MEDIA RELEASE

For more than 30 years, Hawaii Community Foundation has provided the state’s students, young and young-at-heart, with an opportunity to attend college.

They are once again making this possible.

Hawaii Community Foundation is opening its online application for students seeking financial assistance to fund their college or vocational education.

Students can apply for one of the organization’s more than 170 scholarship opportunities by simply completing an online application.

Deadline for applications is Feb. 22, 2013.

Hawaii Community Foundation distributes $4.5 million in scholarships to students each year, with individuals receiving an average scholarship award of $2,200, making it the third largest private scholarship provider in the state.

“With the cost of college tuition rising, these scholarships help to ensure that Hawai’i’s students have an equal opportunity to achieve their dreams and seek a college education,” said Amy Luersen, director of philanthropic services at the Hawaii Community Foundation. “With the help of our generous donors, we are pleased to offer hope for thousands of students.”

Students should expect to spend approximately 60 – 90 minutes to fill out and upload the required documents for the application. In addition to the application, students will be required to submit supporting documents, including: a full Student Aid Report (SAR) generated when completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), grade transcript, and personal statement.

Some of the scholarships may include additional information, such as letters of recommendation or essays.

These requirements can be determined by searching for specific scholarship opportunities on the site’s scholarship search function.

Through the online application, students are also able to send requests for letters of recommendation directly to their recommender’s email and can regularly view status updates of their requests.

Hawaii Community Foundation’s scholarship program consists of more than 170 different scholarship opportunities established by generous individuals, families, businesses or organizations to assist Hawaii’s residents in obtaining a college education.

Some scholarship funds are part of the Hawaii Community Foundation and some opportunities are through private foundations that contract with Hawaii Community Foundation to administer their scholarships.

Students apply online with one common application and, if eligible, can be awarded from one or more of these funds.

To submit an online application, search for a scholarship or find more information, visit: www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/scholarships