International Opportunities

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Through its history, shared values, multicultural milieu, and geography the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is committed to internationalization across campus activities, classes, programs, curriculum, and research. The university engages with varying cultures to expand perspectives of an increasingly diverse world. In 1962 the United States recognized this quality about the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, selecting it as one of its first training sites for the newly-conceived Peace Corps. Nearly half a century later the university still embodies this international spirit.

This section of the University Catalogue provides information about many of the opportunities for global education at the university. The programs and services referenced here contribute to the international perspectives of students as they prepare to be leaders in the global society.

Admission of International Students

James Cromwell, Director of Admissions
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Student Services Building, Room 115
200 W. Kawili St.
Hilo, HI 96720-4091
Phone: +1 (808) 974-7414
E-mail: cromwell@hawaii.edu
http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/admissions/adm_reqts_intl.php

International students may apply to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo either as a graduate from high school or as a transfer student from another college or university. International applicants must fulfill all requirements for admission as well as comply with the regulations of the State Department and United States Immigration Customs and Enforcement. All documents and test score results, if applicable, should be received by June 1 for the Fall semester and November 1 for the Spring semester. Applicants requiring an F-1 or J-1 student visa are encouraged to submit completed applications by May 1 for Fall and October 1 for Spring. In addition to the online or University of Hawaiʻi System Application Form, international applicants requiring an F-1 or J-1 student visa must submit the Supplemental Information Form for International Applicants. The financial support requirement is $24,000US. Applicants must present evidence of having completed secondary school. Such evidence may include an official copy of secondary school academic records, and/or certificates of the results of qualifying examinations and certified true copies of mark sheets. All documents must be in English. For applicants applying from international high schools, admission is based on above average performance (75%) in high school and/or qualifying examinations. For applicants applying from international colleges or universities, admission is based on a 70% average. Students who have attended college less than one year should also submit their secondary school academic records. Course descriptions in English are required to complete the transfer credit evaluation. Applicants whose native language is not English may choose to submit the results of the TOEFL, Cambridge IELTS, SAT, ACT, or equivalent national examination taken in their home country. Information about the TOEFL may be obtained at www.toefl.org, from the local United States embassy or consulate office, or by writing directly to Test of English as a Foreign Language, Box 899, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA.

Applicants who meet the academic admission requirements and submit a TOEFL score of 500 (173 computer-based score) may be admitted directly into a degree program at the University. Applicants who meet the academic requirements and have a TOEFL score below 500, or those who choose not to submit the TOEFL or equivalent test results, may be admitted first to the UH Hilo English Language Institute (ELI).

During orientation at UH Hilo non-native speakers of English must take the English Proficiency Test and the Writing Placement Examination prior to registration. For English Language Institute students, performance on these tests determines placement into English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. ELI students must complete the English as a Second Language courses prescribed for them, and they may enroll in up to two regular University courses with the consent of both the ELI Director and the course instructor. The United States government and the State of Hawaiʻi do not make financial aid available to F-1 or J-1 international students. There are limited UH Hilo institutional scholarships available to international students who meet academic eligibility requirement once they have established a record of academic excellence at UH Hilo. Students from the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Island nations are eligible for U.S. federal financial aid. Health insurance is required of all international students enrolled at the University.

International Student Services

Ruth Robison, Director
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Student Services Building, Room 206
200 W. Kawili St.
Hilo, HI 96720-4091
Phone: +1 (808) 974-7313
Fax: +1 (808) 933-0860
E-mail: rrobison@hawaii.edu
www.uhh.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/international/

UH Hilo is a multicultural campus with international students attending from approximately 40 countries throughout the world, primarily from the Pacific Islands and Asia. The International Student Services Office facilitates the transition of international students to the U.S. academic environment by conducting specialized orientations and workshops, and by organizing social activities. Numerous services are provided, including assistance with immigration regulations, employment, scholarships, academic matters, and personal issues. The Director of International Student Services is the Advisor to the International Student Association, which sponsors campus-wide activities, such as United Nations Day and International Nights, aimed at increasing cultural awareness and understanding. The International Student Association also organizes off-campus excursions to the mountains, beaches, and sea--activities which allow students to learn about the unique physical and cultural treasures of Hawaiʻi Island. The International Student Services Office is home to the Becoming Culturally Aware Project (BCAP). BCAP provides logistical support to enable international students to make presentations about their home countries and cultures at schools, community organizations, and on the campus, too. UH Hilo welcomes the rich contribution made to its campus and the community by students from other countries.

