IWORK assists international students who need financial support to attend BYU-Hawaii. The mission of the IWORK program is the same as the mission of the school: to prepare learners, leaders, and builders who will bless families, communities, and the Church around the world.
Currently the student body of BYU-Hawaii is approximately 3,200 students. About one-quarter of the current student body benefits from IWORK, and many of these students would not be in a position to attend BYU-Hawaii if it were not for the program. The need for support will increase as the number of students on campus increases.
IWORK: BYU-Hawaii’s Unique Student-Aid Program
The five letters in the acronym IWORK stand for:
International Work Opportunity Returnability Kuleana.
Returnability describes the process of students preparing to return successfully to their home countries, and kuleana is Hawaiian for responsibility.
This program provides participating students with funds for tuition, room, and board. Since its inception in 2008, IWORK has benefited nearly 40 percent of BYU-Hawaii’s international students each semester.
IWORK is a work-study program; participating students are required to earn good grades, keep the Honor Code, and work on campus or at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
I–WORK Works, Thanks to You
IWORK is the university’s top fundraising priority. Donations from friends and alumni of the university make the program possible. The average donated amount needed to support an IWORK student is $13,500 per year.
This program enables international students to obtain a total education - spiritual, academic, professional, and social - at a Church school. These wonderful young men and women are grateful for this life-changing opportunity. To date, I–WORK has helped more than 1,500 individuals.
Not convinced that your donation to IWORK makes a difference? Hear from students who have been blessed by donations to the IWORK program. Catch their enthusiasm. Witness their gratitude. Be the answer to their prayers.
Dreams Come True - with Sacrifice, Work, and Help
Ariunaa and her husband were working for a mining company in Mongolia when they learned about BYU-Hawaii and the IWORK program. They knew it was for them, so they made the sacrifices necessary to be accepted. After arriving in Laie with their family, their joy of attending BYU-Hawaii collided with the solemn reality of balancing home, school, and work. Theirs is a story of faith. Now graduated and looking back, they see that they learned not only school lessons in the classroom but also lessons of love that will bless their family, community, and Church branch.
Hear from more students who have been blessed by IWORK
