Advising Options for 0 – 59.99 Earned Credits

  1. To satisfy your Mandatory Advising requirement for this semester, you must complete an option listed below.
  2. Mandatory Advising begins on February 3, 2025.
    • Appointments prior to February 3, 2025, will not fulfill Mandatory Advising.
  3. Holds will be activated on March 31, 2025. You must complete the option below to have your hold removed. If you complete your Mandatory Advising option before March 30, 2025, your hold will be removed before March 31, 205. If you complete your Mandatory Advising option on or after March 31, 2025, it may take up to two business days for your hold to be released. Please plan accordingly

Meet with an Advisor at MAC

Students may satisfy their Mandatory Advising requirement by meeting with a MAC advisor. Appointments for purposes other than Mandatory Advising will not satisfy your Mandatory Advising requirement.

To utilize this option:

  1. Schedule an appointment on STAR Balance. Make sure that you have “Manoa Advising Center” selected under “Academic Advising” on the left menu bar. When scheduling your appointment, select “Mandatory Advising” as your “Appointment Reason”.
  2. Attend your advising appointment.

A tutorial video on how to schedule an appointment through STAR Balance may be viewed here.

There is no deadline for this option.

Workshops

This semester, MAC is offering five different workshops:

Major Exploration Workshop

Are you still trying to pick your major? Attend a group session to learn the steps and resources of major exploration. Each session, run by a MAC advisor, includes hands-on activities that help you get started on the process. It is intended for students who are not sure about their major or who have a major (or career) in mind, but do not know where to start.

This session may not be suitable for those who have already decided on one particular major and know the program requirements.

Duration: 60 minutes

Delivery mode: Online via Zoom

Workshop Dates:

  • Monday, March 24, 2025, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
  • Monday, April 7, 2025, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
  • Tuesday, April 8, 2025, from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Exploratory Business Workshop

Are you pursuing a Business major and still working on your admission requirements? 

Watch pre-recorded videos about the additional admission requirements for the majors in the Shidler College of Business, discuss the sequencing of these Pre-Business courses, including what can (and cannot) be moved around on STAR GPS, and the application process for declaring a business major. It is designed for those students pursuing Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Finance, International Business, Human Resource Management, Management, Management Information Systems, or Marketing.

Take the online quiz with a score of 100%

You will have unlimited attempts to complete the quiz

Delivery mode: Self-paced course via Laulima

To join this online module: https://go.hawaii.edu/a9u

Exploratory Health Sciences Workshop

This workshop introduces students to the resources and opportunities available through the Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center (PAC) at the University of Hawaiʻi. It covers the wide range of health science fields PAC advises on, such as dentistry, nursing, medicine, and more. The session will help attendees understand the steps needed to prepare for a career in these fields, including gaining relevant experience, preparing for entrance exams, and exploring different professions. Participants will also learn how to schedule advising appointments, engage with PAC events, and track their progress towards meeting application requirements.

Duration: 60 minutes

Delivery Mode: Online via Zoom

Workshop Dates:

  • Thursday, March 13, 2025 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM
  • Friday, March 28, 2025 from 9:00 – 10:00 AM
  • Tuesday, April 8, 2025 from 3:00 – 4:00 PM
  • Wednesday, April 23, 2025 from 10:00 – 11:00 AM
Preparing for the B.S. in Nursing Program

Are you interested in pursing the nursing program? Attend an informative workshop that will help you navigate the path to becoming a nurse at UH Manoa! In this session, we’ll discuss the application process, including key prerequisites and general education courses you’ll need to complete. Plus, discover how your courses are covered by financial aid an applies to your general education requirements. This is a great workshop to help get you started!

Duration: 60 minutes

Delivery Mode: Online via Zoom

Workshop Dates:

  • Wednesday, March 12, 2025 from 9:00 – 10:00 AM
  • Monday, April 14, 2025 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM
Preparing for the B.S. in Dental Hygiene Program

Join us for a friendly and informative workshop on getting ready for the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene program at UH Manoa! We’ll walk you through the two-step application process, covering all the prerequisites and general education courses you need to complete. You’ll learn how your courses are covered by financial aid an applies to your general education requirements. This workshop is a great opportunity to get your questions answered and kickstart your journey toward a fulfilling career in dental hygiene!

