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Cost and Financial Aid

*See the General and Graduate Information Catalog and/or the Office of Admissions and Records website for residency definitions.

Students pay approximately $380 per semester in required fees.

Financial Aid: Prospective students who anticipate a need for financial assistance are strongly encouraged to seek support from local sources and/or private foundations and agencies that share the students interests and goals. One should begin this process early, as applications for scholarships are often due six to 12 months before enrollment.

U.S. Students: The Financial Aid Services Office administers a University-wide program of student assistance that includes student employment (both on and off campus), scholarships, grants and loans. For more information or an application, please contact their office or visit their website. Priority deadline is March 1 each year.

International Students: International students are cautioned that their opportunities for general scholarships and other forms of financial aid are extremely limited. It is a basic requirement for almost all U.S. financial aid that the applicant be a citizen or permanent resident alien of the United States. An international student must be able to certify complete financial coverage before final admission to the university will be granted.

Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantships: The department offers a limited number of graduate assistant positions, generally associated with specific projects. These positions are advertised as they become available. Assistantships cover tuition and a monthly salary. Graduate assistants must pay their own registration fees.

Graduate Division Achievement Scholarships: Graduate Division Achievement Scholarships (GDAS) are funded from tuition revenues and are intended to provide financial assitance for U.S. and international students based on merit and service. The award amounts, which vary, are credited toward the student’s overall tuition costs. To be eligible for a GDAS, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above and demonstrate a commitment to the mission, goals and objectives of the Department of Public Health Sciences. The GDAS may be awarded to new or continuing students. Waivers do not cover summer session tuition. Awardees are expected to have and maintain a 3.5 or better GPA and register for at least one credit of public health degree-related course work. It is recommended that applicants to the program submit their completed application materials by the stated deadline as GDAS applications are distributed and reviewed early in the admission period. Award recipients must pay any remaining tuition balance by the payment deadline.

Each semester, applications for GDAS awards for the upcoming semester are solicited by the Office of Graduate Student Academic Services. Decisions as to relative merit from among students meeting the overall award criteria will be made according to faculty rankings of new and continuing students.

East West Center Scholarships: East West Center awards may be available to students from the Pacific and Asian (including Russia) countries. For more information or an application, please contact the EWC-UHM Scholarship Office, Burns Hall 2066, East West Center, 1601 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96848-1601 or visit their website. Their application deadline for awards is November 1.

Joseph E. Alicata Memorial Award: Joseph E. Alicata, PhD, played a vital role in establishing the former School of Public Health. Renowned as a University of Hawai‘i researcher, he was also the first recipient of the UH Board of Regents' Medal of Excellence in Research. At the bequest of Dr. Alicata and his family an endowed fund was created to recognize outstanding students in public health. The Joseph E. Alicata Memorial Award honors one public health student each year with a scholarship to be used toward tuition or for select international travel connected with the field-training portion of the awardee's academic program. All full-time graduate students in the department are eligible to apply. Selection is based on academic achievement and the submission of a five page essay. The most recent award was $1,000. The announcement for applications is made in the spring semester.

Elmer J. Anderson Professional Travel Award: This award is established as a lasting tribute to Elmer J. Anderson, former director of health education in the Hawai‘i Territorial Department of Health from 1944-1950. It assists graduate students in the department who have had a professional paper accepted for presentation at a national or international public health meeting by defraying travel costs and/or paying for meeting registration fees. Awards are made once a year, usually in the fall semester. The most recent award was $2,500. The announcement for applications is made in August.

Frances Ayako Matsuda Sano Fellowship: Supported by the Frances Matsuda Sano Endowment Fund, this fellowship was developed to provide opportunity for individuals with demonstrated commitment to the field of public health to pursue advanced study in a doctoral program in the department. The fellowship may be used to cover tuition, fees, books, supplies, living expenses, airfare and any other expenses necessary for successful completion of a doctoral program. Full-time doctoral students in the department who are from the Asia Pacific Region (including Hawai‘i) and have an interest in fostering relationships with Japan are eligible to apply. This award is renewable for up to three years of funding. The most recent award was $25,000 per year. The annoucement for applications is made in the fall semester.

Robert M. Worth Epidemiology Scholarship: Robert M. Worth, Ph.D., considered a pioneer in the public health field in Hawai‘i, began his career as a physician at Kalaupapa and was instrumental in having the century-long Hansen's disease quarantine lifted in 1969. Dr. Worth served on the faculty of the University of Hawai‘i schools of medicine and public health for 22 years. He was also chief of the Communicable Disease Division of the Hawai‘i State Department of Health. At the bequest of Dr. Worth and his family, an endowed fund was created to offer financial assistance to students pursuing a degree in public health. The announcement for applications is made in the spring semester.

Koseki Award for Excellence in Community Service: Dr. Lawrence K. