Summer Programs at Hawaiʻi Private Schools: Who Can Join, When to Register and What It Costs

Written by: Academia Tutor School Editorial Team / Supervised by: Yamahi

Summer programs are a popular way for children to spend time on a school campus, try new subjects and meet children from other schools. This page collects what the schools themselves say about who can join, when to register and what it costs. Because summer 2027 information is mostly not out yet, the figures below are labelled summer 2026 unless a school has already posted 2027 details.

Which schools run summer programs, and for which grades?

More about each school’s regular admission is in our guide: Punahou, ʻIolani, Mid-Pacific, Sacred Hearts, Le Jardin, Hanahauʻoli, Holy Nativity and Honolulu Waldorf.

What does “Kindergarten” mean in a summer program?

Summer programs usually group children by the grade they will enter in the fall. Punahou’s summer 2026 catalog, for example, says children in kindergarten classes “must be born between June 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021” — the same children who start kindergarten in fall 2026. Hanahauʻoli describes its program as for “children entering Junior Kindergarten through grade 4”, and Holy Nativity uses “rising Pre-K through 4th grade”. Check the age rule of each program before you choose a class.

Punahou: dates, registration order and fees (summer 2026)

• Sessions: Early Session June 8–12 (Grades 1–8 and non-credit high school classes), main session June 15 – July 17 (K–8 and non-credit high school classes), Extended Session July 20–24 (K–8).
• Registration order: the course catalog was posted February 11. Current Punahou students registered by grade from February 20 to March 3, siblings on March 4–5, and registration opened to everyone at noon on March 6. The regular deadline was April 17 at 4 p.m.; late registration closed May 15 with a $50 late fee per student.
• High school credit courses are only open to current Punahou students and new students enrolling for the coming school year. Visitors can take the non-credit courses.
• Fees: each course has its own fee. Summer 2026 examples: a five-week course for Grades 4–8 meeting about two hours a day, $655; Kindergarten Experience (five weeks, 8:00–11:45 a.m.), $1,310; Keiki Summer Fun Camp in the Extended Session (K–5, one week, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.), $625.
• Cancellations: through April 17, $50 per course cancelled or $100 to withdraw completely; after that, 50% of tuition until the course starts, and no refund after it starts.

Can children who live outside Hawaiʻi join?

Some schools say so clearly, and they add conditions. Punahou’s international student page for summer 2026 is the most detailed:

• Students must be proficient in English at their grade level. Punahou says it is “unable to provide accommodations for English language learners.”
• All international students submit a video statement (K–12) and a report card (Grades 1–12), and must be approved before registering on March 6.
• Students who are not enrolled in a Hawaiʻi school (international, U.S. Mainland and home-schooled students) need a TB clearance done within 12 months before their session, on a form completed by a U.S.-licensed practitioner. For summer 2026, the form was due May 29 for the early and main sessions.
• Punahou “highly recommend[s]” medical and/or travel insurance for international and U.S. Mainland students.

Le Jardin explains how students who do not attend Le Jardin during the year sign up (through a separate registration site). ʻIolani says its summer students come from ʻIolani, the local community and abroad, but its July 19–23, 2027 Auxiliary Program week is for current ʻIolani families only. Other schools’ pages do not say whether outside students can join, so ask the summer office before you plan travel.

When should you register for summer 2027?

• December – January: decide which weeks your family can be in Honolulu and which schools to look at. ʻIolani has already listed its 2027 summer holidays (June 11, June 18 and July 5).
• February: catalogs and registration information appear (Punahou’s 2026 catalog came out February 11; ʻIolani will post 2027 information in February).
• March: registration opens to families from outside the school. At Punahou, international families had to be approved before the March 6 opening, so start the video statement and report card early.
• April – May: regular deadlines (Punahou April 17; Hanahauʻoli and Holy Nativity April 30 in 2026), health forms and payment.

Popular classes can close when they are full, and courses with low enrollment can be cancelled, so keep a second choice in mind.

For families abroad

• Time difference: registration times are Hawaiʻi time. Punahou’s 2026 public registration opened at noon on March 6, Hawaiʻi time — that was the early morning of March 7 in Japan and Korea.
• English level: local school programs are taught in English for children who already use English at school. Punahou does not provide English-learner support in summer, and asks for a video statement to check this.
• Health forms: plan time for a TB clearance signed by a U.S.-licensed practitioner if the school requires one.
• Housing and supervision: the summer pages we checked describe day programs. Parents arrange their own stay and daily drop-off and pick-up.

How Academia Tutor School can help

A summer program is a good way for a child to get used to a Hawaiʻi classroom, but it is not part of the admission process. If your child is also preparing to apply to a Hawaiʻi private school, our Private School Entrance Exam Prep program practices interviews, group activities and the vocabulary, listening and reasoning tasks used in assessments. In 2026, our students were admitted to 23 schools. No tutoring program can promise admission, and we do not.

Related pages

• Hawaiʻi School Guide — admission, tuition and deadlines for each school
• Hawaii Private School Application Deadlines for 2027–28

Sources

Punahou School, “Summer Programs” (2026 key dates), “Registration and Policies,” “International Student Requirements,” “Academy Summer School” and the 2026 Summer Programs Course Catalog (PDF); ʻIolani School, “Summer Programs” and the ʻIolani Summer Programs resource site; Mid-Pacific Institute, “Summer Programs” (Global Exchange Academy); Sacred Hearts Academy, “Summer Programs”; Le Jardin Academy, “Summer School”; Hanahauʻoli School, “Summer School”; Holy Nativity School, “Summer Program”; Honolulu Waldorf School, “Summer Fun Program”; Code of Federal Regulations, 8 CFR 214.2(b)(7). Information as of October 24, 2026. Summer programs change every year, so always confirm with each school’s summer office. Academia Tutor School is not affiliated with the schools mentioned.