Skip to main content
Financial Aid & Scholarships

IWORK Terms and Conditions

  • Students in the IWORK program are expected to maintain good academic standing every semester.

    Students are expected to be enrolled in at least 12 credits in fall and winter, and 8 credits in spring. In case of a reduced course load, students cannot be enrolled in less than their half-time status. Summer is not an official term as it is only meant for internship enrollment, therefore no merit or departmental scholarships are available.

    There are many resources at BYU–Hawaii that students may utilize to help them develop good study habits and succeed as students.

    We encourage all students in the IWORK program to take advantage of these academic support services, such as the Center for Academic Success and peer mentoring, to help them maintain good grades and receive assistance when necessary.

  • Students in the IWORK program are required to work. These jobs are all located at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) and BYU–Hawaii. Most of these positions are physically demanding and occur in a challenging work environment that includes loud noise, wet slippery surfaces, water, and fire. While performing the duties of these jobs, the employee is regularly required to stand for long periods of time, sit, dance, talk, hear, and use arms and hands to operate the equipment. Light to moderate lifting is required. The ability to handle the stress or participating in regular performances in front of large audiences is required. A limited number of positions are available that do not require the physical requirements noted above.

    More information is provided on the Employment at the Polynesian Cultural Center page.

    All students in the IWORK program generally are expected to work 19 hours per week at their given place of employment while classes are in session and 40 hours per week during school breaks. A portion of the student's paycheck will be deducted each pay period to help pay for the student's educational costs. Accommodations based on disability are provided according to the University's Accommodations of Persons with Disabilities policy.

    Students on IWORK must work at BYUH or PCC to receive their needs-based IWORK funding from the university. The compensation and payback of the IWORK award are more than just financial. It is about working together for the mutual investment and contribution of the university and individual students.

    Employment Deadlines

    All students in the IWORK program must secure a job with BYU–Hawaii (BYUH) or the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) by the third Wednesday after classes begin.

    The PCC has the first opportunity to hire students in the IWORK program. Those not selected by the PCC must find employment at BYUH.

    Any students in the IWORK program still not employed by BYUH or the PCC by the second Wednesday after classes begin are required to meet with an IWORK or student employment counselor within 48 hours. Counselors will help students to find a job. When students meet with a counselor, they should come prepared to explain what they have done to find a job and the problems they have encountered. Those who fail to meet with a counselor and secure a job by the third Wednesday after classes begin will no longer be eligible for IWORK funding.

    As a work-study participant, students on IWORK must remain in their current employment until they secure a new job.

  • A "family contribution” (FC) is the amount that the student, family, or sponsor is required to pay as their contribution to the educational cost each year. Students are responsible to coordinate with their family/sponsor to make sure these payments are made in a timely manner.

    Students must meet their payback obligations (student contribution) each semester/term. Any outstanding charges on the student’s account that are not qualifying charges to be paid by IWORK will be the responsibility of the student to pay and must be paid prior to the tuition deadline.

    Beginning the first pay period in January 2024, the Hukilau student financial payback will increase as follows:

    • Those with a $150 deduction will have it increased to $200 per pay period (TVA).
    • Those with a $200 deduction will have it increased to $250 per pay period (apartment style).
    • Those with a $270 deduction will have it increased to $320 per pay period (dormitory style).

    The work-study program is built on the principle of self-reliance, which means students cover a portion of their costs, and the university covers the rest. Naturally, as the participants' capacity to pay more increases, so does the expectation for the participants to pay more towards their education. Please plan and budget accordingly for this required update.

  • Each year, students in the IWORK program must obtain an Endorsement from their University Bishop. Students must obey the University Honor Code on and off campus. Students who do not observe the Honor Code may be dismissed from BYU–Hawaii.

    Please note that the Honor Code includes Academic Honesty, Dress and Grooming Standards, Residential Living Standards, and the Word of Wisdom. This also includes being honest with any academic and financial information the student provides to BYU–Hawaii. Students are encouraged to continue to observe the Honor Code and attend church so they will qualify for a continuing Bishop’s Endorsement.

  • Students are required to live in university housing and abide by the housing rules. Housing contracts are determined by Housing Operations.

    Please see BYU–Hawaii's Student Housing page for more information on housing.

