USA Scholarships
Partial Funding Undergraduate Masters Hawaii the USA

Mildred Towle Scholarship 2027 - Hawaii HCF

Deadline February 26, 2027 at 4 p.m. HST 158 days left · Hosted by Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (Mildred Towle fund) · Published

The Mildred Towle Scholarship for African-Americans honors a social-work leader who promoted interracial fellowship after moving to Hawaiʻi. The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation administers the fund through the Common Scholarship Application for undergraduate and graduate students who are U.S. citizens of African-American ethnicity, maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, demonstrate financial need, and attend a Hawaiʻi college or university full time. Hawaiʻi residency is not required. Preference may go to social sciences tied to international understanding and interracial fellowship and to recipients who won the fund in the prior year and remain eligible. Award amounts vary with donor fund income. For 2027-2028, expect the portal to open December 8, 2026 and close February 26, 2027 at 4 p.m. HST unless HCF announces new dates.

HCF donor fund
Varies
Hawaiʻi college
Full-time
4 p.m. HST close
Feb 26, 2027
No HI residency rule
Study in HI
How to apply Am I eligible? Official website

What is the Mildred Towle Scholarship for African-Americans?

Mildred Towle built a career on the mainland before Hawaiʻi called her to lead the International Institute and adult education work at the YWCA of Oʻahu. The scholarship bearing her name keeps that focus on crossing cultures alive by funding African-American students who study full time at Hawaiʻi campuses and care about fellowship across communities.

Hawaiʻi residency is not the gate. A student from Ohio who enrolls at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa can qualify when citizenship, ethnicity, GPA, and need line up. What matters is where you attend class, not where your parents pay property taxes.

HCF runs almost every donor fund, including Towle, through one Common Scholarship Application. December openings and late-February closes at 4 p.m. HST have become the rhythm, with FAFSA summaries and transcripts uploaded inside the same portal. Social science majors tied to international understanding get a nudge in committee, yet the fund remains open to other fields when your story fits the fellowship mission.

Award sizes move with endowment income, so treat public aggregator dollar figures as hints rather than guarantees. Prior winners who stay eligible may jump the line, but everyone must reapply each year. Start early so recommenders finish before HCF''s follow-up deadlines hit your inbox.

Who can apply

Eligibility

Your progress 0 / 7
  • ✓
    U.S. citizen of African-American ethnicity
    You must be a U.S. citizen who identifies as African-American per HCF and CareerOneStop eligibility wording.
  • ✓
    Full-time enrollment at a Hawaiʻi college or university
    Attend an accredited college or university in Hawaiʻi full time. Mainland residents may qualify if they study in Hawaiʻi.
  • ✓
    Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
    Maintain at least a 3.0 GPA and upload a recent transcript through the HCF portal.
  • ✓
    Demonstrated financial need
    Complete FAFSA and the HCF need sections. BigFuture classifies the fund as need-based and merit-based.
  • ✓
    Undergraduate or graduate degree seeker
    Associate, bachelor's, or graduate students may apply when they meet full-time rules for their level.
  • ✓
    Social sciences preference
    Students pursuing social sciences related to international understanding and interracial fellowship receive preference when other criteria are equal.
  • ✓
    Prior recipient preference
    Recipients from the immediate prior year may receive preference if they still meet eligibility and remain in good academic standing.
What you get

Benefits

  • Award amount Varies with fund income (aggregators cite ~$1,000)
  • Study location Accredited Hawaiʻi colleges and universities
  • Renewal path Reapply annually; prior winners may get preference
  • Need and merit review Financial need plus 3.0 GPA floor
  • Mainland students Eligible when studying full time in Hawaiʻi
  • Room and board guarantee Not specified
What to prepare

Document checklist

Documents gathered 0 / 6
  • ✓
    HCF Common Scholarship Application
    Register at hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/students and select the Mildred Towle Scholarship for African-Americans when matched.
  • ✓
    FAFSA submission summary
    File FAFSA for the aid year and upload the submission summary HCF requests in the common application.
  • ✓
    Most recent transcript
    Provide unofficial or official transcripts showing at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and full-time enrollment at a Hawaiʻi institution.
  • ✓
    Personal statement or fund essays
    Complete any Towle-specific or common prompts about your studies, need, and commitment to interracial fellowship.
  • ✓
    Letters of recommendation if required
    HCF may request references through the portal. Submit them before the post-deadline recommendation cutoff HCF emails to applicants.
  • ✓
    Enrollment verification after selection
    Be ready to confirm full-time status at your Hawaiʻi campus for disbursement.
Step by step

How to apply

Verify you will be full time at a Hawaiʻi campus and that your cumulative GPA is at least 3.0 before the portal opens.
Complete FAFSA after October 1, 2026 so HCF can read your need data when the common application opens.
Use hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/students and save your login before the December opening day.
Add other matched HCF scholarships in the same submission when you meet their criteria.
Explain how your major, especially in the social sciences, connects to international understanding and interracial fellowship.
Double-check file formats HCF accepts and keep copies locally in case uploads fail.
HCF closes the 2026-2027 cycle on that schedule; expect the same for 2027-2028 and watch for recommendation letter deadlines shortly after.
When

