Skip to content

Chaminade scholarships and merit aid

The short answer

Chaminade is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 5 published awards, and 2 are based on those numbers.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
5 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

The award collection

Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

Where does your student land?

  1. First-Year Merit Scholarship (AY 2026–2027)$4,000-$21,000AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    First-Year Merit Scholarship (AY 2026–2027)

    $4,000-$21,000

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.50+ GPA (Leadership) up to 3.75+ GPA (Regents); award tier based on GPA
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for First-Year Merit Scholarship (AY 2026–2027)

    Who qualifies

    New incoming Day Undergraduate first-year students; automatically considered at admission, no separate application. International students are not eligible.

    How to keep it

    Valid for a total of four (4) academic years / eight (8) semesters; ceases if additional semesters are required; does not apply to Summer semesters.

    Worth knowing

    All tier amounts are stated as 'Up to' figures: Regents (3.75+) up to $21,000; Presidential (3.50+) up to $19,000; Chancellor (3.25+) up to $14,000; Dean (3.00+) up to $11,000; Leadership (2.50+) up to $8,000.

  2. Transfer Merit Scholarship (AY 2026–2027)$4,000-$12,000AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Transfer Merit Scholarship (AY 2026–2027)

    $4,000-$12,000

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.00+ GPA (Leadership) up to 3.50+ GPA (Regents); award tier based on GPA
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Transfer Merit Scholarship (AY 2026–2027)

    Who qualifies

    New incoming Day Undergraduate transfer students; automatically considered at admission, no separate application. International students are not eligible.

    How to keep it

    Same policy as first-year merit: valid for a total of four (4) academic years / eight (8) semesters; does not apply to Summer semesters.

    Worth knowing

    All tier amounts are stated as 'Up to' figures: Regents (3.50+) up to $12,000; Presidential (3.00+) up to $9,000; Dean (2.50+) up to $7,000; Leadership (2.00+) up to $4,000.

  3. Hawai'i Guarantee ScholarshipAmount varies (adjusts tuition, after institutional aid, to the in-state undergraduate tuition rate at Hawai'i's public flagship university)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Hawai'i Guarantee Scholarship

    Amount varies (adjusts tuition, after institutional aid, to the in-state undergraduate tuition rate at Hawai'i's public flagship university)

    Variable or qualified amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Hawai'i Guarantee Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Hawaii high school senior graduate; first-time college student / incoming freshman; first-time bachelor degree-seeking, full-time (12-18 credits/semester); must complete the FAFSA; all majors excluding Nursing; Day Undergraduate program only (not Flex online, not transfers, not non-degree).

    How to keep it

    Hawaii Guarantee is renewable for three years; covers up to four years of undergraduate study; students must be continuously enrolled for consecutive semesters or the student returns at Chaminade's posted regular tuition rate; does not apply to Summer Session.

    Worth knowing

    No separate scholarship application; Chaminade application + FAFSA by June 1 deadline. Pell Grants can still be applied in addition.

  4. Chaminade Scholars Program$2,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Chaminade Scholars Program

    $2,000

    Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Minimum high school GPA of 3.0
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Chaminade Scholars Program

    Who qualifies

    Incoming freshmen who will graduate from a Marianist or Catholic High School in the US/US Territory OR are a member of a Catholic Parish in the US/US Territory. Separate application plus resume, two 250-word-minimum essays, and one reference required; FAFSA recommended.

    How to keep it

    May be renewed a total of four years (eight semesters). Renewal is dependent upon engagement in programming, completion of 15 hours of service each semester, reflection upon that service, and maintaining good academic standing.

    Worth knowing

    Priority Deadline: January 15, 2026; Final Deadline: April 1, 2026.

  5. The Mu'o ScholarshipFull tuition ($102,380 value)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    The Mu'o Scholarship

    Full tuition ($102,380 value)

    Published coverage or packageNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for The Mu'o Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Resident of Hawai'i; new Chaminade students entering the 100% online teacher-preparation program (BS in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Education with Montessori Credential, Elementary Education, or Secondary Education); Chaminade application and official transcripts. FAFSA not required. Scholarship preference may be given to applicants with a background in Native Hawaiian cultural, linguistic, or community engagement.

