Be sure the email address you provide when registering is one you access regularly. All applicants need to register each year.

A verification email containing a unique link will be sent to complete your profile registration. If you do not see the email, please check your inbox, spam, or junk folder. To help ensure delivery of future communications, add scholarships@pauahi.org to your address book or contact list.

If you have questions or need kōkua, please contact the Resource Center at (808) 534-8080, toll-free at 1-800-842-4682 (press 3), or by email at scholarships@pauahi.org. We are happy to kōkua.

Your username is the email address used when creating your profile.
If you have forgotten your password, select "Forgot your password?" on the login page and follow the on-screen prompts. You may be asked to answer the security question selected when your profile was created.

Yes. Applicants who previously applied through the Pauahi Foundation scholarship application system should register again and create a new password. A verification email containing a unique link will be sent to complete your profile registration. If you do not see the email, please check your inbox, spam, or junk folder. To help ensure delivery of future communications, add scholarships@pauahi.org to your address book or contact list.

Yes. For security purposes, the application will time out after 20 minutes of inactivity.

To help avoid losing your work:

• Select Save & Continue at the bottom of each section.
• Prepare your Personal Statement and Essays in advance using a word-processing application.
• Review the scholarships listing before beginning your application so you are familiar with scholarship opportunities and any associated materials.

First, confirm that your institution is accredited by an organization recognized by Pauahi Foundation.

If your institution is accredited by one of the recognized accrediting agencies, select "Other" and enter the name and location (city and state) of your institution in the space provided.

Maybe. Once your application has been submitted, applicants are unable to make changes through the application portal.

If you would like to request a correction, please contact scholarships@pauahi.org before the published deadline and include your KAPF ID number in your email. There are no application changes after the application deadline.

First, verify that the file is in PDF, JPG, or JPEG format and does not exceed 5 MB.

If your document follows these instructions, a member of Pauahi Foundation Scholarship Services may have reviewed the submission and determined that additional information, a clearer copy, or a different document is needed to support the review process. Check your email for a communication from Scholarship Services or if you do not see an email and/or have questions, please reach out for kōkua.

Log in to the Scholarship Portal and review the document status for additional information and next steps.

Your KAPF ID number is a unique identifier assigned after you complete and submit your scholarship application. You can find your KAPF ID number on your Application Confirmation page: Dashboard → Step 1: Application → View → View Confirmation

If you are submitting an Art Portfolio, please use your KAPF ID number in place of your name on portfolio materials and portfolio URLs.

When contacting Pauahi Foundation Scholarship Services regarding your application, please include your KAPF ID number whenever possible.

We are available to provide kōkua and answer questions about your scholarship application and document submission process.

(808) 534-8080
1-800-842-4682 (press 3)
scholarships@pauahi.org

Please continue to use the Scholarship Portal whenever possible. If you are unable to upload documents, contact the Resource Center for guidance and available options. For your security, if you email financial documents or any documents with personally identifiable information, please encrypt the documents.

If you have questions or need kōkua, please contact the Resource Center at (808) 534-8080, toll-free at 1-800-842-4682 (press 3), or by email at scholarships@pauahi.org. We are happy to kōkua.

Documents are uploaded via the Scholarship Portal. If you selected a scholarship that requests a resume, then the document request would appear under Documents and Messages in the Scholarship Portal.

Applicants may obtain their most recent school transcript by contacting their school’s registrar’s office or, when available, downloading a copy from their school’s online portal. School transcripts may be issued directly to the student.

Your school transcript should display the following:

• Student's legal first and last name and, if applicable, degree program information
• Name of school or school logo (We will also accept the school’s URL on the transcript.)
• Course information (course names and dates attended)
• Grades and/or credits earned for completed terms through Spring 2026
• Total and/or cumulative GPA for all coursework completed through Spring 2026
• Course information for Fall 2026

We encourage applicants to obtain their most recent school transcript while completing their Postsecondary Scholarship Application. Once your application has been submitted, you may upload your transcript through the Scholarship Portal.

Current High School Senior

Your transcript should include:

• Final grade information and GPA (total and/or cumulative) for the first six semesters of completed high school coursework
• Courses registered for during the first semester of senior year

In other words, your transcript should reflect completed coursework and cumulative GPA through your junior year.

