USA Scholarships
Partial Funding Undergraduate Masters the USA

Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship 2027

Deadline December 1, 2026 (2027-2028 Pauahi postsecondary cycle) 73 days left · Hosted by Pauahi Foundation (Joseph David Ahuna endowed fund) · Published

The Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship is a Pauahi Foundation endowed fund for full-time postsecondary students who pair a 3.5 GPA with honest financial need and steady involvement in community service or extracurricular activities. Residents of the State of Hawaiʻi and the continental United States may apply in any field of study at an accredited institution. Pauahi asks for an essay on the financial circumstances or hardships you have faced, plus the Student and Parent Form, applicable W-2s, and the federal income tax return for the tax year the live application specifies. The listing funds two awards per cycle, and Pauahi gives preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. Select this scholarship in the 2027-2028 application opening October 1, 2026 and closing December 1, 2026.

Need-based fund
2 awards
Full-time study
3.5+ GPA
Application closes
Dec 1, 2026
U.S. residents
HI + mainland
How to apply Am I eligible? Official website

What is the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship?

The Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship sits in the middle of Pauahi Foundation's postsecondary lineup: stricter on grades than some family funds, but still anchored in financial need rather than a fixed merit stipend. Two recipients share the endowed pool each cycle, which makes the bar worth clearing if you hold a 3.5 GPA and can document real hardship without exaggeration.

Your essay should read like a clear account, not a plea. Name the constraints that shaped your budget, show how they touched school and home, and mention the jobs, aid, or family choices that kept you enrolled. Pair that narrative with tax forms Pauahi can verify, and keep your activities list current so reviewers see service or leadership outside the classroom.

Preference for Hawaiian ancestry applies where the law allows, yet the listing stays open to eligible U.S. residents in Hawaiʻi and on the mainland. Open the Pauahi portal October 1, 2026, select the Ahuna fund alongside any other awards you qualify for, and submit by December 1 for 2027-2028 support.

Who can apply

Eligibility

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    U.S. residency
    You must be a resident of the United States. Pauahi lists the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship for applicants in the State of Hawaiʻi and on the continental United States enrolled at accredited institutions.
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    Minimum 3.5 GPA
    Pauahi requires a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. Upload a transcript that shows your GPA through the most recent completed term.
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    Full-time classified enrollment
    You must enroll full time as a classified undergraduate or graduate student at an accredited post-high institution for the academic year you seek funding.
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    Undergraduate or graduate student
    Associate, bachelor's, and graduate students may apply when they meet GPA, enrollment, essay, and financial documentation requirements in the Pauahi guidebook.
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    Community service or activities
    Show participation in community service, extracurricular activities, or related volunteer work in your Pauahi profile so reviewers see merit alongside need.
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    Demonstrated financial need
    Complete Pauahi's Student and Parent Form and submit applicable W-2s and federal income tax returns for the tax year the live application lists. Award size follows verified need and fund income.
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    Hawaiian ancestry preference
    Pauahi Foundation policy gives preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. The scholarship remains open to all eligible U.S. residents who meet GPA and need criteria.
What you get

Benefits

  • Number of scholarships Two recipients per cycle
  • Need-based support Disbursement tied to verified need
  • Eligible levels Undergraduate and graduate study
  • Open field of study Any accredited major
  • Published dollar cap Varies with fund income
  • Below 3.5 GPA Not eligible
What to prepare

Document checklist

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    Pauahi Foundation online application
    Sign in when the 2027-2028 cycle opens October 1, 2026. Select the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship and complete shared profile sections.
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    Financial hardship essay
    Answer Pauahi's prompt to describe the financial circumstances or hardships you have faced, including how they affected your path to college and what strategies or resources helped you manage them.
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    Student and Parent Form
    Complete Pauahi's financial worksheet for the cycle year so reviewers can calculate need alongside your tax documents.
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    Federal tax returns and W-2s
    Provide applicable Form W-2s and the federal income tax return for the tax year listed in the live application checklist.
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    School transcript
    Upload an official or unofficial transcript showing at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA and full-time enrollment or admission status.
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    Activities and service list
    Document community service and extracurricular entries in the Pauahi profile so they align with the merit-and-need review for this fund.
Step by step

How to apply

Verify your cumulative GPA is at least 3.5 and that you will be a full-time classified student at an accredited U.S. school for 2027-2028.
Write about specific financial challenges, how they affected your academics and personal life, and what steps or resources helped you stay on track toward college.
Locate W-2s and federal tax returns for the year Pauahi requests and complete the Student and Parent Form before the portal opens.
List community service and extracurricular roles in Pauahi so reviewers see merit evidence beyond grades and tax forms.
Register at pauahi.org/postsecondary-scholarships, add the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship, and upload your transcript plus financial files.
Finalize every upload by 11:59 p.m. Hawaiʻi time on December 1, 2026 unless the live site lists another close time.
Reply quickly if staff request corrected tax forms or missing uploads so your file stays eligible for committee review.
When

Deadline and timeline

Application deadline
December 1, 2026 (2027-2028 Pauahi postsecondary cycle)
73 days left
Oct 1, 2026
2027-2028 Pauahi postsecondary scholarship application opens online.
Oct - Nov 2026
Applicants complete hardship essays, activity profiles, and financial uploads.
Dec 1, 2026
Application deadline for the 2027-2028 academic year cycle.
Winter 2026-27
Committee reviews GPA, need, and service or activity records.
Spring 2027
Pauahi notifies selected scholars for the Ahuna fund.
2027-2028
Recipients apply awards toward full-time accredited study.
Questions

FAQ

What is the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship?

It is a Pauahi Foundation endowed scholarship that awards two need-based grants per cycle to full-time U.S. postsecondary students with at least a 3.5 GPA. Applicants write about financial hardships and submit Pauahi financial documentation.

What GPA do I need for the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship?

Pauahi requires a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. Your transcript should reflect grades through your most recently completed term.

How many Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship awards are given each year?

The Pauahi guidebook lists two awards for this fund each cycle. Final amounts depend on fund income and each recipient's verified financial need.

What essay does the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship require?

You describe the financial circumstances or hardships you have faced. Pauahi suggests addressing specific challenges on your path to college, how they affected your life, and what strategies or resources helped you manage them.

When is the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship deadline for 2027?

Pauahi opens the 2027-2028 postsecondary application on October 1, 2026 and closes it on December 1, 2026. Submit financial documents before that cutoff.

Can mainland students apply for the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship?

Yes. The fund is open to residents of the State of Hawaiʻi and the continental United States. You do not need to attend a Hawaiʻi campus if you meet GPA, need, and enrollment rules.

What financial documents does the Ahuna Scholarship require?

You submit Pauahi's Student and Parent Form, applicable W-2s, and the federal income tax return for the tax year specified in the live application, along with the financial hardship essay.

Does the Joseph David Ahuna Scholarship require community service?

Pauahi expects documented community service or extracurricular activities in your profile. Strong grades and verified need still matter, but reviewers look for well-rounded applicants.

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