At Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, we are artfully bridging the rich traditions of our 134-year legacy with the constant pursuit of excellence. By strengthening our students’ identity as ‘ōiwi, we are drawing out inherent ancestral connections that spark their natural abilities to be community leaders through a kanaka maoli lens.
Visit the KS Kapālama homepage for more info »
The application for the 2023-2024 school year is closed.
Residency verification is required to apply by campus. Please review the residency grid and out-of-state section below.
Kindergarten applicants must have a date of birth between Aug. 1, 2017, and July 31, 2018. To complete the application, submit your child’s original birth certificate to the Ho‘oulu Verification Services (HVS) to validate your child’s age eligibility.
Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. If you would like your child to be considered under that policy, your child’s Hawaiian ancestry must be verified by Kamehameha’s Ho‘oulu Verification Services.
Complete the ‘ohana form by Jan. 15, 2023, as required.
An optional teacher recommendation may be submitted by Jan. 15, 2023.
The application for the 2023-2024 school year is closed.
Residency verification is required to apply by campus. Please review the residency grid and out-of-state section below.
Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. If you would like your child to be considered under that policy, your child’s Hawaiian ancestry must be verified by Kamehameha’s Ho‘oulu Verification Services.
To complete the application, your child’s last year’s final report card needs to be submitted by Sept. 30, 2022.
To complete the application, the ‘ohana form needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
To complete the application, a teacher’s recommendation needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
An optional letter of recommendation may be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
Submit your child’s first semester report card from this year by Jan. 31, 2023, as required.
The application for the 2023-2024 school year is closed.
Residency verification is required to apply by campus. Please review the residency grid and out-of-state section below.
Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. If you would like your child to be considered under that policy, your child’s Hawaiian ancestry must be verified by Kamehameha’s Ho‘oulu Verification Services.
To complete the application, your child’s last year’s final report card needs to be submitted by Sept. 30, 2022.
To complete the application, the ‘ohana form needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
To complete the application, a teacher’s recommendation needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
An optional letter of recommendation may be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
To complete the application, your child’s first quarter of this year’s report card needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
The application for the 2023-2024 school year is closed.
Residency verification is required to apply by campus. Please review the residency grid and out-of-state section below.
Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. If you would like your child to be considered under that policy, your child’s Hawaiian ancestry must be verified by Kamehameha’s Ho‘oulu Verification Services.
To complete the application, your child’s last year’s final report card needs to be submitted by Sept. 30, 2022.
To complete the application, the ‘ohana form needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
To complete the application, a teacher’s recommendation needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
An optional letter of recommendation may be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
To complete the application, your child’s first quarter of this year’s report card needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
The application for the 2023-2024 school year is closed.
Residency verification is required to apply by campus. Please review the residency grid and out-of-state section below.
Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. If you would like your child to be considered under that policy, your child’s Hawaiian ancestry must be verified by Kamehameha’s Ho‘oulu Verification Services.
To complete the application, your child’s last year’s final report card needs to be submitted by Sept. 30, 2022.
To complete the application, the ‘ohana form needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
To complete the application, a teacher’s recommendation needs to be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
An optional letter of recommendation may be submitted by Dec. 15, 2022.
Current year first semester report card: Due Jan. 31, 2023
Current year Quarter 3 report card or progress report*: Due March 31, 2023
Applications are available online beginning on Aug. 15. The application deadline for the 2023-2024 school year is Sept. 30, 2022.
Applications are submitted online through the Admissions Application ‘Ohana Portal. If you require assistance to submit an online application, please contact our Admissions Office, O‘ahu Resource Center at Kawaiaha‘o Plaza in downtown Honolulu, or at one of Kamehameha Schools’ Regional Resource Centers. See a list of support sites locations and contact information.
| Grade applying to | Age or grade level requirement |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Born between Aug. 1, 2017, and July 31, 2018* |
| Grade 4 | Currently in Grade 3 |
| Grade 7 | Currently in Grade 6 |
| Grade 9 | Currently in Grade 8 |
| Grade 10** | Currently in Grade 9 |
| Grade 11** | Currently in Grade 10 |
*Kindergarten applicants will need to submit their original birth certificate to the Ho‘oulu Verification Services to validate their age. Until the applicant’s birth certificate is submitted, their application for admission to Kamehameha Schools is considered incomplete.
