USA Scholarships
Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship 2027 Hawaii
The Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship is a Pauahi Foundation merit award for college students enrolled full time at a four-year college or university while working toward a bachelor''s degree. Reviewers look for applicants who can succeed academically, show good character, stay persistent when life gets hard, and intend to apply their skills for the benefit of the Hawaiian community. You need at least a 3.0 GPA, documented community service or extracurricular activities, and U.S. residency. Graduates of Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi campus receive special consideration, and Pauahi policy gives preference to students of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. Dollar amounts follow endowed fund income rather than one fixed public stipend. Select this fund in the unified Pauahi application when the 2027-2028 cycle opens October 1, 2026 and closes December 1, 2026.
What is the Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship?
The Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship lives inside the Pauahi Foundation postsecondary portfolio, the fundraising arm that supports Kamehameha Schools' mission for people of Hawaiian ancestry. Named for the donors who endowed the fund, it targets undergraduates who are already carrying a full course load at a four-year college and who can point to real service, steady grades, and a plan to bring their skills home to the lāhui.
Pauahi runs one unified application each fall. You check the Richard and Myrtle Kim box alongside any other funds you qualify for, upload a transcript that proves the 3.0 floor, and use the personal statement to show character and persistence. Reviewers also watch for community activities and for applicants who can articulate how their major connects to Hawaiʻi's future. Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi campus alumni get an extra look, and Hawaiian ancestry remains a legal preference factor across Pauahi scholarships.
For the 2027-2028 academic year, expect the portal to open October 1, 2026 and close December 1, 2026. Award amounts are not published as a single dollar figure because endowed income shifts year to year. If you are a freshman or sophomore still at a two-year college, finish your associate requirements and transfer to a four-year program before you rely on this listing. When you are ready, start at pauahi.org/postsecondary-scholarships and keep [email protected] in your inbox through spring notification season.
Eligibility
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✓Full-time undergraduate at a four-year collegeYou must attend a four-year college or university full time while pursuing a bachelor's degree. Community college students who have not yet transferred to a four-year program generally do not match this listing unless Pauahi's live criteria say otherwise.
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✓Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPAMaintain at least a 3.0 GPA on the scale Pauahi and your college use. Upload transcripts that show your current cumulative average before the December 1 deadline.
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✓U.S. residencyYou must be a resident of the United States and answer Pauahi's residency questions accurately on the postsecondary application. Mainland students remain eligible when they meet every other requirement.
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✓Community service or extracurricular involvementShow participation in community service, clubs, athletics, cultural groups, or other activities outside class. Tie those experiences to leadership or service when you can.
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✓Character and intent to benefit HawaiʻiDemonstrate good character and a clear intent to use your degree and skills to strengthen the Hawaiian community. Essays and activity lists should explain how your path connects to that goal.
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✓Persistence through challenging circumstancesThe fund encourages students who have faced hardship yet kept working toward their goals. Use your Pauahi personal statement to describe obstacles and how you stayed on track without turning the essay into a generic hardship story.
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✓Preference for Hawaiian ancestry and KS Hawaiʻi gradsPauahi gives preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry where law allows. High school graduates of Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi campus receive special consideration during review.
Benefits
- Award amount Varies with endowed fund income
- Full-time bachelor's study Eligible at accredited four-year colleges
- Mainland or Hawaiʻi colleges Accredited U.S. institutions
- Merit-based selection Included (not need-based on listing)
- Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi consideration Special review for campus grads
- Room and board guarantee Not covered
- Graduate or professional study Not eligible (undergrad only)
Document checklist
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✓Pauahi Foundation online applicationRegister on the Pauahi postsecondary portal when the 2027-2028 cycle opens and add the Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship to your fund list.
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✓Most recent college transcriptUpload official or unofficial transcripts showing full-time enrollment and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
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✓Resume or activity listSummarize community service, extracurricular roles, jobs, and cultural activities reviewers can verify.
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✓Pauahi personal statement and promptsComplete the shared Pauahi essays for the cycle. Explain how your major and career plans will benefit the Hawaiian community even though BigFuture lists this fund as not requiring a separate standalone essay.
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✓Letters of recommendation if requiredFollow the live portal checklist for recommenders who can speak to your character, persistence, and service.
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✓Enrollment verification after selectionBe ready to confirm full-time enrollment at your four-year institution so Pauahi can disburse funds to the correct bursar account.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship?
It is a Pauahi Foundation endowed merit scholarship for full-time undergraduates at accredited four-year colleges who pursue a bachelor's degree, show good character and persistence, and intend to use their education to benefit the Hawaiian community. Award sizes follow fund income each year.
What GPA do I need for the Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship?
You need at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Pauahi uses your college transcript to confirm the figure, so upload the most recent record available before the December 1 deadline.
Is the Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship need-based?
BigFuture and Pauahi classify this fund as merit-based rather than need-based. You are not required to submit Pauahi's financial hardship packet for this listing alone, though you may add need-based funds in the same application if you qualify.
Do I have to live in Hawaiʻi to apply?
You must be a U.S. resident, but you may attend college in Hawaiʻi or on the mainland. The scholarship asks you to demonstrate intent to benefit the Hawaiian community, not proof of a Hawaiʻi mailing address.
Does Kamehameha Schools graduation help my application?
Yes. High school graduates of Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi campus receive special consideration. Other Kamehameha campuses and non-KS applicants remain eligible when they meet GPA, enrollment, and character criteria.
When is the Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship deadline for 2027?
Pauahi opens the 2027-2028 postsecondary cycle on October 1, 2026 and closes it on December 1, 2026. Confirm timestamps on the live portal because companion sites sometimes list a mid-December close for older data feeds.
Can part-time students apply for the Richard and Myrtle Kim Scholarship?
No. The listing targets students enrolled full time at a four-year college or university while seeking a bachelor's degree. Half-time enrollees should look at other Pauahi funds that explicitly allow reduced course loads.
How does Hawaiian ancestry preference work?
Pauahi Foundation policy gives preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. Students without Hawaiian ancestry may still win the award when they meet merit, enrollment, and community-intent requirements.
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