Current First-Year College Student, Recent High School Graduate, or Student Who Has Never Attended College

Your transcript should include:

• Final grade information, graduation date and GPA for completed high school coursework (Grades 9-12)

Current College Student (Second-Year Undergraduate or Higher, Including Graduate Students)

Your transcript should include:

• Final grade information and GPA for each completed college term

In other words, your transcript should reflect all completed college coursework through Spring 2026.

Student Transferring Institutions or Matriculating to a New Degree Program

Your transcript should include:

• Final grade information and GPA for your most recently completed college term.

We encourage applicants to allow sufficient time for document review and processing.

Upload Through the Scholarship Portal (Recommended)

Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded through the Scholarship Portal.

Before uploading:

• Confirm that all pages of the transcript are included.
• Verify that complete grade information is visible.
• Ensure the document is clear and legible.

After submitting your Postsecondary Scholarship Application:

• Go to the Scholarship Portal.
• Locate the appropriate Transcript
• Upload your file.

Accepted file formats:

• PDF
• JPG/JPEG

Maximum file size:

• 5 MB

Please allow approximately five business days (except for peak processing periods) for processing before checking your document status.

Yes. You may remove the official transcript from the sealed envelope and upload the transcript in the Scholarship Portal.

A member of Pauahi Foundation Scholarship Services may determine that a transcript cannot be accepted for review if:

• Name of college/university or logo not indicated
• Complete grade information is not included
• The document is difficult to read
• An incorrect document was uploaded
• Additional information is needed to support the review process

If your transcript status is marked “incomplete,” please review the transcript guidance above and upload an updated copy through the Scholarship Portal.

No. Letters of Recommendation are submitted through the Pauahi Foundation Scholarship Recommendation Letter Portal.

Applicants should request Letters of Recommendation through Step 2: Letters of Recommendation. Recommenders will receive instructions and a secure link to complete the recommendation process online.

Before requesting a Letter of Recommendation, complete the Personal Information section of your Postsecondary Scholarship Application.

1. From the Dashboard, navigate to Step 2: Letters of Recommendation.
2. Enter your recommender's first name, last name, and email address.
3. Select the corresponding Letter Type and Writer Type.
4. Optional answer: Name of Scholarship
5. Select Request LOR.

Depending on the scholarships you select, additional Letters of Recommendation or specific recommendation types may be associated with your application. Please refer to your Application Confirmation Summary and the scholarships listing for scholarship-specific details.

Once submitted, your recommender will receive an email from Pauahi Foundation containing a secure link used to complete their recommendation.

Applicants are encouraged to contact recommenders early and monitor their recommendation status regularly. Letters of Recommendation are due January 15, 2027.

Recommendations submitted after the deadline or through methods other than the Scholarship Recommendation Letters Portal will not be included in the scholarship review process.

No. Letters of Recommendation should come from individuals who can speak to your academic achievement, leadership, character, work ethic, community involvement, artistic talent, or professional experience.

Depending on the scholarships you select, recommendations may be requested from individuals such as:

• Academic Advisor
• Band Director
• Coach
• Community/Non-Profit Leader
• Counselor
• Employer
• Mentor
• Music Professional
• Religious or Spiritual Leader
• Senior Army or Marine Instructor
• Social Worker or Social Service Agency Representative
• Teacher or Professor

Letters of Recommendation from relatives will not be considered as part of the committee review process.

Yes. A single Letter of Recommendation may be considered for multiple scholarships when the recommendation type aligns with the scholarship criteria and considerations associated with those opportunities.

If Step 2: Letters of Recommendation is marked as Pending, additional recommendation activity may still be needed.

This may occur when:

• A recommender has not yet submitted their recommendation
• A recommendation request was declined
• Additional recommendation types are associated with one or more selected scholarships

Applicants are encouraged to monitor recommendation status regularly and follow up with recommenders as needed.

For scholarship-specific recommendation information, refer to your Application Confirmation Summary and the scholarships listing.

An Art Portfolio is associated only with scholarships that include an art portfolio as a criterion. Review the scholarships listing carefully to determine whether an Art Portfolio is associated with the scholarships you select.

After submitting your application, upload the URL of your Art Portfolio in the Scholarship Portal. If an Art Portfolio appears on your checklist, please submit your portfolio by the published deadline to support consideration for the selected scholarship(s).

To support a fair and consistent review process:

1. Remove Identifying Information
   Please do not include identifying information in your artwork or portfolio URL. This includes:

   • First name
   • Last name
   • Nickname
   • Self-portraits

   An exception may be made for video or musical performance submissions.

2. Use Your KAPF ID Number
   Use your KAPF ID number in place of your name when creating your portfolio title or portfolio URL.
   Example:
   www.KAPF12345-ART.com
   Using your KAPF ID number helps support a blind review process for scholarship evaluators.
3. Showcase Your Best Work
   Select artwork that best represents your skills, creativity, and artistic growth.
   A portfolio of approximately 10 pieces per artistic category is generally recommended. Focus on quality rather than quantity and avoid submitting your entire collection of work.

Preferred Option: Online Portfolio
Create an online portfolio and enter the portfolio URL in the Scholarship Portal.

Please ensure that:

• Your portfolio is published and accessible online
• No password is needed to view the portfolio
• The portfolio remains accessible for at least one year following submission

Sample portfolio platforms:

• Google Sites
• Wix

Alternative Option: PDF Portfolio

Applicants may also submit a PDF version of their portfolio to scholarships@pauahi.org by the published deadline.
PDF portfolios should not exceed 5 MB in total size.
In either format, please review the portfolio guidelines above prior to submission.

Financial documents are requested for scholarships where the criteria state, “Demonstrate financial need.” Review the Scholarship Listing carefully to determine whether a scholarship you selected includes this criterion.

After submitting your application, upload your and your parent(s)’, if applicable, financial documents in the Scholarship Portal. If financial documents appear on your checklist, please submit those materials by the published deadline to support consideration for the selected scholarship(s).

Before uploading financial documents, submit your Postsecondary Scholarship Application through Step 1: Application. Once your application has been submitted, you may upload financial documents through the Scholarship Portal.

If you have multiple pages of the same document, consider combining them into a single file before uploading. For example, multiple W-2 forms may be uploaded as one combined file rather than several separate files.

To upload financial documents:

1. Log in to the Scholarship Portal tab
2. Click on Documents and Messages
3. Locate the financial document listed
4. Select the appropriate file and upload it
5. Repeat this process for any remaining financial documents associated with your application

Applicants are encouraged to monitor document status regularly and review email correspondence for updates or requests related to their application.

Scholarships that consider financial need request financial documents. For the 2027-2028 academic year, applicants and parent(s), when applicable, may be asked to provide the following 2025 tax documents:

• Signed and dated 2025 Federal Tax Return Form 1040
• All applicable 2025 Federal Tax Schedules (Schedules 1, 2, 3, A, B, C, D, E, F, etc.)
• All applicable 2025 W-2s
• All applicable 2025 1099 forms

Alternatively, applicants may provide:

• 2025 IRS Tax Return Transcript
• 2025 IRS Wage and Income Transcript

These transcripts are available through irs.gov/transcripts and generally contain the tax information used during review.

Upload all applicable documents through the Scholarship Portal.

If additional documentation is needed, Pauahi Foundation Scholarship Services will provide guidance regarding next steps and available submission options.

Please refer to the published scholarship deadlines and application timeline when submitting financial documents.

A member of Pauahi Foundation Scholarship Services may determine that additional documentation or clarification is needed if:

• Information is incomplete
• The document is difficult to read
• The incorrect document was uploaded
• Additional information would help support the review process

Applicants are encouraged to review email correspondence associated with their application regularly. Messages from scholarships@pauahi.org may contain important updates, document feedback, or next steps related to the review of submitted materials. If you do not see an email in your inbox, check your spam or junk folder.

Disbursements for the 2027-2028 academic year begin in July 2027 once all disbursement conditions are met.

Email scholarships@pauahi.org as soon as possible to notify us of your change. Your scholarship will be re-evaluated based on your change, and your scholarship may be adjusted as a result. Additional information and/or documentation may be requested.

No. The scholarship is non-transferable to another academic year.

Multi-year scholarship recipients need to submit a yearly application for the length of the scholarship to continue receiving a disbursement. Additionally, the scholarship disbursement conditions should be completed each term to receive a disbursement.

The Personal Statement is part of the Pauahi Foundation Postsecondary Scholarship Application and is completed during Step 1: Application. Applicants are asked to reflect on their educational journey, career aspirations, and experiences that have helped shape their goals.

All applicants are asked to respond to the following prompt:

Describe your long-term career goals and the steps you plan to take to achieve them. How have your academic journey, personal experiences, work ethic, and community involvement shaped these goals? Discuss the challenges you anticipate along the way and the strategies you will employ to overcome them. How will receiving this scholarship contribute to your success in reaching your career aspirations?

