Click Here for the 2024-2025 Nā Koa Aliʻi Scholarship Application

The Nā Koa Aliʻi Scholarship is made possible by the generous contributions of the Regina Kawananakoa Trust, Native Hawaiian Veterans LLC, Kinaʻole Foundation, and members of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I.

History of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I

King Kamehameha V created the Royal Order of Kamehameha I in 1864 to honor the memory of his grandfather, Kamehameha I. During the turbulent period of the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, the Royal Order of Kamehameha I went underground and was dormant until Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole re-activated the Royal Order of Kamehameha I in 1902. The purpose of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I as it is known today is to unite in fraternal and benevolent work, men of Hawaiian descent, of good moral character, of sound bodily health; to cultivate the cardinal principles of friendship, charity and benevolence; to aid widows and orphans; to improve the social and moral conditions of its members; to provide scholarship assistance; to preserve and perpetuate the ancient culture, customs, and traditions of Hawai’i, uplift the Hawaiian people; infuse the spirit of patriotism, loyalty, helpfulness and kindness among its members; advance the interest of its members in every rightful cause, and to encourage and develop leadership. Throughout its rich history, the Royal Order of Kamehameha I has stood as a symbol of the chiefs of Hawaiʻi nei. Some of the most prominent citizens of the Hawaiʻi have been counted among its members.

About the Nā Koa Ali‘i Scholarship

The Nā Koa Ali‘i Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship grounded in the values and beliefs of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I. The purpose of the Nā Koa Ali‘i Scholarship is to provide financial assistance to full-time post secondary students of Hawaiian ancestry who are pursuing a degree at an accredited vocational school, or a two-year or four-year institution. Preference will be given to members of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I and their immediate family members. Two(2) scholarship awards at the amount $2,000.00 will be awarded annually. Previous awardees may reapply for the Nā Koa Ali‘i Scholarship. Awardees are chosen based on scholarship criteria and essay quality. Awardees are determined by the Nā Koa Ali‘i Scholarship Fund Selection Committee. Awardees are required to complete 20 hours of volunteer work with an organization that serves Native Hawaiians within the academic year.

Criteria

• Be of Hawaiian ancestry.
• Must have a High School Diploma or General Education Diploma(GED). High school seniors expecting to graduate this academic year are eligible to apply.
• Attend an accredited vocational school, or a two-year or four-year post secondary institution.
• Be a full-time or part-time student, as determined by your institution’s financial aid office.
• Preference is given to good standing members of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, and their immediate family members.
• Complete two essays (500-word limit per essay) that address the following two prompts: 1) Write an autobiography discussing your education, work experience, personal interests and talents, and community service. Discuss how you have demonstrated leadership ability or potential in your life. 2) Describe your education and career goals, and explain how/why this scholarship will be beneficial to you. Essays may be submitted in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi or English.

Applications Instructions

Applicants are required to submit a completed online application. To access the online application, you are required to sign-in using a Google account. Incomplete online applications will not be considered by the scholarship committee.

Please carefully complete the personal information and academic information (name, date of birth, etc.). Be sure your information is accurate for notification and verification purposes.

Applicants are encouraged to type essay responses using a word processing program with attention to the 500-word limit per essay. Essay responses should then be pasted into the online application for submission. Essays may be submitted in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi or English with attention to proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Please prepare the following documents for upload before you begin your online application.

• An image of the applicant. The image should clearly show the applicant’s face; do not submit a group photo.
• A PDF of a certified copy of applicant’s birth certificate showing Hawaiian ancestry. The applicant will be notified by the scholarship committee if additional information is needed to validate the applicant’s Hawaiian ancestry.
• A PDF of the applicant’s most recent transcript.

All online application fields with an asterisk(*) are required and cannot be blank.

Be sure to review your online application before submission; online applications cannot be modified after the online application has been submitted.

Important Dates

• Application opens on February 1.
• Application deadline is June 1 at 11:59 PM.
• Awardees will be notified by the end of June.

If you have any questions about the Nā Koa Ali‘i Scholarship, please contact kuauhau@kamehameha.org.