Apply to travel with PAAC in summer 2027 - scholarships available
Ready for an unforgettable summer in 🇰🇷 South Korea? 🇰🇷
Applications for the Freeman Summer Study Tour 2027 are officially OPEN! ☀️
🇰🇷 freeman summer Study Tour to Korea 🇰🇷
“embracing vibrant expressions”
PAAC is excited to announce that applications for our 2027 Freeman Summer Study Tour to the Republic of Korea are now being accepted. Under the theme “Embracing Vibrant Expressions”, students will have the opportunity to explore and discover how Korea's past continues to influence its present, explore future career possibilities, and discover how people express their identities through culture, entertainment, and everyday life. Visits to locations such as Insadong’s preserved hanok houses, the vibrant streets of Gangnam, and school visits for cultural exchange allow participants to learn how different cultural aspects helped form modern Korean national identity and expressions while exploring language and historical influences. Students will also take part in Korean pop culture through delicious food, music, media, and esports to experience first-hand the creative spirit of the nation, and form connections between how the past and present might forge the future across the Asia-Pacific.
Thanks to the generosity of The Freeman Foundation, the majority of participants with demonstrated financial need and/or demonstrated commitment to PAAC programs have received merit- and/or need-based financial aid for this program.
Pictures from PAAC’s 2023 Freeman Korea Summer Study Tour.
program dates:
Virtual Student and Parent/Guardian Welcome Meeting: April 8, 2027
Virtual Asynchronous Assignments on Korea: April-May 2027
Virtual Student Workshops: May 6 and 18, 2027
In-Person Pre-Trip Orientation: June 8-10, 2027
Virtual E-Travel Meeting: June 14, 2027
Travel Dates: June 16-30, 2027 ✈️
Group Presentation to Freeman Foundation: September or October 2027 (TBD)
Presentation to School or Community: by December 31, 2027
Please note, all dates listed above (except travel dates) are tentative and will be confirmed as soon as possible. Participation in this program requires attendance on *ALL* program dates, not just the international travel.
PAAC will work with students outside of O'ahu to arrange transport and lodging during pre-trip orientation.
Who can apply?
All current 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders (2026-2027 SY) attending Hawaiʻi public, charter, private, and independent schools who are prepared to represent their school, community, and Hawai’i responsibly are eligible to apply.
Preference may be given to students in grades 10 and 11 and those who are active PAAC Club officers and members.
How much does the trip cost? Are travel scholarships available?
Travel scholarships are available! The cost of the program is estimated to be around $4600-$4850. However, most students do not pay full cost. Participants accepted into the program will be required to make a non-refundable deposit of $500 to secure their place in the study tour. Payment plans will be available to accepted students.
Thanks to the generosity of The Freeman Foundation, in recent years the majority of participants with demonstrated financial need and/or demonstrated commitment to PAAC programs have received merit- and/or need-based financial aid. In previous years, PAAC has provided scholarships covering 25%–90% of Study Tour program fees.
To apply, parents must fill out the Family Scholarship Form. Applicants who are awarded must submit documentation to support their application. The scholarship cannot be used to pay for the trip deposit. Students who have already participated in a Freeman Summer Study Tour to either Korea (2023), Japan (2024), Vietnam (2025), or Taiwan (2026) will not be eligible to receive a scholarship.
PAAC is open to dialogue and further discussion regarding any financial barriers for students to join our Study Tour. Should you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Ms. Carol Li <paac@paachawaii.org> or 808-944-7784. We highly encourage students to apply first if they are interested and decide afterwards once acceptance letters with financial aid packages are awarded.
How to Apply for the study tour?
Before you begin, review the Student Application Form carefully and fill it out. Double check your work!
Get your current High School Transcript (unofficial transcripts are fine)
Write three Short Essay Responses (recommended 150-300 words each, no more than 1000 words total)
Why are you interested in traveling to the Republic of Korea? What do you hope to gain from this experience? How could this experience support your personal growth, educational interests, career pathway, or future goals?
Describe your involvement in PAAC activities (for PAAC students) and/or other internationally focused activities, such as travel, Model UN, school clubs, volunteering, community events, etc. How have these experiences inspired you, shaped your global perspective, or affected your view of the world?
If your experience with internationally-focused activities is limited, tell us how and why you became curious about the world.
How will your participation contribute to the program and other participants? What qualities, skills or experiences would you bring to the travel group? How would you contribute to the group, build relationships with people in another country, and represent Hawai’i respectfully?
* Draft longer responses in a separate document before entering them into the form. This will help you save your work and review your answers carefully before submitting.
Have your parents fill out the Family Scholarship Form
Ask two adults that are not related to you to fill out the Teacher/Mentor Recommendations (due on Thursday, January 14, 2027 at 11:59PM HST)
Please read through the entire application carefully before getting started. Using a personal email address (Gmail is preferred) while filling out the application. School email addresses (example@k12.hi.us) will block our messages. If needed, create a new personal email before applying. Check your email often for important updates.
It is not PAAC’s responsibility to follow-up on incomplete applications - please be thorough! If you have ANY questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Carol Li as early as possible.
When are the applications due?
📅 Monday, January 11, 2027 at 11:59PM HST.
All of the following items are due by the deadline:
Transcript
Three Short Essay Responses
Teachers can submit their Teacher/Mentor Recommendation Form until Thursday, Jan. 14, 2027.
Student applicants are responsible to make sure all their materials are in. Students must provide their parents/guardians and teacher/mentor recommenders with the proper links to the forms and ensure that they get it done. It is not PAAC’s responsibility to follow-up on incomplete applications.
All materials must be submitted on-time to be eligible. Incomplete or late applications will NOT be considered.
what happens on a paac study tour?
PAAC has organized Study Tours to the Asia-Pacific for Hawaiʻi high school students since 2004, changing the lives of hundreds of participants. To get a better idea of what actually happens on the Study Tour and how students are impacted by the trip, click on the links below to read an article from the most recent Freeman Summer Study Tour (2026) to Taiwan, or watch the student vlog from the 2025 Vietnam Study Tour.
what if i have questions or concerns?
Remember, there are no irrelevant questions! If something is unclear or you are facing a challenge in the application process, reach out! The sooner you contact us, the sooner you can have an answer and complete your application. Contact: Study Tours Director, Ms. Carol Li, <paac@paachawaii.org> or 808-944-7784. More information about PAAC Study Tours is available on our Study Tours page.