Duration: 60 minutes

Delivery Mode: Online via Zoom

Workshop Dates:

  • Monday, March 24, 2025 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM
  • Wednesday, April 30, 2025 from 9:00 – 10:00 AM

To utilize this option:

  1. Register for a workshop.
    • Workshop RSVP required. You must register 24 hours before the scheduled workshop.
    • You can use this registration form to register for the Major Exploration Workshop.
    • Use this link if you have any issues with the Zoom registration links above for the remaining Exploratory Business Workshops.
  2. Attend the workshop. The workshop facilitator will take attendance.
Supplemental Advising Offices

For those who are affiliated with the following on-campus programs/services:

  • Honors Program/Regents and Presidential Scholars (click here for instructions)
  • Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center (PAC) (click here for instructions)
  • Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC)
    • If you are in Air Force or Army ROTC and have already completed a Form 48 or Form 104-R, respectively, you have completed Mandatory Advising for this semester. A completed form is one that was approved and signed by the academic advisor of your intended major for Fall 2023. Email your completed form to macadv@hawaii.edu to verify completion.
    • If you have not completed a form yet, you can either do so (check with the academic advisor of your intended major for the process on completing it) or select a different option below to fulfill your Mandatory Advising requirement.

To utilize this option for the programs above, follow the steps below:

  1. Meet with your program advisor for advising.
  2. Request that your advisor notify MAC (via Google Form or email) that you have completed your Mandatory Advising appointment.

The deadline for this option is determined by the individual programs listed above.

Speak with an Advisor for Your Anticipated Major

For students who know which major they plan to pursue and would like to speak with an advisor in their intended department.

To utilize this option:

  1. Meet with the college/school/departmental advisor for advising to review your requirements and answer your questions. See below for special instructions by college/school/department.
  2. Request that your advisor notify MAC (via Google Form or email) that you have completed your Mandatory Advising appointment.

Special Instructions by College/School/Department:

  • School of Architecture: To schedule an advising appointment, contact the School of Architecture Student Services office via email at arch@hawaii.edu. Provide your name and UH ID number. For additional information on the School of Architecture, please visit their website.
  • College of Arts, Languages and Letters (see list of departments here): For Mandatory Advising and information about the major, meet with the Major Advisor in your department; for all other advising, see the Advising Center or email them at advising@hawaii.edu.
  • Shidler College of Business: Visit the Shidler College of Business website for more information.
    • If you have 45 or more earned credits, you may schedule an appointment with the Shidler College of Business Admissions Advisor. To schedule an appointment, please visit STAR Balance. After logging in, in the left menu bar, click “Back to all Categories”, then select “Specialized Academic Services”, then select “Shidler Admissions” to view available appointments. Appointments may be scheduled up to one week in advance.
    • Students who applied to the Shidler College of Business for Fall 2025 entry and received a “Pending” letter may submit a copy of their letter as fulfillment of their Mandatory Advising option (see the “Declare Your Major“ section below) via email to macadv@hawaii.edu. “Initially unable” and “Unable to offer you admission” letters do not count toward mandatory advising option fulfillment.
  • College of Education: Please refer to the College of Education website for information on how to make a virtual appointment with the Office of Student Academic Services.
  • Prospective Engineering: Students may schedule appointments by emailing the College of Engineering Student Academic Services office at engr@eng.hawaii.edu or using the following link: http://star.hawaii.edu/appointment/login.jsp?groupId=engr. The requirements to declare directly into one of the Engineering majors is on their website under the Transfer Student Admissions Requirements. If students do not meet these requirements yet, they may declare the Pre-Engineering major first if they are in good academic standing. To declare into an Engineering or Pre-Engineering majors students should follow the instructions under the Current UHM students (changing majors within UHM) section of the website.
  • Hawai’inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge: Meetings with an academic advisor are by appointment only. To request an appointment for:
    • Hawaiian Language: Please contact Pōhaikealoha Bell, Advisor at the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language, by email at bell7@hawaii.edu or telephone (808) 956-4321.
    • Hawaiian Studies: Please contact Lehua Nishimura, Advisor at the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies by email at lehua.nishimura@hawaii.edu or telephone (808) 956-0642.
  • Interdisciplinary Studies: Contact an IS advisor at isp@hawaii.edu to discuss your academic interest and the process for declaring IS as your major. Students interested in pursuing one of the IS online degree programs should email ocadvise@hawaii.edu. For more information, visit the IS website.
  • Medical Technology: Students may call (808) 956-8557 or visit BIOMED C206 to schedule an appointment. Students should seek major advising before they finalize their decision to major in Medical Technology. Refer to their website for more information.
  • College of Natural Sciences: To schedule an appointment with an advisor, please visit the Natural Sciences Student Academic Success Center website.
  • Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing:
  • School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology: To schedule an appointment with an advisor, please visit the SOEST Student Academic Services website.
  • School of Pacific and Asian Studies: To schedule an advising appointment, those interested in an Asian Studies major should contact Patricia Dunn (pdunn@hawaii.edu). Appointments are usually scheduled between 08:00 AM and 12:00 PM for undergraduates. Those interested in the Pacific Islands Studies major should contact Julie Walsh (jwalsh@hawaii.edu) to schedule an appointment. For more information on their programs, visit their website.
  • Public Health: Students may schedule an advising appointment for Public Health with the Academic Advisor, Bailey Holly, or Mānoa Peer Advisor. You may contact Bailey by email at phadvise@hawaii.edu. Please schedule appointments here.
  • College of Social Sciences: Students may schedule an appointment with A.C.C.E.S.S. online here or meet with individual major departments for advising (see list of departments here).
  • Social Work: Students who are interested in Pre-Social Work, but have not yet declared, may meet with a SW Mānoa Peer Advisor here: Book an Appointment or contact the Department of Social Work at bswadvis@hawaii.edu.
  • School of Travel Industry Management: Visit the TIM School website for more information (You may also follow them on IG or Facebook: @uhmtimschool).
    • If you know your TIM major requirements, have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and good academic standing (not applicable to first-semester freshmen), and just need to declare your TIM major to starting in Fall, complete this online form (preferably by March 1). If you are an Exploratory student interested in the TIM major (with a concentration in Hospitality Management, Tourism Management, or Transportation Management), you may schedule a Zoom or in-person advising appointment with a TIM advisor through STAR Balance. Appointments may be scheduled up to 7 days in advance.
  • College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience: Current UHM students who want to update their major to a major within CTAHR may send an email request to ctahradv@hawaii.edu. If eligible to enter, the advisors will submit the form to update the student’s major. After the major is updated, students may make an appointment with CTAHR Advising here. The CTAHR Advising website also has a wealth of information on the majors and requirements (see Major Handbooks). Email ctahradv@hawaii.edu if you have any questions.