English Language Institute

English Language Institute
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Auxiliary Services, Room 105A
200 W. Kawili St.
Hilo, HI 96720-4091
Phone: +1 (808) 933-8855
Fax: +1 (808) 933-8863
E-mail: pamalac@hawaii.edu
http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/academics/eli/

Students come from over 50 countries and territories to take classes at UH Hilo. The campus has the highest percentage of international students of any of the ten campuses in the University system. Preparatory to entering American education, many students opt to take specialized classes to enhance English language skills. Small class sizes provide specialized instruction, language labs, tutoring sessions, excursions, and experiences in the rich cultural and natural environment of Hawaiʻi Island. The ELI’s primary purpose is to provide English instruction to international and immigrant students whose native language is not English. Improved English language skills help ensure student academic success at the University.

Courses are offered at three levels of proficiency in listening/speaking, reading, writing, and grammar. Students who are admitted to the English Language Institute as an alternative to admission to a degree program are required to enroll in ESL courses as directed by the Institute until they have completed the ESL sequence prescribed for them. Such students may enroll in additional courses only with the consent of both of the instructor and the ELI Director. ELI courses, while carrying administrative credit, do not count toward graduation from UH Hilo. The courses are geared to providing intensive English instruction in order to prepare international students for the rigors of undergraduate education at UH Hilo. Students exiting the ELI program move into the regular undergraduate and graduate degree programs of the University. Depending on their ability levels, the ELI Director advises students to concurrently register for ELI and University classes. For a complete listing of courses and programs, see the English Language Institute section of the CCECS Web site. ESL courses offered in the ELI program are also described in the course list at the back of this Catalog. International students should also see the Web page of the UH Hilo International Student Services Office.

Study Abroad and Exchange Programs

Center for Global Education and Exchange
University of Hawaiʻi Hilo, PB 9, Room 6
200 W. Kawili St. Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: +1 (808) 933-8810;
Fax: +1 (808) 933-8811
E-mail: uhhglobe@hawaii.edu
www.uhh.hawaii.edu/uhh/studyabroad/

Studying in another country offers a first-hand experience of other cultures and provides for the acquisition of valuable skills and expertise for an increasingly internationalized and interdependent world. The staff at the Center for Global Education and Exchange can assist in the selection of programs sponsored by UH Hilo as well as affiliated programs, such as the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). In addition, UH Hilo students are eligible to participate in study abroad programs sponsored by participating campuses in the National Student Exchange Consortium. Information and advising are also available for other education abroad opportunities. The biggest advantage for students to study abroad through UH Hilo programs is that credits earned abroad are transferable toward graduation, and in most cases, the cost will be UH Hilo resident tuition for residents of Hawaiʻi. Financial aid and scholarship opportunities also are available.

Scholarships for International Experiences

Audrey S. Furukawa Study Abroad Scholarship

http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/uhh/studyabroad/documents/FurukawaScholarship.pdf
The Audrey S. Furukawa Study Abroad Scholarship enables eligible students to begin their global education journey, to open infinite doors of opportunity, and to promote world peace. Preference will be given to Hawaiʻi high school graduates who have not studied, traveled, or lived abroad for more than one month. The deadline is March 1 for the upcoming Fall and Spring semesters abroad.

