HAPA’s Big Island Chapter provides up to $3,500 in awards to accounting scholars and future accountants each year. These include two $1,000 scholarships for students to use toward tuition at a four-year college or university and two $750 awards for students to use toward tuition at a two-year college. The institutions need not be located in Hawaii, but they must be accredited, and the student must register for enrollment full-time in order to receive the award.
(Part-time students will be considered if they provide a written statement on the circumstances preventing them from being full-time students.)

Qualified applicants must either be: (1) a current Big Island high school senior, or (2) a graduate of a Big Island high school, or (3) be enrolled at the University of Hawaii at Hilo or Hawaii Community College (regardless of local high school affiliation).

Applicants must aspire toward a career in accounting and furnish a personal letter of introduction, together with their completed application form and academic transcript(s). Letters of recommendation and personal references are optional, but they often strengthen the candidate’s presentation and are highly recommended.
Applications become available in January and the deadline is generally March 31 for the following Fall-Spring academic year.

The Scholarship Committee is comprised of four Big Island Chapter members.  The Committee reviews all applications and judges them using the following weighted criteria:

• 30% - academic performance (GPA, types of courses taken, etc.)
• 20% - demonstration of financial need
• 20% - extracurricular activities and school/community service
• 30% - completeness and overall presentation, including quality of the applicant’s personal letter of introduction, letters of recommendation, personal references, etc.

Award winners are generally announced in May. Scholarship checks are sent directly to the respective institutions, where the student can claim them in the fall, upon showing proof of registration as a full-time student (or part-time if approved).

Application forms and instructions are available for the following types of scholarships:

$750 Associates (Two-Year) Degree Candidate

$1,000 Baccalaureate (Four-Year) Degree Candidate

Download Application forms:

2025 Application for undergraduate or graduate degree scholarship

2025 Application for associate degree scholarship