up to 50% of tuition. The actual amount awarded varies based on the applicant's academic profile and the availability of funds.

Read also: BYU Hawaii Tuition Fees Explained

Talent Scholarships

International students with exceptional talent in specific areas can apply for talent scholarships. These scholarships are available in various fields, including vocal ensemble, band, orchestra, and e-sports.

International Vocal Ensemble (IVE) Scholarship

The International Vocal Ensemble (IVE) at HPU is a unique choral group comprising non-music majors who receive scholarships for their participation. IVE performs a diverse repertoire of music from around the world and has toured internationally, including a recent trip to Japan with the HPU Orchestra. The ensemble forms the vocal core of the International Chorale.

Band and Orchestra Scholarships

The Hawai'i Pacific University Band consists of instrumentalists from Hawai'i and abroad. Prospective band members must audition for entry. The band provides musical spirit at HPU women's volleyball and men's basketball games as the Pep Band, motivating fans and athletes with their performances. A select jazz/wind ensemble is chosen from the larger group, requiring students to pass secondary performance criteria and commit to extra rehearsal time. The HPU Symphony is a performing ensemble course for experienced musicians proficient in instruments such as violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, and percussion. The Chamber Orchestra consists of string players from the Symphony and performs repertoire suitable for a smaller orchestra. An audition is required for both the Symphony and Chamber Orchestra.

Esports Scholarships

HPU boasts the first and only esports arena in the state of Hawaii, a 3000 sq. ft. facility equipped with high-tech PCs, monitors, streaming booth, next-gen consoles, and casual viewing and study spaces. Esports scholarships are awarded to select incoming undergraduate students interested in joining HPU's Esports team and competing in Collegiate Valorant, Rocket League, and League of Legends. Qualified gamers can earn scholarships valued between $1,000 - $6,000 per year. Consideration for esports scholarships is based on available funds and requires the submission of both an admissions application and an esports application.

Athletic Scholarships

As a member of the NCAA Division II, Hawai'i Pacific University offers a limited number of athletic scholarships. These scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the head coach of each sport. International students with exceptional athletic abilities are encouraged to contact the relevant head coach for more information.

Read also: On-Campus Housing Options

#YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship

The #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship is open for the Fall term, with a deadline of March 1st for submitting the application and essay. This scholarship encourages international students to share their unique perspectives and experiences at HPU.

Scholarships for Transfer Students

HPU welcomes members of Phi Theta Kappa into the incoming transfer class each year and offers scholarships specifically for international transfer students. These scholarships recognize the academic achievements of transfer students and provide financial assistance to help them pursue their educational goals at HPU.

Scholarships for Visiting Students

HPU offers competitive scholarships for international undergraduate and graduate visiting students. These scholarships provide opportunities for students from other institutions to study at HPU for a semester or academic year.

Additional Scholarship Information

Full-Time Enrollment Requirement

All institutional scholarships and grants require full-time enrollment (12-plus credit hours per semester) to receive the award. Scholarships and grants will not be disbursed until the student has started at least 12 credit hours of courses. Failure to maintain full-time enrollment may result in the loss of these awards. Annual tuition scholarships are renewable, with the award divided between fall and spring semesters towards the completion of an undergraduate bachelor's degree.

Scholarship Limitations

HPU reserves the right to reduce, cancel, or substitute any institutional scholarship/grant at any time. Tuition support from all sources cannot exceed the actual cost of tuition. If a student receives tuition benefits/payments made directly to the institution (e.g., employer tuition, 529 tuition payments, VA tuition benefits, or external scholarships) that equal or exceed 90% of the student’s total tuition, all HPU institutional scholarships and grants applicable to tuition only (including tuition waivers) will be canceled.

Read also: Cost of Hawaii Preparatory Academy

Fall Term Scholarship

Applicants considered for the Fall term scholarship (50% of tuition) should be new, full-time, degree-seeking international students planning to come to the US on an F-1 student visa. This opportunity does not extend to transfer, visiting, or exchange students.

Paying for Education

Hawai'i Pacific University has partnered with Flywire to facilitate international payments. Flywire allows international students to securely make education payments in their local currency using local payment methods.

Flywire Benefits

Full fee transparency: Flywire provides clear information about all transaction fees.
Competitive exchange rates: In most cases, students can make payments in their home currency and save on exchange rates. Flywire offers a Best Price Guarantee.
Easy refunds: If a refund is necessary, Flywire facilitates the process.
Secure and safe: Flywire ensures the security of all transactions.

HPU also accepts many international credit/debit cards within the payment portal.

Proof of Educational Cost

To provide proof of educational cost to a government payer or other entity, students can use their admissions letter or eBill Statement. HPU is not able to provide eBill Statements or similar documentation before charges are assessed each term, which typically occurs no later than 6 weeks before the start of each semester.

Tuition Due Date

Tuition is due to be paid before the start of each semester. Students with questions about their scholarship amount should refer to their letter of admission.

Account Standing

International students must ensure their account is in good standing (paid in full) in a timely manner. Students who do not pay their account balance in full risk being dropped from their courses and may violate the terms of their visa if they are not enrolled in courses while in the US.

Housing Deposit Refunds

If a student lived in On-Campus Housing while studying at HPU, they may be entitled to a Housing Deposit Refund after their Housing Agreement ends. The Housing Deposit will first be applied to any housing damages and then to any unpaid charges on the student account (tuition, replacement ID or UPass, lost book fees, etc.).

Flywire Payables Fees

If a student has not used Flywire before, the Business Office staff will create an account for them in the Flywire Payables system. Flywire Payables reserves the right to update their fees. Examples of Flywire Payables fees include:

ACH to United States (USD) - $1.00 USD/payment
EFT to Canada (USD) - $1.00 USD/payment
Local Bank Transfer/International ACH - $4.00 USD/payment
SWIFT Bank Wires (made in local currency) - $25.00 USD/payment
Non-FX SWIFT Wires (e.g., USD wires to China) - $25.00 USD/payment

Exchange rates are agreed upon at the time of each transaction.

Tax Information for International Students

HPU provides general tax information for international students. However, HPU faculty and staff are not authorized to provide tax advice or personal assistance in completing tax returns. In the United States, there is an income tax at the federal or national level as well as the state level for most states. A student is considered a nonresident alien if they are not a US citizen, do not have a green card, and do not meet the "substantial presence" test.

Tax Forms

Form 1042-S: This form reports certain US source income paid to a foreign person and the withholding, if any, on that income.
Form W-2: This form reports taxable wages and withholdings on those wages.

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