Botany Graduate Program Application

To Apply

The Botany graduate program has one admission cycle per year.

Applications are due by December 15, for fall admission of the following year.

1. Primary documents to be sent to UH Office of Graduate Division are described online at:

Online application for admission (opens August 1, 2023)

Summary information and Botany admission links

Additional admission forms may be needed: 1)If you are a foreign applicant, you may be required to complete a confidential financial disclosure; 2)Hawaii State Declaration of Residency (if you are a Hawaii State resident). Links to these form can be found on the Graduate Forms page.

2.  The following supplementary information and documents must be uploaded at the Graduate Application Supplemental Documents Upload Website:

  • A Statement of Objectives (2 page maximum, 12 pt font and single spaced), which should include the following:
    • A clear explanation of research interests with proposed hypotheses or research questions
    • A statement indicating why you have chosen to apply to the Botany program at the University of Hawaii
    • An indication of having contacted one or more UH Botany faculty members to discuss potential projects.  Please note that students will not be accepted into the graduate program unless a faculty member agrees to serve as an advisor.
  • Curriculum Vita
  • Contact information for three reviewers who will submit letters of recommendation. Please contact these people ahead of time, and notify them of the email they will receive requesting a letter of recommendation.
  • Botany does NOT require GRE scores.

Contact the Botany Graduate Program with any questions or concerns at:

Curt Daehler, Botany Graduate Program Chair
University of Hawaii at Manoa
3190 Maile Way
Honolulu, HI 96822

Tel: 808-956-3029
Email: daehler@hawaii.edu

The Evaluation Process

Basic Requirements

  • Bachelor degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or equivalent from a recognized foreign institution of higher learning.
  • Applicant must demonstrate contact with one or more faculty members to determine the possibility of a project of common interest and to be able to demonstrate communication with a potential advisor. Students are not accepted into the program unless a faculty member commits to serving as an advisor.
  • See the University of Hawai‘i General and Graduate Information Catalog for more specific details. This catalog is available online
  • See the University Hawai’i Office of Graduate Education admission statement for more details Office of Graduate Education – Admissions General Information

Evaluation Criteria

Following the December 15 deadline, all applications are reviewed for completeness and to determine whether at least one faculty member is willing to consider advising the applicant. All applications meeting this initial screening process are evaluated by a committee of graduate faculty based on the following criteria, with the goal of notifying applicants by April 15:

1. Funding – it is considered advantageous if a student has secured his or her own support through scholarships or fellowships, or if their advisor will be able to support them on a research assistantship.

2. Prior research experience

3. Whether the applicant has authored or co-authored a peer-reviewed publication as a result of his or her prior research experience.

4. Potential, as indicated by letters of recommendation.

5. Prior coursework and/or background in biology and the botanical sciences.

Other factors may also be involved in the final decision of whether to admit an applicant (such as available resources within the School).

IMPORTANT: To be considered, an application must contain all of the above documents. Delays in processing and reviewing applications are often caused by late arrival of transcripts and letters of recommendation.

Financial Support

In general, applicants will receive notice of financial support at the same time as their acceptance to the program.

Teaching assistantships are open to students accepted in either the MS or the PhD program. Teaching assistantship appointments include nine month stipends as well as a tuition waiver.

Local students (graduating from a Hawaii high school) applying to the Botany MS program may be eligible for support through the Hauoli Mau Loa Foundation Graduate Assistantships.

Research assistantships are sometimes available through grants to specific faculty members and usually include a tuition waiver. Research assistantships are either 9- or 11-month appointments.

Students with interests in ecology, evolution and conservation biology are encouraged inquire about possible support and program opportunities through the Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Graduate (EECB) Specialization Program.

The East-West Center offers scholarships to Asian, Pacific, and American students for affiliation in one of their programs. Of particular interest to some students in botany are the Resources Institute and the Environment and Policy Institute. Inquiries should be directed to the Office of Admissions, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822.

Students are encouraged to apply for external fellowships, many of which are listed on the Office of Graduate Education website: Graduate Fellowships and Scholarships.