For specific information related to your program or area of interest

Including how to apply, please visit the following pages:

Undergraduate Programs Information

Major or minor in Asian Studies.

Graduate Programs Information

Including: Master of Arts in Asian Studies, Master’s in Asian International Affairs, and Graduate Certificates in Asian Studies.

Courses in Asian Studies Information

Important Forms for Students (Links and Downloads)

Student Testimonials

Christina Geisse

The Asian Studies Program was incredible because most professors were undertaking their own research, passionate about their subject of study, and enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge with students. It felt fresh and profound at the same time. Inspiring! 

Christina Geisse
Kim Sluchansky

I was able to delve deep and focus on the areas of Asian Studies that truly interested me, and therefore gained a much more thorough and developed understanding of my fields of interest, which are applicable to my current career path. Also, the professors are extremely helpful and want their students to succeed. They were very supportive both while I was at UH and after I graduated.

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Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships open

U.S. citizen or resident alien full-time graduate and undergraduate students combining modern foreign language training with area studies in any UHM degree programs are encouraged to apply for:

2024 Summer Fellowship (for East Asia and Southeast Asia only)   
$3,500 stipend plus tuition up to $5,000
(Intensive summer language study plan required)

2024-2025 Academic Year Fellowship
$20,000 stipend plus tuition assistance for graduate recipients
$5,000 stipend plus tuition assistance for undergraduates
(Enrollment in appropriate language and area studies courses required)

FLAS fellowships are pending federal funding

East Asia (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean)
Apply at: http://www.star.hawaii.edu/scholarship/
Deadline: February 1, 2024 (Search for “FLAS East Asia”)

Pacific Islands (Chamorro, Maori, Samoan, Tahitian, and Tongan)
Apply at: http://www.star.hawaii.edu/scholarship/
Deadline: February 1, 2024 (Search for “FLAS Pacific Islands”)

Southeast Asia (Indonesian, Khmer, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese)
Apply at:  http://www.cseashawaii.org/students/scholarships/flas/
Deadline: January 31, 2024

Applicants must complete FAFSA to demonstrate financial need

For questions contact Fellowships Coordinator at 956-2210, chizuko@hawaii.edu

What is a FLAS fellowship?

FLAS fellowships support UHM graduate and undergraduate students in acquiring modern foreign languages and area studies competencies. FLAS fellowships are contingent on funding from the U.S. Department of Education to the UH area studies centers.

What languages can be studied under the FLAS program at UHM?

Our current FLAS languagesare: (East Asia) Chinese, Japanese, and Korean; (Pacific Islands) Chamorro, Maori, Samoan, Tahitian, and Tongan; (Southeast Asia) Indonesian, Khmer, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Both graduate and undergraduate recipients must study 2nd-year or higher-level language courses during the award, and those studying Chinese or Japanese are expected to take 3rd-year or higher language courses. Exceptions may be made for graduate students studying 1st-year language courses, if they already have advanced proficiency in another language from the same world region.   

Who can apply for FLAS fellowships?

You must be a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien (green card holder) and full-time UHM graduate or undergraduate degree-seeking student who takes one of the FLAS approved modern foreign languages and has demonstrated financial need.  Applicants for FLAS fellowships are asked to complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at https://fafsa.ed.gov/ and agree to make the results accessible to the FLAS selection committee.  Following federal guidelines, Ph.D. dissertation research or write-up will be given lower priority.  Students who are already as fluent as native speakers in that language are NOT encouraged to apply. 

How do I apply?

The website you should visit depends on your language/region.  For Southeast Asia FLAS fellowships, go to:  www.cseashawaii.org/student/scholarships/flas/.  For East Asian and Pacific Islands FLAS fellowships, log in the main UH scholarship site: www.star.hawaii.edu/scholarship/  and search for “FLAS East Asia” or “FLAS Pacific Islands” (google login for incoming students).

When is the application deadline?

The 2024 application deadlines are: January 31 for Southeast Asia FLAS; February 1 forEast Asia and Pacific Islands FLAS.  Both summer and academic year fellowships for East Asia and Southeast Asia have the same application deadline. 

What does the fellowship package include?

A summer recipient receives a $3,500 stipend plus actual tuition cost no more than $5,000.  An academic year (two semesters) graduate recipient receives a $20,000 stipend plus tuition support, and an undergraduate recipient receives a $5,000 stipend plus tuition support of no more than $10,000 for the year. Again, recipients must demonstrate financial need for their study, and FLAS amounts may be reduced if you receive other aid. 

What are the differences between the Summer fellowships and the Academic Year fellowships?

Summer fellowships are for intensive East Asian or Southeast Asian language study only.  Applicants must enroll in formal summer language training programs with 120 hours of instruction at 3rd year or higher levels, or 140 hours of instruction in lower level languages, for a period of 6 weeks or longer.  Intensive in-country language studies are for students at 3rd year or higher levels. Lower level applicants in Southeast Asian languages are encouraged to study at SEASSI (Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute) at the University of Wisconsin at Madison (www.seassi.wisc.edu).  Please note SEASSI deadlines. Recipients in East Asian languages may enroll in UHM summer sessions.

Academic year fellowships are for a combination of language and area studies.  Applicants must take at least one target language course and one matching area/international studies course each semester during the academic year. 

Is it possible for FLAS awardees to study abroad?

If you are studying your language at advanced levels, you can submit a study abroad plan on your application for a summer or academic year fellowship.  The Fellowships Coordinator needs your study abroad plan details to secure the U.S. Department of Education’s pre-approval.  Again, academic year recipients must take both language and area studies courses while summer recipients must be engaged in intensive language study. 

Who selects FLAS awardees, and how many awards are given?

The selection committees are comprised of UHM faculty members in respective area studies review and rank applications in a month or two, and Fellowships Coordinator sends out notifications accordingly.  The number of FLAS awards vary from year to year, based on availability of funds.

What are the selection criteria?

The selection committee looks at your statement of purpose and appropriate language and area studies plans, your scholarly records, faculty recommendations, and your financial need.

What are the responsibilities of a FLAS recipient?

Recipients must carry out the course/program plans presented in the application and keep Fellowships Coordinator informed of their academic and tuition status.  In addition, they must complete language proficiency tests and online reports required by the Department of Education at the start and end of the award period.  Changes in academic course/program plans must be notified and approved beforehand.  Failure to meet these requirements may result in withdrawal of an award, or a payback obligation.  Recipients are required to participate in annual post-award surveys.

What if a student who receives an award cannot fulfill the study? Are there alternates?

Alternates are selected and are told they are alternates.

Are students eligible to apply for FLAS awards even though they have been awarded before?

Yes, they can reapply.                                                                                                           11/20/2023

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