Personal Statements have a 3,000-character limit, including letters, numbers, punctuation, and spaces. A character counter is displayed within the application and shows the number of characters remaining.

If your response exceeds the character limit, consider editing for clarity and conciseness before submitting.

Some scholarships include additional essays beyond the Personal Statement completed as part of the Postsecondary Scholarship Application. Essays are scholarship-specific and are based on the criteria and considerations associated with individual scholarship opportunities.

Applicants are encouraged to review the scholarships listing carefully to understand whether essays are associated with the scholarships they select.

Essays are completed in Step 3: Essays and are due January 15, 2027. Applicants are encouraged to review essay prompts early and allow sufficient time to prepare thoughtful responses before the deadline.

Essays are associated with specific scholarships. If one or more of your selected scholarships includes an essay, the prompt(s) will be available in Step 3: Essays of the Application Portal.

Because essay instructions vary by scholarship, not all applicants will have the same essays to complete.

After entering your response, select Submit, Finalize, and Lock Essay Answer. A confirmation message will appear indicating that your essay has been submitted and saved successfully.

Applicants are encouraged to verify that the essay status displays Completed before the deadline.

Essay prompts vary by scholarship and may focus on topics such as:

• Educational and career goals
• Leadership experiences
• Community service and volunteer involvement
• Personal growth and development
• Challenges, obstacles, or significant life experiences
• Scholarship-specific topics related to donor intent

Examples of essay prompts may include:

• Discuss an on-campus or off-campus activity that contributed to your personal growth and understanding of yourself or your career goals.
• Describe a challenge, setback, or failure you experienced. What did you learn from the experience, and how has it influenced who you are today?

If multiple scholarships share the same essay prompt, applicants may use the same response for those scholarships.

If a scholarship includes a different prompt, applicants are encouraged to provide a response that addresses the topic being asked.

Applicants may find it helpful to draft responses in a word-processing program before entering them into the application portal. This allows time for editing, proofreading, and character count review prior to submission.

Essays have a 3,000-character limit, including letters, numbers, punctuation, and spaces. A character counter is displayed within the application and shows the number of characters remaining.

If your response exceeds the character limit, consider editing for clarity and conciseness before submitting.

Residency Verification may be associated with scholarships that consider residency within a specific island, region, city, or geographic area as part of their scholarship criteria.

After submitting your application, upload requested documents to the Scholarship Portal. If residency documents are requested, please submit the requested documentation by the published deadline to be considered for the selected scholarship(s).

Some scholarships administered by the Pauahi Foundation may consider residency within a specific region, city, island, or other geographic area as part of their scholarship criteria. To verify residency, applicants are asked to provide one form of Residency Identification and one Residency Document from the lists below.

Residency Identification/State ID (Choose One)

• Current government-issued Driver’s License
• Current government-issued State Identification Card
• Temporary government-issued Identification Card (subject to follow-up for a permanent ID)

Residency Documentation (Choose One)

Documents should be dated within the six months preceding the application period.

Examples include:

• Utility bill (electricity, gas, water/sewage, internet, cable/TV, landline, refuse collection, cesspool/septic, residential water delivery)
• Bank statement
• Lease agreement
• Mortgage statement
• HOA statement (if utilities are included)

Dependent Applicants

You are considered a dependent applicant if you are under age 24, unmarried, do not have dependent children, and do not meet any of the criteria for independent status.

Dependent applicants submit residency documentation in the name of a parent using the address listed on the scholarship application. The name and address shown on the document should be clearly visible and match the information provided in the application.

Independent Applicants

Independent applicants include individuals who are:

• Age 24 or older
• Married
• Supporting dependent children
• Enrolled in graduate school
• Veterans or active-duty military members
• Emancipated individuals
• Orphans or wards of the court
• Houseless (Homeless) or at risk of houselessness (homelessness)
• In foster care until the age of 18

Independent applicants submit residency documentation in their own name using the address listed on the scholarship application. The name and address shown on the document should clearly be visible and match the information provided in the application.

After submitting your Postsecondary Scholarship Application:

• Log in to the Scholarship Portal.
• Select Documents and Messages.
• Locate the item labeled STATE DRIVER’S LICENSE OR ID AND/OR RESIDENCY DOCUMENT.
• Select your file and upload the document.

Applicants are encouraged to review document status regularly and monitor email correspondence for updates or requests related to their application.