Running Start is a program that allows “eligible” high school students to take a college course at a University of Hawai‘i campus as part of their high school coursework.
This partnership between the Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) and the University of Hawai‘i System (UH) allows high school students attending public and charter schools to enroll in college classes during the fall, spring, and summer terms – with the opportunity to earn both high school and college credits.
Currently, nine University of Hawai‘i campuses participate in the Running Start program:
- Hawaiʻi Community College (includes Hilo/Manono, Kō Education Center, and Pālamanui campuses)
- Honolulu Community College
- Kapiʻolani Community College
- Kauaʻi Community College
- Leeward Community College
- University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
- University of Hawaiʻi Maui College
- University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu
- Windward Community College
Eligibility Requirements
Any public high school and charter school student is considered to be eligible if they meet campus admissions requirements, attend a public (HIDOE) or charter school within the state of Hawaiʻi, and are under the age of 21 as of September 1st of the school year in which the college course is taken.
Students must also fulfill and comply with college campus requirements such as:
- Completing admissions forms/applications
- Meeting admissions requirements and/or deadlines
- Receiving satisfactory scores on appropriate Math and English placement tests or equivalent satisfactory scores using alternative measures of placement
- Providing evidence of TB and MMR immunization requirements (typically only required for home-schooled students)
- Paying for college tuition and fees
- Maintaining acceptable academic standing
GEAR UP Running Start Scholarship Details
GEAR UP Hawai‘i supports low-income students’ participation in the Running Start program (available at 9 of the 10 University of Hawaiʻi campuses) by providing support for tuition, fees, and books. GEAR UP Hawai‘i offers GEAR UP Running Start Scholarships to Hawai‘i public high school students who are economically disadvantaged (defined as receiving free lunch, reduced lunch, or the equivalent for schools not participating in the National School Lunch Program, or as participating in the Supplemental Assistance for Needy Families – SNAP – or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families – TANF – program).
GEAR UP Running Start Scholarships cover the cost of tuition, fees, and required textbooks for one 3 or 4 credit class. (Please note that the scholarship may only be used for 4 credits if the course is designated as a 4 credit class or if there is a one-credit lab that must be taken concurrently with a 3 credit class.) The scholarship is valid only for one semester – the semester listed on the scholarship award letter and voucher. Eligible students can apply for scholarships for more semesters; additional scholarships for students who have already received a GEAR UP Running Start Scholarship for a previous term will be provided if funding is available. The scholarship award is conditional upon verification of socioeconomic status by the Hawai‘i State Department of Education, as well as admission to the University of Hawai‘i campus you are planning to attend. Please note that scholarship funding is only available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents; international students are not eligible for scholarship funding. Priority awards are given to students who are economically disadvantaged and who have not received prior Running Start Scholarship funding from GEAR UP.
Please note that there have recently been modifications made to the dual credit application in the hopes that it will be easier for students to apply for a GEAR UP Running Start Scholarship. Starting in the Summer 2022 term, students will only need to answer one question to apply for the scholarship. Under the GEAR UP Running Start Scholarship portion of the dual credit application, eligible students should select “Yes” under the “I meet all of the(se) eligibility requirements and would like to be considered for a GEAR UP Running Start Scholarship” and submit their dual application form online prior to the scholarship deadline for the semester.
Students who apply for the GEAR UP Running Start scholarship will be contacted via email approximately 2-3 weeks after the scholarship deadline. Students will be notified if they have been awarded or denied a scholarship along with further instructions and information.