**Only on space availability.
Please enter your ZIP code (or type “out of state” for those not in the state of Hawai‘i) below for residency and regional eligibility.
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades Kindergarten, 4, 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades Kindergarten, 4, 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades Kindergarten, 4, 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades Kindergarten, 4, 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades Kindergarten, 4, 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus, grades 9, 10, 11
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus, grades Kindergarten, 6, 9
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus, grades Kindergarten, 6, 9
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i Campus, grades Kindergarten, 6, 9
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i Campus, grades Kindergarten, 6, 9
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus grades 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus grades 7, 9, 10 and 11
You are eligible to apply for:
Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, grades 7, 9, 10, 11
Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus, grades 6, 9
Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i Campus, grades 6, 9
| Island applying from | KS region name | Grade applying to | Eligible for this campus |
|---|---|---|---|
| O‘ahu | ‘Ewa (Central) Covers these ZIP codes: 96701, 96706, 96707, 96709, 96759, 96782, 96797, 96818, 96819, 96820, 96853, 96858, 96859, 96860, 96861 | Kindergarten | Kapālama |
| Grade 4 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 7 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 9 | Kapālama | ||
| Grades 10-11 | Kapālama | ||
Ko‘olau (Windward) Covers these ZIP codes: 96717, 96730, 96731, 96734, 96744, 96762, 96795, 96863 | Kindergarten | Kapālama | |
| Grade 4 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 7 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 9 | Kapālama | ||
| Grades 10-11 | Kapālama | ||
Kona, O‘ahu Covers these ZIP codes: 96801, 96802, 96803, 96804, 96805, 96806, 96807, 96808, 96809, 96810, 96811, 96812, 96813, 96814, 96815, 96816, 96817, 96821, 96822, 96823, 96824, 96825, 96826, 96827, 96828, 96830, 96835, 96836, 96837, 96838, 96839, 96840, 96841, 96843, 96844, 96846, 96847, 96848, 96849, 96850 | Kindergarten | Kapālama | |
| Grade 4 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 7 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 9 | Kapālama | ||
| Grades 10-11 | Kapālama | ||
Waialua Covers these ZIP codes: 96712, 96786, 96789, 96791, 96854, 96857 | Kindergarten | Kapālama | |
| Grade 4 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 7 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 9 | Kapālama | ||
| Grades 10-11 | Kapālama | ||
Wai‘anae Coast Covers ZIP code 96792 | Kindergarten | Kapālama | |
| Grade 4 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 7 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 9 | Kapālama | ||
| Grades 10-11 | Kapālama | ||
| Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau | Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau Covers these ZIP codes: 96703, 96705, 96714, 96715, 96716, 96722, 96741, 96746, 96747, 96751, 96752, 96754, 96756, 96765, 96766, 96769, 96796 | Grade 7 | Kapālama |
| Grades 9-11 | Kapālama | ||
| Maui | Hana, Maui Covers these ZIP codes: 96713 | Grade 7 | Kapālama |
| Grades 9 | Maui OR Kapālama | ||
| Grades 10-11 | Kapālama | ||
| Lana‘i | 96763 | Grade 7 | Kapālama |
| Grades 9-11 | Kapālama | ||
| Moloka‘i | 96748 | Grade 7 | Kapālama |
| Grades 9-11 | Kapālama | ||
| Hawai‘i | |||
West Covers these ZIP codes: 96704, 96719, 96725, 96726, 96727, 96737, 96738, 96739, 96740, 96743, 96745, 96750, 96755, 96776 | Kindergarten | Hawai‘i | |
| Grade 6 | Hawai‘i | ||
| Grade 7 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 9 | Hawai‘i OR Kapālama | ||
| Grades 10-11 | Kapālama | ||
| Out of state | Out of state | Grade 6 | Hawai‘i OR Maui |
| Grade 7 | Kapālama | ||
| Grade 9 | Hawai‘i, Kapālama OR Maui | ||
| Grades 10-11 | Kapālama |
Kamehameha Schools’ Kapālama Campus on O‘ahu has a boarding community for students in grades 7-12. The Residential Life program is a residential learning community that provides a home away from home for Neighbor Island students and serves to cultivate an experiential living and learning community based on Christian and Hawaiian values that empower haumāna to fulfill Pauahi’s legacy.