    How to keep it

    Renews automatically each year as long as the student remains eligible and makes satisfactory academic progress; requires minimum 6 credits per term and good academic standing; covers up to 120 credits for a maximum of five to six years; funding will not extend beyond June 2032.

    Worth knowing

    Partnership with Kamehameha Schools; covers tuition and books (and residential stay for neighbor-island students for in-person sessions) but NOT the $93/course technology fee. Fall 2026 is the FINAL Mu'o cohort; application deadline May 1, 2026.

Lights up against Chaminade's published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office. Award terms and residency rules change; some awards differ for in-state and out-of-state students. Always confirm at the school’s source page.

Free Merit Check

Check the rules that could cut this.

The free Merit Check shows which Chaminade award your student's numbers reach, and the rules that could change it. About 30 seconds.

Checking merit aid at Chaminade

We’ll email you this result and a few short merit-aid pointers. We store score ranges only, never your student’s name. Unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy.

This page covers one school.

Your playbook does this for every school on your list, sorted by what you’d pay.

Ready in under 10 minutes. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Get my playbook$79
  • Secure payment through Stripe
  • “it told me what to ask and what the renewal GPA looked like, which I was not going to find on my own”Melissa

The fine print

Outside awardsNo published displacement order

Chaminade's policy doesn't specify whether outside scholarships hit loans, grants, or only the COA ceiling. Get a written aid-office answer before chasing private awards.

What makes Chaminade different

Chaminade pairs an automatic GPA-banded merit grid (up to $21,000/year for first-years) with a distinctive Hawai'i Guarantee that adjusts tuition, after institutional aid, down to the in-state rate at Hawai'i's public flagship university for Hawai'i high school graduates.

Merit tiers52 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. Know what happens next year

    Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.

The fine print / Three questions to carry forward

Before you count on it.

Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.

Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.

Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.

Take Chaminade's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

What families often miss

  1. Every tier on the merit grid is stated as an 'Up to' amount (e.g., Regents 3.75+ GPA — 'Up to $21,000'), and the page says merit awards 'range from $4,000 to $21,000.' A 3.75 GPA qualifies you for the Regents tier but does not guarantee the full $21,000.

  2. The merit-aid page states awards 'are valid for a total of four (4) academic years / eight (8) semesters' and 'Should a student require additional semesters, the merit scholarship will cease to be applied to the account. Additionally, the merit scholarships do not apply to Summer semesters.'

  3. The merit-aid page footnote states plainly: 'International students are not eligible for merit scholarships.'

  4. The Hawai'i Guarantee is awarded AFTER institutional aid and 'adjusts your tuition cost, after institutional aid, to meet the in-state undergraduate tuition at Hawaii's public flagship university.' It tops your aid up to the UH in-state tuition level; it is not an additional stackable discount below that level.

  5. The Hawai'i Guarantee page lists 'All majors excluding Nursing,' and its FAQ states transfer students, online Flex students, current students, and non-degree students are not eligible. It is only for first-time freshmen Hawai'i high school graduates in the day undergraduate program.

  6. The FAQ warns: 'Students must be continuously enrolled for consecutive semesters to receive the Hawaii Guarantee. If a student takes a break in enrollment without an official leave of absence, the student can return to Chaminade but will need to pay Chaminade's posted regular tuition rate.' It is also only renewable for three years (four years of coverage total) and does not apply to summer.

  7. The scholarships page states: 'Due to the fluctuating nature of these institutional funds, these are one-time only scholarships and not renewed each year.'

  8. Renewal 'is dependent upon engagement in programming..., completion of 15 hours of service each semester, in reflection upon that service, and maintaining good academic standing' — miss the service hours and the award can be lost. It is also capped at four years (eight semesters).

  9. Mu'o covers tuition and books but students 'will only need to pay the technology fee for each course (currently $93/course)'; it covers up to 120 credits for a maximum of five to six years, and 'Funding will not extend beyond June 2032.' Fall 2026 is the final cohort.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Strongest fit for Hawai'i high school graduates, who can stack the automatic GPA-based merit award with the Hawai'i Guarantee tuition match; mainland students with a 3.75+ GPA can earn up to $21,000/year automatically with no separate application.

