International Admission Requirements
The Admissions Committee specializes in evaluating educational systems from countries around the world and understands the differences from the U.S. educational system. Therefore, the Admissions Committee applies a holistic review process that incorporates many factors, including types of course offerings, advanced curriculums, grading practices, national exams, and national certifications in determining admissions.
Please note that if you are an international applicant who has been studying in the U.S., you will be reviewed by the standards of a U.S. applicant studying in the U.S.
Academic Requirement
Freshman Students
To be considered for admission, you must have completed or are in the process of completing secondary school with a cumulative or overall grade point average (GPA) that is comparable to a US grade of B (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) or higher. The Admissions Committee will also be looking at the grades/marks you have received for Mathematics and Science courses.
If you have questions regarding the grading scale of your country, please contact the Office of Admissions.
Transfer Students
Applicants to UH Mānoa are expected to have completed certain requirements at their previous institution(s). Please review the requirements below.
Transferable Credits
or more
Grade Point Average (GPA)
Cumulative Transfer GPA (on a 4.00 scale)
If you do not have 24 transferable credits, admission will be based on both your college/university and high school/secondary school work. You must meet the admission requirement for both freshman and transfer students. Please refer to freshman admissions section as stated above.
This is the minimum GPA requirement for international applicants transferring from an U.S. institution. Professional and certain other programs may require higher GPAs and additional prerequisite course work. Please check with the appropriate department for more information.
English Proficiency Requirement
All applicants who are not born in the U.S. are required to have a certain skill level of the English language. The following test scores or experiences are accepted as measures of English language proficiency by the English Language Institute (ELI):
Test Score-based Requirement:
| Test | Score Required for Admission through English Language Institute (ELI) | Score Required for Admission (ELI Exempt) |
|---|---|---|
| ACT | English + Reading = 43 (Individual scores 19 or higher) | English + Reading = 48 (Individual scores 21 or higher) |
| Cambridge English Test | 161 | 185 |
| Duolingo English Test | 95 | 135 |
| EIKEN | Grade 2A, Grade Pre-1, Grade 1, 2150 | |
| IELTS (Academic Test) | 6.0 | 7.0 |
| Pearson Test of English (PTE-A) | 44 | 68 |
| SAT | 520 Critical Reading | 560 Critical Reading |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 61 | 100 |
| TOEFL (PBT) | 500 | 600 |
| TOEFL (Essentials) | 7.0 | 10.5 |
Experience-based Requirement:
Experience Required for Admission through ELI
Education
- Last 3 years of high school in the U.S. at the time of application with a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher and 470 SAT Critical Reading score
- Last 3 years of high school in the U.S. at the time of application with a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher and 38 English + Reading ACT score
- Grade of D or better for UH Manoa English 100 /Composition Writing equivalent (as determined by the UH Manoa Office of Admissions)
Experience Required for Admission (ELI Exempt)
Native Language/Mother Tongue
- Native language/Mother tongue is English
Education
- Last 6 years of secondary/post-Secondary education in American Samoa, Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Guam, Ireland, New Zealand, Saipan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, or the United States
- Completed 60 transferable semester credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution
- Completed all degree coursework at and earned an Associates of Arts degree from a University of Hawaii Community College
- Completed all degree coursework at and earned a Bachelor or higher degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a recognized college or university in American Samoa, Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Guam, Ireland, New Zealand, Saipan, Singapore, or the United Kingdom
Application Checklist
UH Mānoa takes all your application materials into consideration when making an admissions decision. To apply for admission, please submit the following:
Are you a citizen or resident of a country other than the U.S.? Apply here!
The application fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable and valid only for the semester indicated on the application.
All official transcripts, examination certifications (e.g., General Certificate of Education) and other documents showing all high school and any completed post-secondary work must be submitted to the Office of Admissions. All official transcripts must be mailed directly by the institution or Ministry of Education to the Office of Admissions. Documents mailed or hand carried by you or anyone else will not be accepted as official or used for admission consideration.
Secondary school transcripts must include a list of courses taken and grades/internal marks received each year, class rank for the last four years of secondary school, and an explanation of the school's grading system. If transcripts with annual internal marks are unavailable directly from the school, you may photocopy your mark sheets or grade reports and have them certified by a school official who verifies that a transcript is otherwise not available.
Post-secondary school transcripts must include a list of courses taken, grades/marks received, number of hours spent in each class per term, explanation of the school's grading system, and your rank in class. You may also be asked to provide course descriptions and a list of text books used in each course.
Photocopies of external examination certificates must be certified by a school or Ministry of Education official or issued by the examining board and be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.
All documents must be in English or accompanied by an English translation that has been certified by a school or Ministry of Education official.
Please use the instructions below to complete the Supplementary Information Form for International Applicants. Applications will be processed after all documents have been received by the deadline.
Sections A & B: Educational Information
International applicants, including U.S. citizens and permanent residents whose native
language is not English, who were born outside the United States, or who graduated from a
foreign high school must complete page 2.
Section C: Confidential Financial Information
All nonimmigrant students who are to be issued an I-20 for their F-1 student visa must complete this form and document that sufficient funds in U.S. dollars will be available for one year of study. Certification of Support and accompanying bank statements must be signed within the last six months.
manoa.admissions@hawaii.edu
or:
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Office of Admissions
2600 Campus Road, Room 001
Honolulu, HI 96822-2385
Application Deadlines
All applicants must meet application deadlines set by the Office of Admissions. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Admission requirements are subject to change.
Fall Semester
| April 1st | Final Deadline |
Spring Semester
| October 1st | Final Deadline |
We encourage all applicants to apply by the priority deadline to increase your chances of gaining access to resources that you may need such as financial aid and/or student housing. Certain programs (e.g., nursing, social work, education, etc.) may have earlier admission deadlines. Please check with the appropriate department for more information. Late applications may be accepted after the final deadline