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Metro guide

Honolulu scholarships & local foundations

The Honolulu metro area covers Honolulu County in Hawaii, with principal cities including Honolulu, Kapolei and Pearl City. We haven’t confirmed a scholarship limited to this metro yet, so this guide leads with local foundations, statewide awards and state aid.

The IRS lists 1 community foundation with at least $1 million in assets based in the area’s principal cities; the largest is Hawaii Community Foundation in Honolulu ($1.1 billion in assets). Community foundations hold hundreds of small donor-funded scholarships, often limited to graduates of specific high schools or residents of one county, and many use a single shared application each winter.

Statewide, 2 more open awards are limited to Hawaii residents, and state aid includes UH Opportunity Grant (Hawaii Opportunity Program in Education). Federal Pell Grants stack on top for students who file the FAFSA.

Where local money hides: ask your school counselor for the local scholarship bulletin (many high schools keep one), check employer and union awards from your parents’ workplaces, and look at service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions) and credit unions near you. These awards rarely appear on national sites, which is why their applicant pools are small.

Scholarships naming the Honolulu area (0)

None confirmed right now. See the foundations and statewide awards below.

Community foundations in the Honolulu area (1)

Hawaii Community Foundation
Honolulu, HI · $1.1 billion in assets (IRS)
Scholarships page ↗

State aid for Honolulu students

UH Opportunity Grant (Hawaii Opportunity Program in Education)
Hawaii · University of Hawaiʻi

Varies by campus

Official page ↗

Statewide awards open to Honolulu residents (2)

43 days left

Pauahi Foundation Postsecondary Scholarships

Varies by fund (more than 250 scholarship funds) · Ke Ali‘i Pauahi Foundation · High school senior / undergraduate / graduate / trade school

Open to the public, with preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry as permitted by law. Undergraduate, graduate and some vocational/certificate students at recognized accredited schools; some funds require Hawai‘i residency or financial need. Service-academy students are ineligible starting 2027–28.

2027–28 application opened Oct 1, 2026 and is due Dec 1, 2026; recommendation letters, essays and other documents due Jan 15, 2027.
HI
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Last verified Oct 17, 2026
105 days left

Hawaii Community Foundation Common Scholarship Application

Varies by fund · Hawaii Community Foundation · High school senior / college / trade student

Hawaii students pursuing college or university degrees or career and technical education at a community college; one application for HCF's many scholarship funds.

2027–28 application opens Dec 1, 2026; apply by Feb 1, 2027, 4 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.
HI
Apply on official site .icsGoogle CalendarNeeds an essay? Use the toolkit
Add to tracker
Last verified Oct 17, 2026

Full Hawaii guide → · All community foundations

Frequently asked questions

Are there local scholarships in Honolulu?

We haven’t confirmed one that’s open right now, but the IRS lists 1 community foundations in the area’s principal cities, and most run local scholarships.

How do community foundation scholarships work?

Donors set up funds with rules such as a specific high school, county, major or need. The foundation advertises them together, usually with one online application each winter or spring, and matches applicants to every fund they qualify for.

What state aid can Honolulu students get?

UH Opportunity Grant (Hawaii Opportunity Program in Education). Most require the FAFSA.