Below is an estimated budget for a graduate student sharing an apartment in Honolulu with one other person, for a nine-month period.

As living expenses may vary considerably among individuals, the budgeted living expenses are intended to serve as a reference only. They do not include costs for air travel to and from Honolulu, for the purchase and operation of an automobile, or expenses for any accompanying dependents.

* The Graduate Division defines full-time academic load as eight credits or more, with certain exceptions. The graduate tuition included in the budget above is based on 12 credits or more. For more information on tuition, click here.

The degree status of a student determines the type of tuition to be charged. For example, a post-baccalaureate unclassified (PBU) student pays graduate-level tuition, regardless of the actual level of courses for which the student registers. However, in the case of a student admitted for a second bachelor's degree, undergraduate-level tuition will be assessed. Auditors (those enrolled in a course for no credit) pay the same tuition and fees as students enrolled for credit.

For information on how residency is determined for tuition assessment purposes, see Admissions < Residency Declaration Form.

WICHE Program
UHM participates in the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP), administered by the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE). The program enables legal residents of WICHE member states to enroll in selected out-of-state graduate programs at reduced tuition rates. Below is a list of WICHE member states.

Through WRGP, legal residents of WICHE member states may enroll in selected out-of-state graduate programs at resident tuition rates. They apply directly to the institution of their choice and identify themselves as WICHE WRGP applicants. They must meet the standard admissions requirements of the institution to which they apply. Below is a list of participating WRGP programs at UHM.

• Asian and comparative philosophy
• Asian theater and dance
• East Asian languages and literatures (Chinese, Japanese, Korean)
• entomology
• natural resources and environmental management
• oceanography
• second language studies
• tropical medicine
• tropical plant and soil sciences
• urban and regional planning

Deadlines
Full payment for tuition and fees must be made by the deadline specified in the MyUH Web site.

 
Refunds
For policies concerning the refund of tuition and fees, visit the MyUH Web site.

A federal regulation mandates a refund policy unique to first-year students who are receiving federal student assistance and who process a complete withdrawal within the first 10 weeks of their first semester at UHM. A detailed refund policy is available from the Financial Aid Services.

Financial Aid Services (FAS)
Student Services Center 112
2600 Campus Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7251
Fax: (808) 956-3985
E-mail: finaid@kala.ssc.hawaii.edu
Web: www.island.hawaii.edu/finaid/

A financial aid package based on demonstrated financial need may include a long-term, low-interest federal, state, or institutional loan. Repayment of loans begins after a student graduates, withdraws from school, or drops to less than half-time. Contact the FAS for financial aid application instructions and deadlines.

A limited number of achievement scholarships are available to qualified graduate students at UHM. Achievement scholarships are applicable toward the costs of tuition only. Scholarship recipients must pay their own fees and remaining tuition balance by the payment deadline.

Graduate Division Achievement Scholarship
The Graduate Division allocates a limited number of achievement scholarships to graduate programs, which in turn award the scholarships to qualified students.

 
 
Need-Based Tuition Waivers
Qualified graduate students who are bona fide residents of Hawai'i may be eligible for need-based tuition waivers. The basis of financial need is determined by the FAFSA. For more information, contact the Financial Aid Services.

A graduate assistantship is a non-tenurable academic appointment. Depending on their appointments, graduate assistants (GAs) may conduct research or teach courses, have duty periods of nine or 11 months, and work 10 or 20 hours per week.

 
Eligibility
To be eligible for an assistantship, a student must:

• be a degree-seeking student admitted to or registered in a graduate program at UHM,
• be in good academic standing and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above,
• maintain full-time enrollment,
• possess the necessary experience or qualifications to carry out the duties of the assistantship, and
• demonstrate proficiency in English if applying for assistantships with teaching duties. (See International Students < English Proficiency.)

 
How to Apply
Students apply for assistantships through their academic departments or units. Appointments are made on a competitive basis. Selection criteria include GPAs, standardized test scores, motivation, goals, experience, past performance as a GA (if applicable), recommendations, and suitability for the duties of the assistantship.

Tuition Exemption
GAs who work 20 hours per week appointment receive a full tuition exemption. GAs who work 10 hours per week receive a half tuition exemption. New GAs with 11-month appointment must be employed for at least 12 weeks during the first semester in order to receive the tuition exemption. Tuition exemptions apply only to fall and spring semesters, and may NOT be used for Outreach College and Distance Education courses. Summer Session tuition exemptions, when available, are issued by the Outreach College. GAs are responsible for the payment of fees. GAs who resign before serving at least three-quarters of a semester are liable for repayment of tuition exemptions.

 
Compensation
Due to regulations governing the processing of employment documents, newly appointed GAs will experience delays in receiving the first installment of their compensation. New GAs are advised to bring enough funds with them. Domestic students should bring enough funds to cover at least their first seven weeks at UHM. International students should bring enough funds for nine weeks or more. To be eligible for employment, international students need to apply for a social security number and a work permit. See International Students < Employment in the U.S.

GAs are compensated according to the pay schedule below, which has been approved by the Board of Regents. For both types of appointment, the annual compensation is paid out in bi-monthly installments over a period of 12 months.

Annual Pay Schedule (based on 20 hours per week)