  • Updated IWORK Loan Policy

    Effective the Spring 2021 Semester, the forgivable loan portion of the IWORK program has been discontinued. Total IWORK funding will not change, but the amount that was allocated as a loan will instead be issued as a grant. This change applies only to IWORK funding allocated for the Spring 2021 Semester and after. All loans from semesters prior to the Spring 2021 Semester remain under the former IWORK program guidelines and commitments. In other words, loans accrued before the Spring 2021 Semester may be forgiven at a rate of one-fourth every year for four years for those who meet returnability criteria; otherwise, they must be repaid. Funds allocated for the Spring 2021 Semester or after have no repayment obligation.

    Prior Spring 2021

    For an IWORK loan to be entirely forgiven, the student recipient must return to their home country/region and reside there for four years following their leaving or graduating from BYU–Hawaii. The loan will be forgiven as follows:

    For each year that a former IWORK student resides in their home country/region following their leave or graduation from BYU–Hawaii, 25% of their IWORK loan will be forgiven. Each year, former IWORK students must submit documentation to BYU–Hawaii Financial Services verifying that they are indeed living in their home country. Any of the following documents will be acceptable:

    If an IWORK student decides not to return to his/her home country/region (Pacific Rim & Far East Asia), he/she will become subject to the repayment terms and conditions of the loan agreement. The following are the basic loan terms:

    • Interest accrues on loan balances at the rate of 4% per year.
    • The loan may be amortized over a period of no more than 8 years.
    • There is a 6-month grace period that begins as soon as the student is no longer enrolled at BYU–Hawaii.
    • During the grace period, no interest accrues, and the student is not required to make any monthly payments.

  • An IWORK counselor must first approve all travel before tickets are purchased. Travel information and reasons for travel should be explained using the IWORK Request for Travel Form. A flight itinerary must be submitted to confirm the dates of travel after approval has been received. Students are responsible for their own travel costs. (NO Buddy passes allowed) In order for students to travel, they will need to meet seven criteria:

    1. Must complete two consecutive semesters BEFORE they can request to travel.
    2. Must get approval signature from their employment supervisor/manager and HR.
    3. Must be current with their BYU–Hawaii financial student account.
    4. Must be in good academic standing.
    5. Travel must not interfere with scheduled classes.
    6. Must meet with SMB representative for clearance.
    7. Must pay for the daily empty room rate (the IWORK program will NOT pay for students' housing and meal plans during any student traveling).

    Traveling for more than two weeks is highly discouraged for several reasons.

    Please refer to the IWORK Travel Terms & Conditions page for more detailed information.

  • Students on IWORK should not plan to acquire a vehicle while at BYU–Hawaii. Insurance, gasoline, repairs, liability, and the legal requirements of owning a vehicle are costly, and parking facilities on campus are limited; therefore, it is recommended that IWORK students do not own a vehicle.

    In order for students to drive any motorized vehicle, the student must:

    1. Verify that he/she is legally able to drive in the U.S. (e.g., valid driver's license),
    2. Verify that the vehicle is legally registered and insured with a current safety check,
    3. Ensure the vehicle is registered on campus with Campus Security.

  • IWORK students will fill out a Change in Income or Circumstance (CIC) Form on a need basis. If there is any change in the student’s status financially or academically, or if the student is planning to get married, they must come into Financial Aid & Scholarship to discuss how the change affects their FC or eligibility in the program.

    Students that marry a U.S. citizen may remain on the IWORK program for up to one year to give them the time necessary to apply for U.S. Permanent Residency so that they may qualify for U.S. Federal Student Aid.

  • Students in the IWORK program integrate spiritual and secular learning to provide a foundation for a lifetime of learning. The IWORK program assists young men and young women in developing character and integrity so they can provide leadership in all aspects of their lives. It also provides a significant group of faithful and committed church leaders who will assist in building the kingdom, particularly in the Pacific and Asia regions.

    As a participant in the International Work Opportunity Returnability Kuleana (IWORK) program, students promise that upon completion of their educational experience, the student will return to their home country/region to reside for a minimum of four years.

    Sanctions

    Students should understand that adherence to all the terms and conditions of the IWORK program is required to maintain eligibility for the program. Violation of any of the terms and conditions may result in the following progressive discipline:

    • 1 Strike = Verbal warning.
    • 2 Strike = Written warning.
    • 3 Strike = Removed from IWORK program.

    However, the IWORK committee has the discretion to determine the severity of the sanction. Once removed from the IWORK program eligibility, the student:

    1. Must apply for a change of status to a "self-funded" category,
    2. Will no longer be eligible to re-apply for IWORK.