§304A-506  Hawaii community college promise program; established.  (a)  Notwithstanding section 304A-501, there is established the Hawaii community college promise program to be administered by the board of regents.  The program shall provide scholarships for the unmet direct cost needs of qualified students enrolled at any community college campus of the University of Hawaii.

     (b)  A student enrolled at a community college campus shall be eligible for scholarship consideration for a maximum of eight semesters if the student:

     (1)  Qualifies for Hawaii resident tuition;

     (2)  Completes and submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for each academic year and accepts all federal and state aid, grants, scholarships, and other funding sources that do not require repayment; provided that this paragraph shall not apply to a student who enrolls in a certificate program;

     (3)  Is enrolled in a classified degree or certificate program with six or more credits per semester;

     (4)  Maintains satisfactory academic progress, as defined by federal requirements established pursuant to title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, and determined by the campus at which the student is enrolled; and

     (5)  Has been determined by the campus to have unmet direct cost needs.

     (c)  Scholarships shall be awarded to the extent possible based on available funds and on a greatest need basis.  An award granted to a student shall be equal to the student's unmet direct cost need, based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid calculation of need, less the amounts available to the student from Pell grants and other scholarships; provided that the unmet direct cost need for a student who enrolls in a certificate program shall be based on a suitable instrument, as determined by the university of Hawaii, less the amounts available to the student from grants and other scholarships.

     (d)  To maintain a scholarship under this section, a student shall meet the requirements of subsection (b)(4).

     (e)  As used in this section, "direct cost" means any cost directly related to a student's education, including tuition; educational fees; and the costs of books, supplies, and transportation between the student's dwelling and the student's campus. [L 2018, c 14, §2; am L 2023, c 57, §2]

Note

  Collection of data to assess the effectiveness of the Hawaii community college promise program; annual reports to legislature.  L 2019, c 61, §1.