A new scholarship aims to help Garden Isle grads cover college costs.
Kaua‘i Community College is launching a new scholarship for high school seniors graduating in 2026.
The Ho‘olei Scholarship will cover the first year of tuition at Kaua‘i CC for eligible students after financial aid is applied, the college said in an announcement Tuesday. It’s available to seniors who graduate from a public high school or charter school on Kaua‘i and directly enroll at Kaua‘i CC.
Scholarship recipients also will gain access to on-campus jobs.
“Ho‘olei is about opening doors, removing financial barriers and helping our local students take the next step toward their future right here at home,” Kaua‘i CC Chancellor Margaret Sanchez said in the announcement.
More than $100,000 is available to support students, thanks in part to donations and additional support from the Stupski Foundation, the announcement notes.
To apply, students must apply to the school online and complete the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Eligible students will be considered for the scholarship automatically once both steps are completed, Kaua‘i CC says.
“For most students, financial aid already covers the full cost of tuition at Kaua‘i CC," the announcement reads. "For students with remaining tuition costs after aid is applied, the Ho‘olei Scholarship will cover the rest of their first-year tuition, allowing them to focus on their education instead of finances.”
The University of Hawai‘i has taken steps to simplify and streamline its admission process for students across the state.
This fall, UH and the state Department of Education launched a new initiative called Direct2UH, which provides direct admission to nine of the UH system campuses based on a student's grade point average, securing them a spot without completing a traditional application. Students who graduate in the spring of 2026 are automatically eligible to enroll at all seven UH community colleges, including Kaua‘i CC, Tuesday’s announcement says.
A UH spokesperson told Aloha State Daily in October that UH and the DOE have been collaborating on ways to "better align the transition from high school to college" for more than a decade.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
