Education resources for women include FAFSA-based federal aid (Pell Grants up to ~$7,000/year), the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title IX protections against sex discrimination on campus, and dedicated single-mother scholarships through the Jeannette Rankin Foundation, Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards, and Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation. Community colleges offer low-cost two-year degrees and trade certificates, often with CCAMPIS-grant subsidized on-campus childcare. AAUW funds career development grants and fellowships for women. GED and HiSET programs run through state adult education offices, usually free. This directory covers FAFSA offices, community colleges, adult education, and women's scholarships.
Hawaii's Family Court is a division of the Circuit Court and operates in each of its four judicial circuits (Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, Kauai). The Child Support Enforcement Agency operates under the Attorney General. Honolulu is the largest population center. Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii, and the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence serve women.
UH Manoa is the flagship of the 10-campus UH system, sitting at 2500 Campus Road in the Manoa Valley. The Office of Financial Aid Services helps women — including returning students and single mothers — file FAFSA, apply for the Hawaii Promise scholarship, and stack institutional aid. Call 808-956-8111 weekdays 8am to 4:30pm. Bring tax returns, ID, and SSN.
808-956-8111 · 2500 Campus Rd, Honolulu, HI 96822 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
UH Hilo on Hawaii Island is the second four-year UH campus, with strong programs in nursing, marine science, and Hawaiian studies — useful tracks for women pursuing careers tied to the island's hospitals, conservation organizations, and cultural institutions. Call 808-932-7348 weekdays 8am to 4:30pm to start financial aid or admissions.
808-932-7348 · 200 W Kawili St, Hilo, HI 96720 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Kapiolani CC at Diamond Head is the system's largest community college and the main feeder into UH Manoa for women transferring up. Strong vocational tracks in nursing, culinary, and medical assisting fit working mothers who need a credential quickly. Call 808-734-9000 weekdays 8am to 4:30pm. Hawaii Promise covers tuition for many in-state students.
808-734-9000 · 4303 Diamond Head Rd, Honolulu, HI 96816 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Leeward CC in Pearl City serves west Oahu, including military families based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and large working-class communities in Waianae. The campus runs strong CTE programs in automotive, IT, and digital media. Call 808-455-0011 weekdays 8am to 4:30pm. Hawaii Promise applies to qualifying state residents.
808-455-0011 · 96-045 Ala Ike, Pearl City, HI 96782 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
UH Maui College in Kahului serves Maui, Molokai, and Lanai with both two-year and select four-year programs including nursing and applied business. The campus has been a key post-wildfire workforce recovery hub. Call 808-984-3500 weekdays 8am to 4:30pm. Hawaii Promise covers tuition for many residents.
808-984-3500 · 310 W Kaahumanu Ave, Kahului, HI 96732 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Filing FAFSA at studentaid.gov is the first step before any Hawaii Promise, Pell, or institutional scholarship is awarded. The federal helpline at 800-433-3243 talks a mother through the application — particularly useful when household income is irregular, when a parent's information is unavailable, or when the student is an independent adult. Free.
800-433-3243 · Online Service · Online 24/7 · Visit Website
The Hawaii B Plus Scholarship (now folded into the broader Hawaii Promise program) covers tuition and fees at any UH campus for qualifying recent Hawaii high school graduates. The UH Manoa Financial Aid office at 808-956-8111 administers eligibility. Useful for daughters of Hawaii mothers entering college straight out of DOE high schools.
808-956-8111 · Honolulu, HI · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Hawaii DOE Community Schools for Adults offer free GED prep and adult basic education at sites across all islands. Call 808-586-3230 to find the nearest center. Useful for mothers who left school early and want to earn a HiSET or GED before enrolling at UH or pursuing a CTE certificate. Day, evening, and online classes available.
808-586-3230 · Statewide Locations · Varies by location · Visit Website
Studentaid.gov is the federal portal for FAFSA, Pell Grant tracking, federal loan management, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness — all relevant for Hawaii mothers who work for nonprofits or government and may qualify for PSLF after ten years. Free; the only official place to file FAFSA.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Pell Grants of up to $7,395/year for the 2024-25 award year can stack with Hawaii Promise to cover tuition, fees, and a meaningful share of living costs — significant on Oahu and the neighbor islands where housing eats most of a college student's budget. Pell does not need to be repaid. File FAFSA early; Hawaii has a March priority deadline.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
AAUW administers one of the largest portfolios of fellowships and grants for women pursuing master's, doctoral, and post-doctoral work. American Fellowships, International Fellowships, and Career Development Grants are all available to qualifying Hawaii women. Competitive; deadlines fall annually in November-December.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
P.E.O. International funds multiple women-only education programs: the Program for Continuing Education (PCE) for women returning to school after an interruption, the Educational Loan Fund, and the Scholar Awards for doctoral students. Hawaii P.E.O. chapters can endorse local applicants — a key step in the application.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Soroptimist's Live Your Dream Awards are designed precisely for women like many Hawaii single mothers — the primary financial provider for their families, pursuing education or skills training. Hawaii Soroptimist clubs in Honolulu, Hilo, and Kahului nominate applicants and the regional and national rounds offer additional funding tiers.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
The Jeannette Rankin Foundation awards scholarships to women age 35 and older from low-income backgrounds pursuing vocational training, an associate degree, or an undergraduate degree. Hawaii applicants are eligible. The award is renewable, and the foundation also offers wraparound coaching during the academic year.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Named after the late Hawaii congresswoman who authored Title IX, the Patsy Mink Foundation awards education-support grants specifically to low-income women with children who are pursuing post-secondary education. Hawaii applicants apply through the same national portal; awards are renewable.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Scholarships.com lets a Hawaii mother filter for awards open to women, single parents, returning students, or specific career tracks — generating a longlist she can work through systematically. Free; profile-based matching. Best used alongside the Hawaii Community Foundation's local Hawaii scholarships portal.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
BigFuture is the College Board's free college planning hub, useful for Hawaii mothers helping a high school daughter compare UH campuses against mainland options, understand net price calculators, and identify scholarships that don't require an SAT score.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Khan Academy's free SAT prep is the official College Board partner and lets a Hawaii student in any DOE high school or homeschool setting prepare for the SAT without paying for private tutoring. The personalized practice tools also cover SAT Subject material, AP courses, and core academic skills.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website