New Graduate Student Orientation 2026

Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UH Mānoa)!  Your journey to an advanced degree begins now! Graduate Division is excited to welcome you and invites you to attend New Graduate Student Orientation (NGSO). Participating in NGSO is a great opportunity to prepare for a successful graduate student experience. Session topics include learning about what to expect in grad school, developing good relationships with mentors, planning for funding opportunities, and much more.  

Please continue to check this NGSO webpage for updates throughout the summer. Registration information will be posted as soon as it is available. For any questions, please email gdevents@hawaii.edu.

Event Schedule

Dates: August 3, 2026 to August 22, 2026

On-Demand Topic Sessions (August 3rd)

NGSO topics sessions will be available on-demand starting August 3, 2026. Participants have the flexibility to select which topics they would like to learn about at their convenience. Current topics include:

• What to Expect in Graduate School
• Finding Mentors & Building Effective Relationships
• Pono Research
• Funding Your Graduate Studies 
• UH Library: Basic Library Resources 

Q & A with Topic Session Presenters (August 14th)

Please check back for details about this portion of NGSO. After watching the On-Demand Topic session videos, engage in a live Zoom session with Topic Session presenters to ask deeper questions about their topic and hear their answers. Spend nearly 20 minutes per topic engaging with guest speakers in a facilitated Question & Answer. This synchronous event is scheduled for August 14, 2026, 2:30 – 4:30 pm (Hawaii Time). Please check back for a detailed itinerary.

Resource Fair & Activities (August 17th) 

An in-person graduate student only resource fair and activities will be scheduled on campus for August 17, 2026. Connect with key offices, programs, and services who support you during your graduate career. Also be sure to stop by the Campus Center to pick up your UH Student ID Card and make any last purchases at the UH Bookstore to prepare for school. Stay tuned for more details!

Community Work Day (August 22nd) 

Gather as a community on August 22, 2026, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm to engage and mālama ʻaina at Ka Papa Loʻi ʻO Kānewai on the Mānoa campus. Part of Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, this site is a vital resource and home to the loʻi approximately 800 years old. Learn what to expect during this group visit. Registration will be limited. 

Accessibility

To ask questions about accessibility or request accommodations, please contact Graduate Division at gdevents@hawaii.edu or 808-956-7542.  At least two weeks’ advance notice will help us to provide seamless access.

Additional Graduate Student Events

Teaching Assistant Training 

Dates: August 17-19, 2026 

If you will be a new Teaching Assistant (TA), you are required to participate in the free Teaching Assistant Training (TAT). Sponsored by the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), Graduate Division, and the English Language Institute, this program includes sessions to help TAs prepare for their teaching responsibilities. For details and to register for TAT, please visit the CTE website.

International Student Welcome

Dates: August 18-20, 2026

Presented by the International Student Services (ISS) Office, the Welcome Week for new international students is the ISS version of orientation. Programming consists of information sessions and social opportunities, leading up to a "The Welcome Orientation and Reception." All events are optional, but you are highly encouraged to participate and get the chance to gain important information and meet other international students and the ISS staff before school starts. For details and to register Welcome Reception, please visit the ISS website.

Admitted Student Steps to Enrollment

Visit our admitted students webpage to help you prepare for your enrollment at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

Campus Resources for Graduate Students 

Start browsing through a list of selected Campus Resources for graduate students to make connections before the semester begins.

Campus Map

Need to find a classroom, office, or water refill station?  Our virtual campus map will help you navigate UH Mānoa and provides a general campus map as well as specified resource maps.

UH ID

All incoming UH Mānoa students should obtain a UH ID card known as the Mānoa One Card. Cardholders are eligible for certain university privileges and benefits. For details on how to obtain your card in person, please visit the Mānoa One Card website. If you wish to submit your card request online, you may do so via the Mānoa One Card Upload site. Please note, however, that all UH ID cards must be picked up in-person at the Campus Center ID Office and will not be mailed. 

UH Bookstore

The UH Bookstore is the authorized on-campus retailer for books, UH spirit merchandise, school supplies, and commencement regalia.  They also provide copying and printing services, office supplies, snacks, and sundries.  Educational pricing is also available for Apple computers with proof of UH ID.