The Early Childhood Educator Stipend Program was established by the legislature through Act 210 in 2021 and was funded by a generous donation from the Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation. In 2023, our legislature approved $600,000 in additional funding to support our Early Childhood Educator Stipend program, which now becomes the first publicly funded tuition stipend program available to current and future practitioners in the early childhood field for both the Hawaiian and English medium.
Who is the stipend for?
This stipend is for anyone who is:
- Looking to work in an early learning setting directly serving children ages 0-5;
- New to the ECE field and needs immediate credit-bearing training (to earn a CDA or meet DHS licensing qualifications);
- ECE teaching staff who need to earn degrees to meet other staffing qualifications (Associates, Bachelor’s in ECE, HTSB licensure in ECE or EOEL EA requirements).
- Anyone looking to further their qualifications by earning a higher degree in ECE (all the way up to a doctoral degree), and who will stay and grow within the early childhood field.
How To Apply:
- Register for your courses for the upcoming semester. You must be registered for eligible courses in order to qualify for this stipend. If you are not yet enrolloed in a qualifying early childhood program in the UH system, you must complete this step first by contacting the appropriate Admission Office: Apply Here
UH campuses with early childhood programs that qualify for this stipend are listed below.
- Access the application here: Hawaii Early Childhood Educator Stipend Program Application Form
The Hawaiʻi Early Childhood Education (ECE) Stipend Program is now accepting applications for the Spring Term, due December 1.
✅ Covers tuition for ECE certificates & degrees
✅ Must be enrolled (or applying) in an eligible UH ECE program
✅ Includes a 2-year work commitment in a qualifying pre-K setting after graduation
Don’t wait – apply early!
Need help determining which program best fits your goals? Email ece@hawaii.edu for guidance.
Qualifying programs are at the following UH campuses:
- UH Hilo (Hawaiian and Indigenous Language Medium Programs)
- Hawai’i Community College (Early Childhood Education)
- UH Maui College (Early Childhood Education)
- UH Mānoa (Early Childhood Teacher Licensure Programs)
- UH West Oʻahu (Early Childhood Education)
- Honolulu Community College (Early Childhood Education)
- Kauaʻi Community College (Early Childhood Education)