The Residential Life program provides students with a safe, nurturing environment that complements KS’ regular academic program. The program is designed to encourage student efforts to be respectful, responsible, and resourceful members of our lāhui. The program is full and varied and provides haumāna the opportunity to learn and practice independent living skills in a safe environment with the guidance and support of caring adults and peers.
Residential Life spaces are reserved for Neighbor Island students from islands/communities not presently served by Kamehameha’s Neighbor Island campuses. Currently, there is no Residential Life program at the Hawai‘i or Maui campuses.
E hele mai to our Kapālama Campus Residential Life website.
Kamehameha’s Kapālama Campus K-12 program gives priority to students who reside in the state of Hawai‘i. However, out-of-state students may apply and be considered for admission to the following grades: 7, 9, 10 and 11. Kamehameha will not accept applications to elementary at any campus from out-of-state students. No exceptions will be made.
Residential Life: Boarding at the Kapālama Campus may be requested, but is not guaranteed.
Out-of-state applicants to grade 7, 9, 10 and 11 will be required to complete the admissions test, interview and writing sample.
Admissions priority is given to applicants residing in Hawai‘i with their parents or legal guardians, all of whom are current and permanent residents of the State of Hawai‘i in accordance with KS policy.
Kamehameha observes geographic regional allocations to ensure equitable geographic distribution of spaces. Therefore, upon acceptance, parents must verify the physical home address listed on their child’s application.
In addition, if the applicant’s biological parents are not currently married, you will be required to submit all necessary court documents (divorce decrees, custody agreements, legal guardianship, etc.) to determine legal custody.
Custodial information establishes who has the legal authority to make decisions and to sign school documents on behalf of this child prior to your child’s enrollment at Kamehameha Schools.
NOTE: By policy, all applicants to Kamehameha Schools must be U.S. citizens. Even if an applicant is of Native Hawaiian ancestry, if they are not also a U.S. citizen, Kamehameha Schools cannot accept or process their application.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), children with a diagnosed, life-long disability that requires the utilization of accommodations during the testing and/or observation or interview phases of the application process may receive the required accommodation in these phases of Kamehameha Schools’ application process.
Validation of the required accommodation is needed. Parents requesting a testing and/or observation or interview accommodation for their child should include in-depth documentation of their child’s diagnosed disability that includes, but is not limited to:
Before applying your child for admission to Kamehameha Schools (KS), please be sure that any outstanding debts you have with KS are cleared. An outstanding debt may have been incurred if you have another child who is currently, or was previously, enrolled at KS.
An outstanding debt may delay application processing for your child. Applicants whose families have outstanding debts may not be offered admission to KS until the debt has been cleared.
If you have an outstanding debt, please call our Student Billing Office at 842-8309 or toll-free at 1-800-842-4682 x28309.
| Grade | Program | Campus | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten-6th Grade | Kapālama | $5,046 | |
| 7th-12th Grade | Day | All | $6,208 |
| 7th-12th Grade | Boarder | Kapālama | $11,016 |
These tuition costs are for the 2022-2023 school year.
Due to the changing conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the test and interview dates/times are subject to change. The health and safety of our applicant families and staff is our highest priority. If changes are made to testing/interview availability, we will notify applicants by email.
Kamehameha uses the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress), which is a secured test administered using an iPad. More information: MAP test information
A select number of students are called back to participate in the second phase of testing: A classroom observation and interview. The classroom observations are used to evaluate an applicant’s non-cognitive skills, social skills and general school readiness.
