Financial Aid Basics: Unpacking College Costs for University of Hawaiʻi Students
Unpacking College Costs for University of Hawaiʻi (UH) Students is an online course for college students attending any of the UH campuses, primarily community colleges. In 2018, Junior Achievement and AIG surveyed 1,000 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 to better understand their perceptions about personal finance, 75% answered that one of their financial goals in the future was “Graduating from college,” and 95% agreed that “It would be valuable to take a personal finance class in high school.” According to hawaiipublicschools.org, starting with the 2026-27 school year, all students in Hawai’i public schools must successfully complete a financial literacy educational opportunity prior to graduation. This shows that there is a need for financial literacy and the state of Hawai’i is taking steps to address the issue.
Upon conducting individual surveys with students in the University of Hawaiʻi system, the longstanding notion that financial aid is complex, confusing, and intimidating continues to be present in a majority of students. Students need adequate resources about college costs and financial aid that are available to them outside of their campus’ Financial Aid office hours so that they may be prepared for the financial responsibilities that come with higher education.
This course was built for University of Hawaiʻi students using the ADDIE model for instructional design and Blooms Taxonomy for the course learning objectives. The students who take this course are primarily doing so for college career preparation and for the purpose of seeking general education to build their financial literacy.
Ku’ulei Pereira, LTEC Student, University of Hawaiʻi, US
Aloha! My name is Kuʻulei Pereira and I am currently a graduate student in my second year pursuing my master’s degree in Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) at Mānoa. I also spend my working hours in the UH System as a Financial Aid Specialist at Kapiʻolani Community College. I am passionate about supporting students on their educational journey as I embark on my own as well. When I’m not at school or work I enjoy playing video games and learning new skills and hobbies.
John Paul Gampon, LTEC Student, University of Hawaiʻi, US
John Paul Gampon is a Financial Aid Specialist at Honolulu Community College and currently pursuing a master’s degree in Learning Design & Technology. He plans to create instructional guides for future financial aid specialists.
