Application

APPLICATION PROCESS

The application deadline is February 1st of the calendar year you are applying for. We only admit students in the fall.

Applications are submitted to the Graduate Division (not directly to the CIS program). See https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/prospective-students/ for an index of relevant information, and https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/submitting-your-application/ to submit an application.

Applications are submitted in two parts, as described below.

Graduate Division Online Application

Please provide the following items directly to the Office of Graduate Education. Your application will be forwarded to the CIS Program Chair once it is complete. It is your responsibility to communicate with Graduate Division to ensure they have all of the required materials. Until they do, we will not see your application.

  • An online application using the "online application" link at https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/submitting-your-application/
  • The application fee. (This must be paid before your application will be considered. Do not email CIS asking for a waiver: we do not collect the fee. The graduate division does not grant waivers.)
  • Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education that you previously attended (except for University of Hawaiʻi).
  • Official reports of test scores if required. International students may need TOEFL or IELTS: see https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/english-proficiency/.
  • GRE or GMAT scores are now optional: submit one of these only if it would not be a hardship to obtain the scores. The GRE code for the University of Hawaiʻi is R4867. Use the Department and Major Field code 5101 for Interdisciplinary Programs
  • Anything else that the Graduate Division requires, see: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/how-to-apply/

It is NOT necessary to complete the "Statement of Objectives" form on the Graduate Division web page. That will be included in the supplemental application materials (see below).

Graduate Application Supplemental Documents

Please upload the following to the Graduate Application Supplemental Documents Upload Website (https://documentupload.manoa.hawaii.edu/upload/). The supplemental materials will be accessible to the CIS Chair immediately upon upload.

  • CIS Express Information Form as soon as possible, so we are able to communicate with you (replacing YourNameHere with your name).
  • CIS Supplementary Application (replacing YourNameHere with your name), which also requests the following:
    • Statement of Purpose (see CIS application form for what this should include)
    • Samples of your relevant published or unpublished work
    • If applying for an assistantship, a paragraph discussing the courses you can support and/or the services you can offer to a research project.
  • Three letters of recommendation, arranged to be uploaded to the Supplemental Documents website. No official forms are used for recommendation letters. It is preferred that they be printed on official university or business letterhead.

Deadlines

The CIS program admits students only for the fall semester of each year. The deadline is February 1st of the same calendar year. Applicants are encouraged to file early to be certain all materials are received by the deadline.

The first meeting of the Admission Committee is in February.

Late applications will be considered only on a case by case basis if there is space after the applications received on time are considered. If some of your material will be late you should complete as much of the application as possible by the deadline.

You will be contacted soon after the Admission Committee makes a decision on your application.