Hawaii Private School Application Deadlines for 2027–28: Punahou, ʻIolani and Mid-Pacific

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

Submitting the application is only the first step. Teacher references, test scores, report cards and assessments continue through December and January. This page puts every date on one timeline so you can plan the whole season, not just the first deadline.

2027–28 application deadlines at a glance

ʻIolani does not admit new students in Grades 1–5, and Grades 10–11 are space-available only. ʻIolani lists 50 openings in total for Grades 7 and 8, and 50 for Grade 9.

Who can apply for kindergarten?

Each school sets its own birthdate range, so check yours before anything else.

• Punahou (2027–28): born June 1, 2021 – July 31, 2022. For 2028–29: born June 1, 2022 – July 31, 2023.
• ʻIolani (2027–28): born June 1, 2021 – August 31, 2022. For 2028–29: born June 1, 2022 – August 31, 2023.
• Mid-Pacific (2027–28): must turn 5 by July 31, 2027.

If your child was born in summer 2022, the ranges show why it pays to look one year ahead: at ʻIolani a child born in August 2022 is in the 2027–28 range, while at Punahou the same child falls into the 2028–29 range.

What happens after you apply

• From Oct. 15: Punahou teacher reference forms open. Teachers are busy in the fall, so let them know early.
• Nov. 1: Punahou kindergarten applicants upload the first progress report or report card of the current year.
• November – January: assessments and group sessions (Punahou Grades 4–5 in November; Mid-Pacific kindergarten December–January, Grades 1–5 in January, Grades 6–12 November–January).
• Dec. 31: Punahou deadline for teacher reports and SSAT results.
• Jan. 15, 2027: Mid-Pacific required and supplemental documents.
• Jan. 31, 2027: ʻIolani supporting documents.
• February – March 2027: decisions (Mid-Pacific preschool in February; Mid-Pacific kindergarten–Grade 12 and ʻIolani in March).
• April 2027: ʻIolani enrollment deadlines (Grades 6–11 on April 15, kindergarten on April 22).

Financial aid has its own deadlines

Financial aid applications are separate from the admission application, and the deadlines are often earlier than families expect.

• Punahou: Grades K–5 by Oct. 23, 2026; Grades 6–12 by Nov. 30, 2026. Tuition for 2026–27 is $34,230.
• Mid-Pacific: new applicants by Dec. 15, 2026 (through Clarity). Tuition for 2026–27 is $33,315 (preschool – Grade 12).
• ʻIolani: by Feb. 15, 2027.

Punahou notes that meeting the deadline matters most and that details can be adjusted later once official documents are ready, so do not wait for your tax paperwork to start.

If you are just starting now

• There is still time this season for Punahou Grades 6–12 (Nov. 1), every grade at Mid-Pacific (Nov. 2), and ʻIolani Grades 6–11 (Nov. 15). Submit a few days early rather than on the deadline day — two of them fall on a Sunday.
• For 2028–29, all three schools open applications on August 1. The months before that are the time to build interview skills, reading and reasoning, and test readiness.
• For other grades, ask each admission office directly about openings.

How Academia Tutor School can help

Our Private School Entrance Exam Prep program helps children prepare for the parts of admission that are hard to practice at home: one-on-one and group interviews, cooperative group activities, and the vocabulary, listening and reasoning tasks used in assessments. Lessons run Monday to Friday after school, in private or small groups of up to five students. See Tuition & Fees for pricing.

No tutoring program can promise admission, and we do not. Our goal is for your child to walk into the assessment calm and ready to show who they are.

Sources

Punahou School, “Kindergarten – Grade 3,” “Grades 4 – 5,” “Grades 6 – 8,” “Grades 9 – 12” and “Tuition and Financial Aid”; ʻIolani School, “Day Admission”; Mid-Pacific Institute, “Apply to Mid-Pacific” and “Tuition and Financial Aid.” Information as of October 21, 2026. Dates can change from year to year, so always confirm with each school’s admission office. Academia Tutor School is not affiliated with these schools.