Deadline and timeline

Application deadline
February 26, 2027 at 4 p.m. HST
158 days left
Dec 8, 2026
Expected opening of the 2027-2028 HCF Common Scholarship Application following recent HCF calendars.
Dec 2026 - Feb 2027
Applicants complete FAFSA, essays, and transcript uploads; recommenders submit references if requested.
Feb 26, 2027
Expected common application deadline at 4 p.m. Hawaiʻi Standard Time.
Spring 2027
HCF scholarship committees review Towle and companion fund applications.
May - Aug 2027
Recipients notified after committee meetings, per HCF and aggregator timelines.
2027-2028
Awards applied toward full-time study at Hawaiʻi institutions; prior winners may reapply for preference.
Questions

FAQ

What is the Mildred Towle Scholarship for African-Americans?

It is a Hawaiʻi Community Foundation fund honoring Mildred Towle, who led international and adult education programs in Hawaiʻi. The scholarship supports African-American U.S. citizens studying full time at Hawaiʻi colleges who show need and at least a 3.0 GPA.

Do I need to live in Hawaiʻi to apply for the Towle scholarship?

No. HCF and CareerOneStop state that applicants do not have to be Hawaiʻi residents, but you must enroll full time at a college or university in Hawaiʻi.

What GPA do I need for the Mildred Towle scholarship?

You need at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA according to BigFuture, Instrumentl, and CareerOneStop listings aligned with HCF data.

When is the Mildred Towle scholarship deadline for 2027?

HCF opened the 2026-2027 common application on December 8, 2025 and closed it February 26, 2026 at 4 p.m. HST. Expect December 8, 2026 through February 26, 2027 for the next cycle and confirm on hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/students.

Is the Towle scholarship need-based or merit-based?

BigFuture lists both need and merit components. You must demonstrate financial need through FAFSA while meeting the 3.0 GPA floor.

Can graduate students apply for the Mildred Towle scholarship?

Yes. Listings include graduate students who attend Hawaiʻi institutions full time and meet citizenship, ethnicity, GPA, and need requirements.

What majors receive preference for the Towle scholarship?

Social sciences related to international understanding and interracial fellowship receive preference, though other majors remain eligible when criteria are met.

Can prior Towle recipients reapply?

Yes. Preference may go to recipients from the immediate prior year who continue to meet eligibility and remain in good academic standing.

Featured

Scholarship Union

More in-depth scholarship guides curated by experts.

Keep looking

Related guides

Partial Funding
100th Infantry Battalion Memorial Scholarship 2027
The 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Memorial Scholarship Fund, administered by the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, supports direct descendants of 100th Infantry Battalion World War II veterans who maintain at least a 2.7 GPA, enroll full time at an accredited college, and stay active in community service. You do not need Hawaii residency or demonstrated financial need, though FAFSA completion is part of the HCF Common Scholarship Application. Applicants name the veteran and relationship for verification through the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans office, write a legacy essay, and apply online through HCF. For the 2027-2028 academic year, expect the common application to open in early December 2026 and close in late February 2027, with recommendation letters due shortly after and awards announced in May and June.
Partial Funding
Choy-Kee 'Ohana Scholarship 2027
The Choy-Kee ʻOhana Scholarship from the Pauahi Foundation awards one grant each cycle to a full-time undergraduate or graduate student with at least a 3.0 GPA who lives in Hawaiʻi or the continental United States. You submit the Pauahi application, transcript, an essay on the biggest problem in Hawaiʻi and how you would solve it, and two letters of recommendation from a teacher or counselor and a community organization leader. Apply when the 2027-28 portal opens October 1, 2026 through mid-December 2026.
Partial Funding
HIFICU Scholarship 2027 - 20 x $2,000 Hawaii
The Hawaiian Financial Federal Credit Union Scholarship Program for SY 2026-2027 awards twenty $2,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors and college students who are HIFICU members or legal dependents of members in good standing. You need a 3.0 GPA, U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, and a complete mailed or facilitated electronic packet postmarked by 30 November 2026. Awards pay tuition and fees at any accredited two- or four-year U.S. college.
Partial Funding
ITE Diversity Scholars 2027 - Up to $20,000
The ITE Diversity Scholars Program, now branded as the ITE University Scholars Program, supports US high school seniors and community college transfer students who plan to study transportation engineering, planning, or related fields at a four-year university with an ITE Student Chapter. Scholars can receive up to $20,000 total, paid up to $4,000 per year for as many as five years, plus mentoring, chapter engagement, and internship connections. Applicants need a 3.0 high school GPA, US citizenship or lawful permanent residency, and preference goes to first-generation and Pell-eligible students. Applications are due March 15 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time on the ITE scholarship platform.

Always verify scholarship details on the official source before applying. Information on this page may change.

Visit official website