USA Scholarships
Park Kitashima Scholarship 2027 - Pauahi
The Park Kitashima Scholarship helps upper-level undergraduates finish a bachelor''s degree when tuition and living costs outpace other aid. Pauahi Foundation administers the fund for full-time college juniors, seniors, and fifth-year students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities. You must show financial need through the hardship essay and supporting tax documents. Majors and career plans in education, including STEM pathways that lead to teaching, receive special consideration. Community service and extracurricular involvement strengthen your file. Applicants may live in the State of Hawaiʻi or on the U.S. continent, and Pauahi gives preference to students of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. Plan on the 2027-2028 application opening September 15, 2026 and closing December 15, 2026 unless Pauahi posts different dates.
What is the Park Kitashima Scholarship?
Park Kitashima is one of dozens of endowed seats inside the Pauahi Foundation postsecondary portal, but the criteria are narrow enough that you should know quickly whether you fit. Full-time juniors, seniors, and fifth-year undergraduates chasing a bachelor's degree may apply from Hawaiʻi or the mainland. Need drives the decision: you will write about financial pressure and back it up with tax paperwork, the same rhythm as other Pauahi hardship funds.
What tilts the committee toward your file is an education story. Classroom majors get special consideration, and so do STEM paths that lead to teaching science or math. Service and extracurricular work matter because donors want students who already show up for their communities. Pauahi may prefer applicants of Hawaiian ancestry where law allows, yet the public listing still welcomes eligible U.S. residents without that background.
Award sizes float with endowment income, so treat the scholarship as meaningful partial help rather than a guaranteed full ride. Stack it with federal aid, campus grants, and other Pauahi funds you qualify for in the same cycle. When the portal opens around mid-September 2026, register early, select Park Kitashima in your fund list, and aim to submit well before the mid-December close so staff can request any missing documents while the window is still open.
Eligibility
-
✓Junior, senior, or fifth-year standingYou must be a current college junior, senior, fifth-year, or equivalent upper-division undergraduate. First- and second-year students should explore other Pauahi funds.
-
✓Full-time bachelor's degree pursuitEnroll full time in a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university in the United States. Graduate-only enrollment does not match this listing.
-
✓Demonstrated financial needPark Kitashima is need-based. Submit the hardship essay and financial documents Pauahi requires for need-based scholarships so reviewers can evaluate your situation.
-
✓Education major or career path (preferred)Students pursuing majors and careers in education, including STEM fields connected to teaching, receive special consideration. State your classroom or instructional goals clearly in your essays.
-
✓Community service or extracurricular activitiesParticipation in service projects, clubs, athletics, or other meaningful activities outside class supports your application, especially when work connects to youth or learning.
-
✓US residencyBigFuture and Pauahi describe the fund as open to residents of the United States, including learners in Hawaiʻi and on the continental U.S. Answer residency questions on the live application accurately.
-
✓Preference for Hawaiian ancestryFoundation policy gives preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. Non-Hawaiian applicants remain eligible when they meet need and enrollment rules.
Benefits
- Award amount Varies with need and fund balance
- Study level Upper-division bachelor's students
- Need-based selection Hardship essay and tax docs
- Education / STEM teaching focus Special consideration
- Renewal Follow Pauahi renewal rules if offered
- Full tuition guarantee Not covered
- Graduate study Not covered - undergrad fund only
Document checklist
-
✓Pauahi Foundation online applicationRegister a new profile on the Pauahi postsecondary portal when the 2027-2028 cycle opens and select the Park Kitashima Scholarship in your fund list.
-
✓Financial hardship essayComplete the need-based essay prompt: describe financial circumstances or hardships you have faced and how they affect your ability to finish your bachelor's degree.
-
✓Student & Parent Form and tax documentsUpload the Student & Parent Form, applicable W-2s, and federal income tax returns for the tax year the portal specifies. Dependent students need parent paperwork.
-
✓Most recent transcriptProvide academic records showing junior, senior, or fifth-year standing and full-time enrollment toward a bachelor's degree.
-
✓Activity and service summaryDocument community service and extracurricular leadership on the application. Tie activities to education or youth impact when possible.
-
✓Letters of recommendation (if required)Follow the 2027-2028 Pauahi checklist. Some cycles require recommenders; confirm requirements after you open the live application.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Park Kitashima Scholarship?
It is a Pauahi Foundation need-based fund for full-time college juniors, seniors, and fifth-year undergraduates working toward a bachelor's degree. Reviewers favor applicants pursuing education careers, including STEM paths tied to teaching.
Is the Park Kitashima Scholarship only for Hawaiʻi residents?
No. Public listings describe the award as open to U.S. residents, including students in Hawaiʻi and on the mainland. You still must meet class standing, enrollment, and need requirements.
Do I need an education major to win the Park Kitashima Scholarship?
Education is not a hard requirement, but Pauahi gives special consideration to majors and careers in education, including STEM fields connected to teaching. Explain your classroom goals if they apply to you.
What financial documents does Park Kitashima require?
Expect the standard Pauahi need-based package: hardship essay, Student & Parent Form, W-2s, and federal tax returns for the tax year the portal names. Confirm the live checklist before you submit.
When is the Park Kitashima Scholarship deadline?
BigFuture lists the 2026-27 cycle opening September 15, 2026 and closing December 15, 2026. Pauahi may adjust dates on the postsecondary portal, so verify timestamps before you file.
Can freshmen apply for the Park Kitashima Scholarship?
No. The listing targets current juniors, seniors, and fifth-year undergraduates. First- and second-year students should browse other Pauahi endowed funds.
How much is the Park Kitashima Scholarship worth?
Pauahi does not publish a fixed dollar amount. Expect a partial award sized after committee review of need and available fund income.
Do I need Hawaiian ancestry to receive Park Kitashima?
Ancestry is a preference under Pauahi policy, not a strict gate. Eligible applicants without Hawaiian ancestry may still receive the scholarship when they meet need and enrollment rules.
Scholarship Union
More in-depth scholarship guides curated by experts.
Related guides
Always verify scholarship details on the official source before applying. Information on this page may change.
Visit official website