Get Advised!
If you are General ("undeclared") student, please contact us. With the exception of ELI students, pre-pharmacy, and pre-engineering students, most General students are assigned to an academic advisor in the UH Hilo Advising Center.
If you have declared a major, then your advisor will be a faculty member in your major department(s) and should be contacted directly for advising. To find your advisor, click on "Advisor Search ". If you need clarification about General Education and graduation requirements, please contact us.If you have visited the Advising Center, you are reminded to consult with your academic department(s) after your advising appointment.
It is imperative that incoming students with declared majors meet with faculty advisors to go over course selection and sequencing in the majors.
Incoming transfer students, please resolve all transfer issues, such as outstanding transcripts, with the Admissions Office, before the end of their first semester at UH Hilo.
Tips for Advising Appointments
Students will be able to find contact information for their advisor on "Advisor Search ". When approaching faculty advisors for advising, please keep the following points in mind:
- Find your advisor. Your Advisor's contact information on "Advisor Search ". If you have not been assigned an advisor in your department, visit the division or college office to request that you be assigned to a faculty advisor.
- Go in prepared. Bring all advising materials (undergraduate catalog, bachelor’s degree planbook, STAR report, updated major/minor/certificate requirements checklists) to appointments, along with a tentative schedule and questions you might have for advisors. Print out the following items from the STAR report: Academic Journey (Tab 2), Academic Journey cont./ Major & Minor (Tab 3), and finally the combination report under Academic History (Tab 4). The STAR report is not 100% accurate and should be used in consultation with your advisor and the UH Hilo catalog to ensure you are on the right track.
- Make use of Advising Week. The week before early registration is designated as "Advising Week". It is during this week that students should meet with their advisors, NOT during the week of registration. During Advising Week, some faculty advisors post sign-up sheets for appointments. If you wait until registration week to meet with your advisor, you may not be able to get advised.
- Faculty hold office hours. Office hours are posted outside faculty offices and you should plan on meeting with your advisor during those times. You may want to email them ahead of time to secure a day and time for an appointment. Also, if you are not able to meet with your advisor during their office hours, email them and request to meet at another time that both of you can meet. You could also meet with another faculty member in that department who is available.
- Meet with an advisor at least once a year. If you'd like to visit with an advisor every semester, great!
Schedule an Appointment at the Advising Center
The Advising Center staff strongly encourages students to make appointments, but we do welcome walk-in visits.
- Check the availability of the Advising Center advisors
- Contact us
- Via email from your hawaii.edu account : uhhadvis@hawaii.edu
- By phone: (808) 974-7688
- Provide us with the following information
- Name
- Student ID Number (NO Social Security Numbers please!)
- Reason for Visit
- Available Days and Times
- If you've visited the Advising Center in the past
We are happy to answer general questions you may have via phone calls or emails, but as a reminder, if you contact the Advising Center inquiring about the details of your academic record, we will not disclose sensitive information to you and you are encouraged to make an appointment with one of the advisors to discuss details in private.
Graduate and Professional School
If you are interested in continuing on to graduate school, get a running start and do your homework.
- Visit the Career Center early on and begin planning.
- Research graduate programs online to find out entrance requirements, including entrance exams, such as the GRE.
- Find out the general timeline for graduate school applications the year before you graduate.
- Speak with professors in your major about graduate programs in that field and what to expect in graduate school.