The University of Hawaii is starting the fall term with a record pile of scholarship money, which is good news for local students facing high living costs.

• Nearly 50,000 students returned across all 10 UH campuses, with 20,000 at the Manoa flagship.
• $50 million in scholarships is going out this year, covering fields from nursing to engineering.
• 70% of undergraduates now finish their degree with no debt, and 40% pay no tuition at all.
• UH pulled in a record $647 million in outside research funding, most of it at Manoa.
• That research money doubles as an economic boost for Hawaii, since much of it is spent by people working on projects in the state.

Outlook: With free tuition available to a large share of students, UH expects enrollment to keep climbing.