Creating a Scholarship

There are a number of ways to set up a scholarship: an outright gift may be made via check or credit card. There may be significant tax benefits if the gift is made using appreciated securities, by establishing a charitable trust, or by giving real property. Will bequests can also be used to create opportunities for students.

There are two different types of scholarships that UH donors can establish:

• Endowed Scholarships create a permanent fund.  Contributions are prudently invested to ensure the scholarship retains its value in perpetuity, and the scholarships created by the endowment are funded through the income generated by the endowment.
• Annual Scholarships reflect a donor’s commitment to support a scholarship for a specific number of semesters or years.  Contributions are usually made and expended in the same fiscal year.

Donors may name scholarships when the amount given meets the minimum funding requirements for an annual or endowed scholarship.  Many of our donors have used this opportunity to honor a parent, professor or loved one. 

Alternatively, donors may choose to give to existing scholarship funds in the department or school of their choice.  Donors are not involved in student selection, which is conducted by the appropriate academic department.

Naming Opportunities in Support of Students

Endowed scholarship *	UH Mānoa	UH Hilo	UH West Oʻahu	Community Colleges
Minimum Required	$50,000	$40,000	$40,000	$35,000
Interest Distributed for Aid	$2,000	$1,600	$1,600	$1,400

Annual scholarship	UH Mānoa	UH Hilo	UH West Oʻahu	Community Colleges
Minimum required	$5,000	$3,000	$3,000	$2,000

Hawaii Resident tuition per academic year **	UH Mānoa	UH Hilo	UH West Oʻahu	Community Colleges
Full-time, undergraduate	$11,304	$7,344	$7,344	$3,144***

* An initial gift of $10,000 is required to establish an endowed fund (funding must be brought up to the required level within 5 years).

** Tuition costs are higher for non-resident and foreign students, as well as for graduate level students.

*** Based on 12 credits per semester.

Frequently Asked Questions