Kamehameha uses the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress), which is a secured test administered using a laptop. More information: MAP test information. During the test, applicants will also be required to complete and submit a writing sample. A select number of students are called back to participate in the second phase of testing: an Interview.
Kamehameha uses the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress), which is a secured test administered using a laptop. More information: MAP test information
During the test, applicants will also be required to complete and submit a writing sample. In addition to testing, applicants are scheduled for an interview with a Kamehameha teacher or administrator.
The competitive nature of admission to Kamehameha Schools is due to the increasing numbers of children seeking enrollment. Each year the number of applications received exceeds the number of available spaces anywhere from a ratio of 3:1 to 17:1, depending on the campus and grade level.
At Kamehameha Schools we firmly believe that every child has potential and wish to acknowledge and affirm the strength of each applicant’s unique talents. The challenge is that Kamehameha Schools does not have a space on one of our campuses for every applicant. However, we are actively working to develop community programs to serve greater numbers of children and meet a broader variety of needs and interests. These programs are designed to assist many more children to develop their potential, cultivate their unique abilities, and achieve success.
Kamehameha is committed to enroll a diverse student population that represents a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, islands and communities, ability levels, talents and life experiences. Kamehameha looks for students who have already demonstrated that they have the motivation, attitude, character and work habits necessary to successfully graduate from Kamehameha Schools.
Four-member faculty rating committees, composed of teachers and counselors, review all applications for a single grade level in each region. For example, all Windward applicants to grade seven are evaluated by the same committee. All committee members are current Kamehameha faculty who work with children in the grade level to which your child is applying.
All admissions decisions are made by a consensus of the faculty rating committee that evaluated the applications of all students in a particular region and gender grouping. The Admissions Office facilitates the admissions process but does not select applicants for admission to Kamehameha Schools. Furthermore, the Admissions Office does not have the authority to reverse a committee decision, nor does that authority rest with the CEO or Trustees of Kamehameha Schools. Faculty Rating Committees are empowered to make all admission decisions. Any diversion from this process is considered tampering.
All faculty rating committee members must disclose any personal potential conflicts of interest prior to the review process. Faculty members with conflicts are excluded from participating. The rating process is conducted using strict protocols. Score calculations for applicants are run on our computer system to avoid human arithmetic errors. All selection meetings are facilitated by the Admissions Office and monitored by the Internal Auditor. Finally, every summer Kamehameha’s Internal Auditor audits the records of the Admissions Office. The final audit report is shared with the CEO, Trustees and the external Court Master, who also reviews Kamehameha Schools annually.
Yes. Students in this category are sent notifications advising them that they are placed in a wait pool. These notifications need to be acknowledged and responded to, or the applicant will be withdrawn and not included in the wait pool process. The terms and length of wait pools vary by campus and grade level.
No, not all applicants who are orphans or indigents are enrolled. As directed by Bernice Pauahi Bishop’s will, Hawaiian orphans and Hawaiian children living in indigent circumstances do receive special consideration for admission. In order to be considered as an orphan or indigent applicant, additional paperwork and verification is required. Special consideration spaces are limited and, like all other applicants, they are tested and evaluated and must demonstrate their ability to be successful at Kamehameha Schools.
Absolutely! There is so much more to Kamehameha Schools than our three campuses. Kamehameha actually offers many innovative educational programs. Offerings include a variety of summer programs; distance learning; community based family education; mentoring programs and more. Kamehameha also operates 30 preschools statewide, has formed partnerships with public charter schools, and offers post-high school financial aid for students.
Of particular interest to the parents of Pre-K-12 children is the Pauahi Keiki Scholars program, which offers need-based financial assistance to help children attend other qualifying non-KS preschools and the Kīpona Scholarship program, which offers need-based financial assistance to help children attending private K-12 schools other than Kamehameha.
Phone:
(808) 534-8080 or 1-800-842-IMUA and press 3 (Neighbor Island/Continental U.S.)
Email:
ksrc@ksbe.edu
Schedule help:
bookings.ksbe.edu/ksrc