IFSA Global Scholarship Program

http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/uhh/studyabroad/documents/IFSAGlobalScholarship.pdf
The IFSA Global Scholarship Program is an initiative created by the Center for Global Education and Exchange and funded by the IFSA Foundation. It is designed to allow semester and year-long study abroad opportunities for first-generation students with limited financial means by providing supplemental financial assistance. Overall, the program intends to create future leaders, that will utilize their experiences abroad to contribute to the UH Hilo and global community.

International Student Scholarship

http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/international/documents/ScholarshipsforF-1studentsFall2008.doc
The International Student Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate international students who are of high scholastic caliber and have some degree of financial need. Residents of Pacific and Asian jurisdictions are given preference, but citizens of any country other than the U.S. may apply. For more information, students should contact the International Student Adviser, Dr. Ruth Robison.

Internship Programs

Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science
University of Hawaiʻi Hilo
200 W. Kawili St. Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: (808) 933-0705
Fax: (808) 933-0704
E-mail: uhintern@hawaii.edu
http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/uhintern/InternshipHeadPage.php

The Research Experience for Teachers (RET) is a National Science Foundation-funded supplemental program to our Research Experience for Undergraduates effort. This program each summer provides two Big Island teachers the opportunity to work with researchers on the island of Hawaii to gain hands-on research experience that they can take back to enrich their classrooms. Stipend-based internships require a 4 to 5-week full-time commitment during the summer and production of instructional materials teachers develop for their classrooms.

The University of Hawaiʻi Hawaiian Internship Program (UH-HIP) began in 1997 and is a sister program to MASSIP (see below) aimed at increasing the numbers of local students, especially those of Native Hawaiian ancestry, interested in studies and careers related to the environment. The program offers students the opportunity to work with environmental groups and agencies in the state of Hawaiʻi for ten weeks during the summer. Most internships provide full-time employment by the participating agency. Eligible students earn academic credit for the internship experience in the Fall semester.

The Micronesia and American Samoa Student Internship Program (MASSIP) has been offered since 1994. This program offers students from the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands (the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa) the opportunity to return home for the summer to work with environmental agencies and organizations. Internship availability varies each year. Financial resources are usually available for travel expenses, and modest stipends are offered by the host agencies. Students earn academic credit the following Fall semester. For more information about the internship programs, call Carmen Perez-Frayne or Sharon Ziegler-Chong at (808) 933-0705

Travel Study Programs

College of Continuing Education and Community Service
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, College Hall A
200 W Kawili St.
Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: +1 (808) 974-7664
Fax: +1 (808) 933-8863
Email: ccecs@uhh.hawaii.edu
http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/academics/ccecs/travelstudy.php

For over 20 years a variety of international and mainland United States study groups have experienced Hawaiʻi Island learning through travel study programs. Study groups come from China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and other countries. Travel study programs have included some or all of the following: ESL/English conversation classes, volcano studies, Hawaiian studies, cultural diversity and social organization, and alternative energy technology. Travel study programs are custom- designed to fit the needs of requesting client groups. Since 1986 CCECS has offered a college credit summer program in conjunction with Peking University. Students share unique experiences in Chinese life, culture, and worldview. Different activities are offered each summer and feature the ethnic and cultural history of various locales in China. Previous programs tracked the Silk Road and trading routes, the cities of Beijing and Chengdu, and southern and eastern China

Student Employment Services

Career Center
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
Room 202A
200 W. Kawili St.
Hilo, HI 96720-4091
Phone: +1 (808) 974-7687
Fax: +1 (808) 974-7689
E-mail: career@hawaii.edu
http://career.uhh.hawaii.edu/sep1.php

Student Employment Services administers on-campus employment programs for currently enrolled UH Hilo students only. Part-time on-campus and community service jobs help you gain valuable work experience and finance your education. Although some positions are open only to students with federal work-study grants, many are open to all students meeting the eligibility criteria outlined below:

• UH Hilo student enrolled in a degree- or certificate-granting Program
• Enrolled in at least 6 units (International Students must be enrolled in 12 units or more)
• A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0

Student employment job listings are posted online at: http://career.uhh.hawaii.edu/.