skip to Main Content

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.

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.

Funding

Various Funding Sources for Students

Tuition

Financial Aid

All students are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid. Information about federal financial aid and many scholarships can be found at the UH System financial aid office and the UH Manoa financial aid office.

Scholarships and Fellowships

There are a number of scholarships and fellowships available across the university for which Asian Studies students can compete. Current and incoming graduate and undergraduate students can log onto the UH Manoa STAR website, and complete an application for many scholarships at once. We strongly encourage students to apply for these scholarships at the time of application to UH. Many scholarships can be found on UH Manoa’s STAR registration system.

The Fellowships Coordinator for the School of Pacific and Asian Studies is Chizuko Allen. For the most up-to-date information about scholarships and fellowships related to Asian Studies, inquiries should be directed to her.

Fellowships Coordinator
School of Pacific and Asian Studies
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
1890 East-West Road, Moore 416B
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-2210
Fax: (808) 956-6345
Email: chizuko@hawaii.edu

Asian Studies Scholarships

Some scholarships and fellowships specific to or particularly relevant to Asian Studies include the following.

Asian Studies Achievement Scholarship

The Asian Studies Achievement Scholarship is offered each fall semester by the Asian Studies Program based on availability of funds each year. Incoming students who start in the fall will be automatically considered and do not need to fill out a separate form. Continuing students, however, should send the Asian Studies Achievement Scholarship Application form directly to Chizuko Allen by February 1.

PPSEAWA Scholarships

PPSEAWA-Hawaii Miriam Deisseroth Scholarship

The purpose of this fund is to provide scholarships to lower division undergraduate students (freshman and sophomore standing with preference to freshman) who express and/or demonstrate an interest in Pacific Islands or Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Apply on UH Manoa STAR.

PPSEAWA Hawaii Scholarship

The purpose of this fund is to provide scholarships to lower division undergraduate students (freshman and sophomore standing with preference to freshman) who express and/or demonstrate an interest in Pacific Islands or Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Apply on UH Manoa STAR.

James Shigeta Scholarship in Asian Studies

The purpose of this fund is to assist undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in the Asian Studies concentration at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, School of Pacific and Asian Studies. Additional requirements:  Demonstrate exceptional promise and achievement. Scholarship is open to international students. Apply on UH Manoa STAR.

Starr Foundation Graduate Fellowship in Asian Studies

This fellowship is available to full-time Asian Studies M.A. students only. It is available to U.S. and international students. Recipients of FLAS fellowships and other major awards are not eligible. Apply on UH Manoa STAR.

FLAS Fellowships

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships support many of our students who study East Asian and Southeast Asian languages, pending U.S. Department of Education grants to SPAS area centers. For detailed information about this opportunity, please visit the various area center websites. While some FLAS fellowships may use STAR, others may not; please check with the relevant area center for FLAS availability and deadlines.

Graduate Assistantships

The Asian Studies Program has two teaching assistantships currently available for each academic year. Appointees must carry at least 6 units of credit each semester and maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA. The award includes a tuition waiver and a stipend for a 9-month appointment.

To be eligible for a Graduate Assistantships, an applicant must

  • have a strong background in Asian Studies
  • have high scholastic record;
  • be admitted as a graduate student;
  • evidence a high level of English proficiency (for non-native speakers of English).

Graduate Assistantship application information will be posted as it becomes available each cycle.

Non-Resident Tuition Exemption (NRTE) Award

The NRTE award, which allows recipients to pay in-state resident tuition, is given to highly qualified incoming students who start in the fall semester.

East-West Center Graduate Fellowships

The East-West Center is a non-degree granting educational institution located on the UH Manoa campus. Established in 1960 by the United States Congress, the Center serves as a catalyst and link among the peoples of some 60 countries and territories in an area encompassing Pakistan eastward through Asia to Japan, and from Australia across the Pacific to the United States. Each year some 2,000 research fellows, graduate students and professionals in business and government from Asia, the Pacific, and the United States work with the Center’s staff on issues of mutual concern.

EWC Graduate Fellowships are available to individuals interested in participating in the educational and research programs at the EWC while pursuing a master’s or doctorate degree at the University of Hawai’i; preference is given to those in a master’s degree program. Fellowships are granted on an annual basis but may be renewed depending in part on timely and satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree and East-West Center requirements.

Applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of an Asian or Pacific country, or the United States. Award recipients who are not US citizens or permanent residents must meet all exchange visitor (J-1) visa regulations. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 is required for nonnative speakers of English. For most non-US applicants, application must be made to the Center’s in-country program representative. Application deadlines for the in-country competitions vary and are usually earlier than the deadline for US citizens/permanent residents, therefore the program representative should be contacted as soon as possible. Postmark application deadline for US citizens or permanent residents is November 1. Further information may be obtained here, or by writing to: the East-West Center, Office of Award Services, Room 2066, 1601 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96848; tel: 808.944.7735.

Conference & Travel Funding

Asian Studies Student Travel Award Program

The UHM Department of Asian Studies Student Travel Award program has been established to help defray the costs of participating in events that will contribute to a student’s academic advancement and career development. Specifically, this refers to costs associated with:

  • student travel to present creative/scholarly work at in-person refereed conferences; exhibitions; live performances; and/or similar events;
  • student travel for research or professional development opportunities (such as workshops, field schools, or administrative meetings for professional associations in which you hold office; *not* including job interviews). The application must make a convincing case for how and why the travel will benefit the student’s academic work and/or career; and
  • fees for refereed online conferences where students present creative/scholarly work.

Eligibility:

  • The applicant must be a full-time student in good academic standing enrolled in the UH-Manoa Asian Studies BA, MAAS or MAIA program. Note: the applicant must be enrolled as a UHM Asian Studies student at the time of the event, not just at the time of application.

Apply Online: Asian Studies Student Travel Award Program

Graduate Student Organization Travel Fund

The Graduate Student Organization (GSO) of the University of Hawaii has a travel fund available to assist graduate students in attending conferences to present research. Applicants must be classified graduate students. More information is available at the GSO website. GSO can also be reached at 808.956.8776/8018/4832, Hemenway Hall 212.

Learn more about National Fellowships and Scholarships relevant to Asian Studies students.

Once again, please direct your questions about scholarships and fellowships to the School of Pacific and Asian Studies Fellowships Coordinator, Dr. Chizuko Allen.

Back To Top