The deadline for this option is determined by the individual colleges/schools/departments listed above.

Declare Your Major

To qualify for this option, you must meet the admission criteria for your intended major and be eligible to officially declare the major for Fall 2025 (the deadline to declare for Spring 2025 was January 21, 2025). Declaring an Exploratory pathway (e.g., Exploratory Business, Exploratory Health Sciences, etc.) will not fulfill this option. Declaring Pre-Engineering, Pre-Medical Technology, Pre-Nursing, Pre-Psychology, or Pre-Social Work will fulfill this option.

*** YOU MUST SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION OF YOUR DECLARATION TO MAC AT MACADV@HAWAII.EDU IN ORDER TO SATISFY YOUR MANDATORY ADVISING REQUIREMENT. We are not notified of changes in your major. ***

Examples of acceptable documentation:

  • Declared Program on STAR’s Academic Essentials page; OR
  • Copy of major declaration form signed by the major/college advisor; OR
  • Copy of acceptance letter
    • NOTE: Students who applied to the Shidler College of Business for Fall 2024 entry and received a “Pending” letter may submit a copy of their letter as fulfillment of their Mandatory Advising option via email to macadv@hawaii.edu. “Initially unable” and “Unable to offer you admission” letters do not count toward mandatory advising option fulfillment.

NOTE: In order to fully declare your major, you must submit the major declaration form or application to your intended college/school/major department.

To utilize this option:

  1. Declare your major.
  2. Email documentation of your major declaration to macadv@hawaii.edu. MAC will not be automatically notified that you declared your major; hence, submission of documentation is your responsibility.

There is no deadline for this option.


Earned credits refer to the total number of credit hours a student has successfully completed by passing courses with a satisfactory grade. These credits count toward degree completion and are distinct from attempted credits, which include all courses a student has enrolled in, regardless of the outcome.

Key Aspects of Earned Credits:

  • Earned when a student receives a passing grade (e.g., A, B, C, or sometimes D, depending on institutional policies).
  • Includes transfer credits if accepted by the institution.
  • Does not include failed, withdrawn, or incomplete courses.
  • Can impact a student’s academic standing, financial aid eligibility, and graduation progress.

Students can log into STAR GPS Registration and navigate to the ‘Academic Essentials’ to view how many earned credits they have.