USA Scholarships
Trudi & Hiram de Fries Scholarship 2027
The Trudi and Hiram de Fries Educational Scholarship is a Pauahi Foundation endowed fund for classified full-time undergraduates or graduate students with at least a 2.75 GPA who can point to real community service and a genuine interest in Hawaiian language, culture, or history. Reviewers also expect a clear plan to keep contributing to the greater community after you graduate. Need is not listed as a gate for this award, so merit, service, and essays carry more weight than tax forms. Pauahi funds one recipient per cycle at an amount that varies with fund income. Learners in Hawaiʻi and on the U.S. continent enrolled at accredited two- or four-year institutions may compete, with preference for Hawaiian ancestry where law allows. Plan on three recommendation letters plus Pauahi''s shared portal essays. Applications for 2027-2028 open October 1, 2026 and close December 1, 2026.
What is the Trudi and Hiram de Fries Educational Scholarship?
Trudi and Hiram de Fries is one of Pauahi Foundation's smaller named funds, but the expectations are concrete. You need at least a 2.75 GPA, full-time classified enrollment at an accredited two- or four-year college, and a service record reviewers can verify. The donor also cares about Hawaiian language, culture, or history, so your essays should show how those threads show up in your life, not just in a single class title.
Unlike need-heavy Pauahi awards, this listing does not require hardship tax paperwork. That shifts weight onto your resume, three recommendation letters, and portal essays about community contribution. One student receives the grant each cycle, which makes the competition tight even though the dollar amount varies with fund income.
Mainland students qualify alongside Hawaiʻi residents when they meet the academic and service gates, though Pauahi still applies its Hawaiian ancestry preference where the law allows. Register when the portal opens October 1, 2026, add the de Fries fund alongside any other Pauahi scholarships you fit, and submit everything before December 1 so staff can chase missing letters while the window is still open.
Eligibility
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✓Minimum 2.75 GPAMaintain at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA on the transcript you upload. Pauahi treats the published minimum as a hard gate for this endowed listing.
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✓Classified full-time enrollmentEnroll as a classified undergraduate or graduate student full time at an accredited two- or four-year college in Hawaiʻi or the continental United States.
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✓Community service participationDocument volunteer work or service projects in your resume, activity list, and essays so reviewers see sustained participation, not a one-time event.
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✓Hawaiian language, culture, or history interestExplain how you engage with Hawaiian language, culture, or history through coursework, community work, or personal study. The donor intent ties education to lāhui knowledge.
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✓Commitment to the greater communityDescribe how you will keep contributing beyond graduation. Pauahi expects applicants who plan to strengthen their communities, not only collect a credential.
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✓US residency (Hawaiʻi or continent)Pauahi lists the fund for eligible learners in the State of Hawaiʻi and on the U.S. continent. Answer residency questions on the live application accurately.
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✓Hawaiian ancestry preferenceFoundation policy gives preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. Other eligible students may still compete when they meet GPA and service rules.
Benefits
- Number of awards 1 per cycle (Pauahi listing)
- Award amount Varies with fund balance
- Need-based paperwork Not required on listing
- Community service focus Service + cultural interest weighted
- Full tuition guarantee Not covered
- Part-time enrollment Not covered
Document checklist
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✓Pauahi Foundation online applicationRegister or refresh your profile on the Pauahi postsecondary portal when the 2027-2028 cycle opens and select the Trudi and Hiram de Fries Educational Scholarship in your fund list.
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✓Resume or activity listUpload a current resume or activity summary that lists community service, leadership roles, and cultural activities reviewers can cross-check against your essays.
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✓Three recommendation lettersSecure three letters from mentors who know your service, character, and academic progress. Pauahi's listing for this fund specifies three recommendations rather than two.
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✓Fund-specific and portal essaysComplete Pauahi essay prompts about community service, cultural interest, and your commitment to contributing to the greater community.
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✓Most recent transcriptProvide academic records showing at least a 2.75 GPA and classified enrollment at an accredited two- or four-year institution.
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✓Extracurricular profile entriesMirror volunteer hours and cultural activities in the Pauahi profile so your narrative matches documented activities.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Trudi and Hiram de Fries Educational Scholarship?
It is a Pauahi Foundation endowed scholarship with one award per cycle for full-time undergraduates or graduate students who meet the 2.75 GPA minimum, document community service, and show interest in Hawaiian language, culture, or history while planning ongoing community contribution.
What GPA do I need for the de Fries scholarship?
You need at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA on the transcript you submit. Lower GPAs do not match the published listing for this fund.
Is the de Fries scholarship need-based?
Third-party listings and Pauahi fund summaries describe this award without a financial-need requirement. Focus on service, cultural interest, essays, and academic progress unless staff request additional forms.
How many recommendation letters does the de Fries scholarship require?
Three. Pauahi's fund listing specifies three letters of recommendation, one more than some sibling endowed awards that ask for two.
Is the de Fries scholarship only for Hawaiʻi residents?
No. Pauahi lists the fund for eligible learners in the State of Hawaiʻi and on the U.S. continent. You must still meet GPA, enrollment, and service rules.
When is the Trudi and Hiram de Fries scholarship deadline?
Pauahi opens the 2027-2028 postsecondary cycle on October 1, 2026 and closes it on December 1, 2026. Confirm timestamps on the live portal before you file.
How much is the de Fries scholarship worth?
Pauahi does not publish a fixed dollar amount for this endowed fund. Expect a partial award sized after committee review of one recipient per cycle.
Do I need to study Hawaiian language to apply for de Fries?
You must demonstrate interest in Hawaiian language, culture, or history through essays and activities. You do not necessarily need a Hawaiian studies major unless your story requires it to show that interest authentically.
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