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Chaminade, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at Chaminade, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$31,589
$30,001–$48,000$21,591
$48,001–$75,000$25,597
$75,001–$110,000$28,054
$110,001+$29,306
All income levels (average)$28,856

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Total cost of attendance (sticker), AY 2021-22
$45,798
Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$30,874
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$28,856

That works out to an average 37% discount off the sticker price above — both figures come from the same federal AY 2021-22 Scorecard report, not a number the school itself published.

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
55%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
70%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$23,250 (~$246/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$52,343
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
47%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
37%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Chaminade does not publish a general institutional stacking or outside-scholarship displacement policy on its financial-aid pages. The only stated combination rule is for the Hawai'i Guarantee: it is awarded AFTER institutional aid is applied (it tops up to the UH in-state tuition level rather than stacking on top), and Pell Grants can still be applied in addition to it. Need-based aid is capped at demonstrated financial need.

Hawai'i Guarantee page: the award 'adjusts your tuition cost, after institutional aid, to meet the in-state undergraduate tuition at Hawaii's public flagship university'; 'Pell Grants can still be used/applied in addition to the Hawaii Guarantee Scholarship.' Scholarships page (need-based aid): 'The total aid awarded cannot exceed your demonstrated financial need.' How outside/private scholarships interact with institutional merit is not addressed on any page opened.

Source

Other Chaminade scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityReturning/continuing undergraduate students who meet academic criteria; some consider leadership, community service, or personal qualities; FAFSA required (deadline for FAFSA completion is May 1, 2026).

One-time only scholarships, not renewed each year. Application opens February 2; application deadline March 31; award notifications begin June 1.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityStudent-athletes in listed NCAA II sports (men's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer; women's basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball); awarded by the respective coach of each team.

Contact the Athletics Department directly for eligibility.

Source

Chaminade merit aid FAQ

  • Do I need a separate application for Chaminade's merit scholarship?

    No. 'New incoming Day Undergraduate first-year and transfer students are automatically considered for institutional merit-based scholarships at the time of admission with no separate application being required.'

  • What is the Hawai'i Guarantee deadline?

    The Hawai'i Guarantee page says: 'Submit your Chaminade application and FAFSA to be considered for Hawai'i Guarantee. Deadline is June 1.' (No year is stated on the page.)

  • What is the Chaminade Scholars application deadline?

    Priority Deadline: January 15, 2026; Final Deadline: April 1, 2026.

  • When should I file the FAFSA?

    The financial-aid sidebar lists FAFSA Available: October 1, Filing Deadline: April 1 (Chaminade school code 001605). For donor-sponsored scholarships, the 'Deadline for FAFSA completion is May 1, 2026.'

  • What is the deadline for the Mu'o Scholarship (final cohort)?

    Applications for the Fall 2026 cohort — the final Mu'o cohort — are due May 1, 2026.

  • How much does Chaminade cost for 2026-27?

    For AY 2026–2027 (rates effective July 1, 2026), standard tuition is $32,754; with books & supplies ($2,000) and on-campus room & board ($18,760) the published 'Total Estimated Costs' is $53,514, plus other estimated expenses (personal $1,800, transportation $1,200, federal loan fees $134, tuition fee $114). BSN nursing tuition is $40,490 ($61,250 total with on-campus room & board).

See sources and other schools

How Chaminade compares

  • 133 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.

    Chaminade is in a recognizable cluster (133 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 133 of 749 verified schools publish no clear displacement order.

    Chaminade is one of them. The right move is the aid-office email script below, not a guess.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    Chaminade is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against Chaminade’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

  • Hawaii Pacific merit aid. Hawaii private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • UH Mānoa merit aid. Hawaii public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • Biola merit aid. California private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • Bluefield merit aid. Virginia private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.

Keep exploring Chaminade merit aid

The next chapter

Where does Chaminade fit in your plan?

You have the school’s rules. Now put them in the context of your student and the rest of your list.

  1. Check your student’s numbers, free
  2. Explore another school
  3. See how the research becomes a plan

Ready to work through your whole list? Get my playbook

Inside the sample

Jordan’s playbook

Same student.
Four schools.
Four very different bills.

An illustrative student profile, with a school order, scholarship research and a to-do list. Open the sample to see how it works.

Open the sample playbook