Professional Student Exchange Program

The Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP) provides discounted out-of-state (or private) tuition support for students pursuing certain professional health care or veterinary degrees at WICHE participating universities. The State of Hawaiʻi offers financial support for the selected professional programs: Dentistry, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Physical Therapy and Veterinary Medicine.

The “support fee” is the annual payment paid by the state directly to the professional schools. The annual support fees are determined by the WICHE Commission after examination of the average educational costs in western professional schools. Each healthcare field has a maximum number of years or academic terms for which a student can receive WICHE support. To remain eligible, PSEP students can not concurrently receive a Federal scholarship or stipend or other support which fully covers tuition and commits graduates to a service obligation following completion of the professional training; this includes military scholarships. In addition, students must remain in good academic standing and make satisfactory progress toward the designated degree to receive continued funding.

Funds for PSEP are appropriated by the state Legislature and then allocated by the Governor on an annual basis. Students certified eligible to be considered for support by the Professional Student Exchange Program and who are accepted by a participating school are not guaranteed support until the number of seats of each supported healthcare field are determined. If more applicants are accepted than the state is able to fund, then WICHE headquarters coordinates a ranking of the students with offers to select the most qualified ones, and they are offered support first. For more information on this process visit https://www.wiche.edu/info/publications/HowWICHEselectsPSEPstudents.pdf.

How does funding work?

1. First, you must submit the application to the Hawaiʻi Certifying Office for residency certification by no later than October 15th of the year prior to academic enrollment. If it is determined that you are a bona fide Hawaiʻi resident, you will be “certified” and eligible to be considered for WICHE support.
2. You must apply directly to the WICHE participating professional school(s) for one of the supported programs: Dentistry, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Optometry and Veterinary Medicine.
3. If you are already in one of the above programs at a WICHE participating school. You can still apply for support.
4. Once you are offered admission and have made your selection of which WICHE approved professional school and program to attend, your application will be ranked amongst other applicants.
5. WICHE administration conducts rankings as necessary to determine which certified students will be offered WICHE support and then forwards the names and rankings to the Hawaiʻi Certifying Office.
6. Depending on the amount of funding, the Hawaiʻi Certifying Office will inform WICHE administration of how many students per program will be supported that academic year.
7. The Hawaiʻi Certifying Office then notifies applicants if they have been selected for PSEP support, and the amount of support you will receive for the coming academic year.
8. The awardee’s school will be notified by WICHE Administration of funding support directly.

If selected for funding

Continuing PSEP students do not need to reapply each year for certification. However, continued sponsorship is subject to annual legislative appropriations and allocations, as well as the student’s continuous maintenance of his or her Hawaiʻi residency status.

• Maintain good full-time academic standing and make satisfactory progress toward the designated degree to receive continued funding:
• Maintain your bona fide Hawaiʻi residency status;
• Prompt notification to the Hawaiʻi Certifying office of any changes to your contact information ( address, phone, email) or for changes in residency, leave of absence for family or medical reasons, academic performance problems, or withdrawal from the program.

Upon completion of your professional program, you must report on your progress of returning to Hawaiʻi to fulfill your return of service obligation. Hawaiʻi PSEP recipients agree to provide one year of practice in the profession for each year of Hawaiʻi WICHE PSEP support received. If in an accelerated program, recipients agree to practice in Hawaiʻi for the length of a non-accelerated program. If recipients do not complete their service obligation, or do not complete their course of study, they are required to pay back the Hawaiʻi WICHE PSEP support received, plus interest and fees, as determined by the Hawaiʻi WICHE PSEP Commission.

Involuntary induction into military service or other causes beyond your control that prevent the establishment of practice in Hawaiʻi may postpone your obligation until such cause is terminated.

Apply for Funding

Applications are available beginning August 1 of the year prior to enrollment and must be received no later than October 15th of the year prior to enrollment. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible. In the event of a ranking tie, submission date may be used to determine the funding recipient. Applicants for Veterinary Medicine PSEP support are strongly encouraged to submit their PSEP application no later than September 15th.

1. Read all of the WICHE PSEP program information
2. Login to the Hawaii WICHE PSEP Online Application *** A new online application is now available ***
   1. Create a login account.
   2. Fill out all pages and either save and return or submit. *Only fully submitted applications will be reviewed.
3. You will receive a confirmation email once you hit submit. Please review the email for next step information.  You can log back in to look at your application.
4. You will be notified if you are not certified for residency. Those certified will be followed up with much later in the application cycle to inquire about admissions offers.
5. If you have questions contact the Hawaii WICHE Certifying office at the information below.