Graduate Admission Policies

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The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is an equal opportunity institution of higher education and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual identity, age, disability, religious affiliation, or country of origin.

Application Requirements

Note: The following requirements are the minimum requirements for any UH Hilo graduate program. Particular graduate programs’ requirements may differ from the minimum. Therefore, prospective students also should check requirements of their program of interest.

Applicants applying for admission to graduate programs must submit the following items directly to the Office of Admissions:

• A completed application form and appropriate fee. The application form and fee information are available online (www.uhh.hawaii.edu) or from the Office of Admissions.
• One official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended. These transcripts must be sent directly from the institution or submitted by the applicant in a sealed institutional envelope if accompanying the application. Transcripts from within the UH system are not required.
• Official Graduate Record Examination scores or other qualifying test scores as determined by the program (check admissions requirements in each program description). International applicants whose native language is not English, or who have not attained a baccalaureate or higher degree from an English-speaking institution, also must submit TOEFL scores.
• A minimum of two letters of recommendation attesting to the academic ability or other qualifications of the applicant.
• Statement of academic and/or long range goals.
• Verification of financial status (for all international students).

Non-accredited U.S. or International Institutions

Degrees from non-accredited U.S. or international institutions are not recognized automatically. Applications of prospective students with such degrees will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

International Applicants

In addition to the above requirements, international applicants must submit official academic records in the original language accompanied by certified English translations. These translations must bear the embossed seal or inked stamp of the issuing institution or government agency and the original signature of the translator. Translations must be complete and exact word-for-word translations of the original documents. International applicants with a Grade Point Average of less than a B (or equivalent) in their undergraduate work or less than a B in 12 or more credits of post-baccalaureate work are not eligible for admission.

Minimum Qualifications for Acceptance

Baccalaureate Degree

Each applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or its equivalent from a recognized non-U.S. institution of higher learning. The standards of the degree in question must be equivalent in scholarship requirements to those maintained in the undergraduate program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.

Students may be required by programs to fulfill additional coursework beyond the major requirements if such courses are deemed important to the student’s ability to successfully complete the course of study. These courses will be determined prior to the student’s official admission notification, and will be included in the acceptance letter. Programs and program advisors are responsible for monitoring student completion of these courses.

If an applicant initially has been determined to be inadmissible based on his/her academic record, the graduate program may petition the Graduate Council on behalf of the applicant to reconsider the application. The petition must present evidence (e.g., relevant education, training, experience, publications) that the applicant is capable of successfully completing the desired graduate program.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

The GRE is required for all applicants for acceptance. Some programs may require a professional test specific to the program of study in lieu of the GRE for admission purposes. Minimum scores on the GRE or professional tests are set individually for each program. Applicants who have completed a graduate program at a regionally-accredited U.S. institution or its equivalent from a recognized non-U.S. institution are not required to submit GRE scores.

Test of English As A Foreign Language (TOEFL)

In addition to above requirements, an applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency as a partial admissions requirement. Evidence of proficiency in English is successful completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 (paper version) or of 213 (computer version). Applicants who have baccalaureate degrees from English-speaking institutions are exempt from the TOEFL requirement.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The applicant must have a GPA of 3.0 or the equivalent from the last 60 semester credits (or equivalent) in the undergraduate degree completed, or must hold a graduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or better in his/her graduate program. Under special circumstances, a GPA of 2.75 or higher will be considered based on the applicant’s other qualifications and subject to the petition process noted above.

Please Note: The meeting of minimum requirements does not assure acceptance into a UH Hilo graduate degree program. Acceptance into a graduate program is competitive and decided upon by each individual graduate program.

Admission Procedures

The Office of Admissions is responsible for accepting application materials for all graduate programs. Admissions professionals screen for minimum qualifications of each application and distribute completed applications to each respective program for decision of acceptance or rejection. The admissions committee within individual programs will make the final decision on applications that meet minimum university qualifications.

The application deadline for fall semester admission is February 1. The application deadline for spring semester admission is November 1. Applications received after the priority deadlines will be considered on a space available basis. Each applicant will be notified of receipt of the application. Incomplete applications will be held in the Office of Admissions until complete and ready for review by the graduate program. Applications that remain incomplete at the end of the selection process will be labeled as “incomplete,” and applicants will be denied admission. Applicants will be notified of this action.

Official notification of acceptance or rejection generally is mailed by the Office of Admissions between March 1 and May 30 for fall admission. For spring admission, notification is generally mailed between November 15 and December 15. Applicants should not make definite arrangements to attend the University until they receive formal notice of acceptance from the Office of Admissions.

Evaluation of transcripts of international students and of non-traditional grading will be done at the program level if the applicant meets other minimum qualifications. The Graduate Division and Office of Admissions will help with interpreting unusual grading practices and other special cases.

