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Program Costs and Fees

Find out about all of the costs and fees associated with the Exchange, Hoakipa, and Independent Visiting Student programs, including tuition, insurance, visas, accommodation, and cost of living. 

Tuition and Student Fees

The amount that you will pay for tuition and fees depends on whether you are an Exchange, Hoakipa, or Independent visiting student. The following sections will explain the differences. 

  • Exchange Students – Pay tuition to their home institution. Tuition and mandatory student fees at UHM are waived.
  • Hoakipa Visiting Students – Pay a discounted tuition rate equivalent to 150% of the resident tuition rate and are required to pay the mandatory student fees. Hoakipa Visiting Students come from universities with which UHM has a Hoakipa Scholars Program or Student Exchange agreement.
  • Independent Visiting Students – Pay the non-resident tuition rate plus the mandatory student fees. These students come from institutions with no formal agreement with UHM.

The estimated costs are listed in the MIX Financial Certification Form, which students are required to complete as part of their application. This form can be found on the Useful Documents page.

Payment

UHM has partnered with Flywire for tuition payments. This platform allows payments from any country or bank, often in foreign currency with favorable exchange rates. Refunds are also processed easily via Flywire. Ensure payments are processed by your bank at least five business days before the deadline. Visit hawaii.myflywire.com to create an account or log in. For more payment methods, see How to Pay.

Tuition Waivers and Discounts

  • Eligibility: If UHM has an agreement with your home university, you may receive a tuition waiver or discount. This will be applied to your account before the registration period.
  • Note: The waiver/discount takes at least 24 hours to take effect post-registration. Course Fees and housing/meals are not covered by the waiver/discount.
  • Independent Visiting Students: Not eligible for waivers or discounts.

For questions, contact us at inbound@hawaii.edu.

Additional Expenses

In addition to tuition and fees, there may be some additional expenses to be aware of. Some notable expenses are highlighted in the following sections. 

Housing

If you are interested in living in on-campus housing, you can find the rates on the Student Housing Services website, Student Housing Rates. For more information on housing and meal options, you can visit our page on Housing & Meals.

Health Insurance

F-1 and J-1 international students must have adequate health insurance. Options include enrolling in a UH-endorsed plan or providing proof of equivalent coverage. More details can be found on the Health Insurance page.

Visa 

Non-US citizens or permanent residents need a student visa to attend UHM. Visa application costs are the student’s responsibility.

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