USA Scholarships
Gladys & Clifford Chun Scholarship 2027 - Pauahi
The Gladys E. and Clifford T.F. Chun Scholarship honors character and quiet service through the Pauahi Foundation. Two awards are available each cycle for full-time students pursuing associate, bachelor's, or graduate degrees at a post-high institution in the continental United States. You must be a U.S. resident, active in community service or extracurriculars, and not receiving any other Pauahi Foundation scholarship at the time you apply. A teacher or community leader must write a recommendation about your promise, resilience, self-sacrifice, or help given without expecting recognition. For 2027-2028, plan on the Pauahi portal opening October 1, 2026 and closing around December 15, 2026.
What is the Gladys E. and Clifford T.F. Chun Scholarship?
Gladys and Clifford Chun wanted Pauahi to reward students who help others without keeping score. The fund is different from other Chun family scholarships on the same portal: it targets mainland campuses, not STEM-only majors, and it names two recipients instead of one. You still apply through the same postsecondary system as every other Pauahi award, but the checklist includes a recommendation that reads more like a character reference than a grade report.
Continental U.S. enrollment is the gate most applicants miss. If your degree runs through a Hawaiʻi campus, this specific fund is not the right fit. Mainland community colleges, state universities, and graduate programs all qualify when you are full time and documented on your transcript. Pauahi may prefer applicants of Hawaiian ancestry where the law allows, yet the residency and campus rules stay national.
The other hard rule is exclusivity. Holding any other Pauahi Foundation scholarship disqualifies you here. Plan your fund selections carefully if you usually stack multiple Pauahi opportunities in one cycle. Start the recommendation in October, tell your mentor what resilience and quiet service mean to this family fund, and submit before mid-December 2026 so reviewers can match your story to one of two award slots.
Eligibility
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✓Full-time continental U.S. enrollmentYou must attend a post-high school institution in the continental United States full time. Pauahi lists this fund for mainland campuses rather than Hawaiʻi-based colleges.
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✓Undergraduate or graduate studentEligible paths include associate, bachelor's, and graduate degrees while you remain classified as a full-time student at your mainland school.
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✓U.S. residencyApplicants must be residents of the United States. BigFuture and Pauahi list the fund as open to qualifying students nationwide.
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✓No other Pauahi Foundation scholarshipYou may not be receiving any other scholarship from the Pauahi Foundation when you apply for this Chun fund.
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✓Community service or activitiesShow involvement outside class through volunteer work, clubs, leadership, or other extracurricular commitments your application can document.
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✓Character-focused recommendationSubmit a letter from a teacher or community member who can speak to your character, achievement, promise, ability to overcome hardship, self-sacrifice, or service without expecting reward.
Benefits
- Number of awards Two scholarships per cycle
- Award amount Varies with fund income
- Eligible campus Continental U.S. postsecondary
- Combined Pauahi funds Not while holding another Pauahi award
- Hawaiʻi-based campus Mainland enrollment required
- Part-time enrollment Full-time status required
- Number of awards Shared pool of two awards
- Degree levels Graduate programs eligible
- Selection focus Character, service, resilience
- Minimum GPA No published floor
- Other Pauahi scholarships Must not hold another Pauahi award
- Online-only programs Confirm accreditation with Pauahi
Document checklist
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✓Pauahi Foundation online applicationComplete the unified postsecondary application on pauahi.org when the 2027-2028 cycle opens October 1, 2026, and select the Gladys E. and Clifford T.F. Chun Scholarship.
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✓Letter of recommendationAsk a teacher or community organization contact to address your character, resilience, and service. Pauahi requires this letter specifically for the Chun fund.
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✓Official or unofficial transcriptUpload transcripts that confirm full-time enrollment at a continental U.S. institution and your current degree level.
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✓Personal statement or Pauahi essaysAnswer every essay prompt in the portal with examples of hardship overcome and community impact rather than generic praise.
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✓Extracurricular and service listProvide the structured activity list Pauahi requests, highlighting volunteer roles and leadership that match the fund's values.
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✓Supplemental documents if requiredUpload FAFSA summaries or additional forms only if Pauahi lists them for your applicant type in the 2027-2028 dashboard.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Gladys E. and Clifford T.F. Chun Scholarship?
It is a Pauahi Foundation fund that awards two students per cycle who attend full time at a continental U.S. college or university, show community involvement, and submit a character-focused recommendation letter.
How many Gladys and Clifford Chun scholarships are awarded?
Pauahi lists two awards for this fund each cycle. Amounts vary with fund income and committee decisions.
When is the Gladys E. and Clifford T.F. Chun Scholarship deadline?
Expect the 2027-2028 Pauahi portal to open October 1, 2026 and close around December 15, 2026. Confirm live dates on pauahi.org.
Do I need to attend college in Hawaiʻi for the Chun Scholarship?
No. This fund specifically requires enrollment at a post-high institution in the continental United States, not a Hawaiʻi campus.
Can I hold another Pauahi scholarship and apply for Chun?
No. Pauahi states you must not be receiving any other scholarship from the Pauahi Foundation when you apply for this award.
Is there a minimum GPA for the Gladys and Clifford Chun Scholarship?
Pauahi's public listing shows no minimum GPA for this fund. Strong academics still help, but the emphasis is character, service, and resilience.
Can graduate students apply for the Gladys E. and Clifford T.F. Chun Scholarship?
Yes. Full-time graduate students at eligible continental U.S. institutions may apply alongside undergraduates.
What should the Chun recommendation letter include?
Ask your recommender to comment on your character, achievement, promise, ability to overcome personal hardships, self-sacrifice, or helping others without expecting recognition.
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