Classification of Students

Regular Admission

Regular admission may be granted to applicants who hold a baccalaureate degree with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better for the last 60 semester credits (or equivalent), or who hold a graduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or better from an accredited institution, or through the petition process noted above. Determination of acceptance, however, is made by the admissions committees of individual programs. Students accepted by program admission committees are defined as “classified students.”

Denied Admission

Students whose academic records do not meet the minimum requirements, and/or whose admission is not supported by the program and the Graduate Division, will be denied admission.

Visiting Graduate Student

Applicants who are pursuing an advanced degree in another institution and who wish to study at UH Hilo for a limited time may apply for admissions as visiting graduate students. To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled in and actively pursuing a graduate degree program at a regionally accredited institution of higher education and be in good academic standing.

Visiting graduate students register on a space available basis and only in courses for which they are judged to be eligible by the instructor of the course and the chair of the individual graduate program.

Typically, visiting graduate students enroll as “unclassified graduate students.” They may be allowed to change their status from unclassified to regular status if they apply and are accepted by a graduate program at UH Hilo.

Admission as a visiting graduate student does not guarantee subsequent admission as a regularly admitted graduate student. A visiting graduate student who decides to apply for admission as a regular graduate student must apply for acceptance via the standard admissions process as do all other applicants.

Visiting graduate students who later become admitted as regular students may request to have courses taken under the visiting student status credited toward the new degree objective. They should consult with their graduate programs, which then make appropriate recommendations to the Graduate Division.

Unclassified Graduate Student

Students with documented baccalaureate degrees who do not meet the minimum requirements for admission to a program, or who for any other reason have not been formally accepted into a program, may attempt to register for selected courses. Such registration is done on a space-available basis, and is with the written consent of both the faculty teaching the course and the chair of the program. Admission into a course as an unclassified graduate student does not guarantee admission as a regularly classified graduate student at a future date. A limit of 9 credit hours at UH Hilo may be taken at the graduate level by unclassified graduate students in their academic career. Waivers to this rule may be granted with the permission of the instructor, graduate program chair, and chair of the Graduate Council (the latter acting on behalf of the Graduate Council).

Applicants who are sponsored by an educational institution or governmental agency and who wish to undertake a special program of study, research, or training without a degree objective may apply as unclassified graduate students. These students also are limited to 9 credit hours at UH Hilo.

All applicants for unclassified graduate student status are required to submit the following:

1. A graduate application;
2. Proof of baccalaureate degree;
3. A brief statement of objectives specific to each class in which the applicant hopes to enroll.

Unclassified graduate students are not required to submit the application fee, GRE scores, or letters of recommendation. If an unclassified graduate student later applies, and is accepted, into a graduate program, the student may petition for acceptance of credits taken while in unclassified status, but acceptance of the petition by the graduate program is not assured.

Undergraduate students in their final semester of coursework before being granted a baccalaureate degree may petition to take graduate coursework for credit in the status of an Unclassified Graduate Student. Permission must be received from the student's academic advisor, course instructor, and graduate program chair. This coursework must be in excess of the requirements for the baccalaureate degree. Failure of the student to obtain the baccalaureate degree at the end of the semester in which the graduate coursework is undertaken will invalidate any graduate credits from the coursework. Students must present evidence of successful completion of the baccalaureate degree to the Graduate Division Office.

Additional Considerations

Concurrent Degrees

An applicant may apply to more than one graduate program but may enroll in only one program initially. Concurrent enrollment in more than one program is strongly discouraged. The individual programs applied for, however, will determine individually what constitutes the minimum course load, and the student (with the approval of both program chairs) may decide to attempt both programs.

Reapplication

Applicants who have been denied admission to a graduate program at UH Hilo because of failure to meet academic standards may reapply for admission after completing at least 12 semester credits of post-baccalaureate course work. The courses must be numbered 400 or above and completed with a GPA of 3.0 or above.

Completion of additional course work does not guarantee admission. To be reconsidered for admission, applicants must follow the standard application process and will be considered along with all other applicants. If admitted, no more than 12 semester credits of relevant post-baccalaureate course work may be applied toward the new degree objective.

If Admitted, But Not Enrolled

Admission may not be postponed or deferred. Newly-admitted students who do not register during the semester for which they are admitted or who withdraw from all courses before the last day to drop are considered no-shows. Their admission status will be rendered invalid. To reapply for admission, they must contact the Office of Admissions for instructions.

Returning Student

If a student has not registered continuously, that student must reapply for admission. Readmission is not guaranteed.

International Student Documents

International student documents are processed by the International Admissions Office. Visa questions will be handled only by this office.