Financial Assistance for Graduate Study in History
The cost of graduate study can be daunting. See below for the most common forms of financial support for graduate students in History. For additional funding opportunities, visit the Graduate Division site Financial Support for Graduate Study.
For estimated costs of attendance, see here.
Note: If you have applied for financial aid at the University of Hawaiʻi, any scholarship or tuition waiver you receive may affect the amount of aid awarded to you. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for questions about your specific case.
Graduate Assistantships (GAships) in History
Graduate Assistantships constitute the largest source of financial support available to students through the History Department. Graduate Assistants serve as teaching assistants (TAs) for our World History program. The work includes grading papers and conducting weekly discussion sessions with students in History 151, 152, 156, 157, or 158. For more information, see the World History TA Guidelines (PDF) (updated August 2024).
The GAship includes full tuition and a stipend, renewable upon ranking and review, for up to two years for M.A. students and three years for PhD students. The workload is calculated at 20 hours per week, so World History TAs are limited to a maximum course load of nine credit hours per semester. For further details about Graduate Assistantship compensation and benefits, see Graduate Assistantship benefits.
Prospective applicants to the M.A. and PhD programs are asked to indicate their interest in departmental funding on the online application questionnaire.
Because the availability of GAships is extremely limited, PhD students receive first priority.
Graduate Assistantship renewal
Students may reapply for the History Graduate Assistantship every year. Renewal is contingent upon performance. M.A. students are eligible for up to two years of GAship. PhD students are eligible for up to three (3) years of GAship. Because our Graduate Assistantships are extremely limited, PhD students receive first priority.
The History Department recognizes the right of graduate student workers to form a union and support the efforts of Academic Labor United (ALU) to organize for effective and fair labor conditions and benefits. View our official statement here.
Other funding opportunities
The Department of History encourages current and prospective students to seek out and apply for all sources of extra-departmental funding for which they might be eligible. These include the following:
Graduate Assistantships outside of History
Students can apply for Graduate Assistantships elsewhere on campus. These positions may take the form of teaching, research, or clerical work. Openings are posted at https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/hawaiiedu?keywords=graduate%20assistantship
Residential Housing and Fellowships through the East-West Center
Students focusing on Asian or Pacific Islands history, as well as students from Asia or the Pacific Islands, are encouraged to explore the residential housing options and fellowships offered by the East-West Center. For information, see: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/east-west-center-fellowship-and-housing/
The East-West Center is a federal agency that works closely with the University of Hawai’i to awards scholarships to American, Asian, and Pacific Islands students. The scholarships are granted for 12-month periods and are renewable up to 24 months for M.A. students and 48 months for Ph.D. students. For further details, see: www.eastwestcenter.org
Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS)
Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents can apply for a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS) if their research is related to a FLAS-funded language. The FLAS provides a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend and may be renewed if funding is available.
At UH Mānoa, FLAS fellowships are awarded in a wide range of languages, including Cambodian (Khmer), Indonesian, Tagalog (Filipino), Thai, and Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, and numerous Pacific languages.
FLAS applicants must be U.S. citizens and permanent residents and must have studied the relevant language for at least one year (or two years, in the case of East Asian languages) by the time their FLAS funding begins. If you meet these qualifications, you can apply for a FLAS at the same time as applying for admission to the M.A. or PhD program.
See specific language and area studies program websites for application information:
- East Asian Studies https://manoa.hawaii.edu/eastasia/flas/
- Southeast Asian Studies https://www.cseashawaii.org/students/scholarships/flas/
- Center for Pacific Island Studies https://hawaii.edu/cpis/student-life/cpis-scholarships/flas-foreign-language-area-studies-fellowships-for-pacific-islands-studies/
Other funding opportunities
Students who are not Hawaiʻi residents may qualify for a non-resident tuition exemption (NRTE) or reduced tuition administered through the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE). Visit the Graduate Division Financial Support for Graduate Study page for relevant links.
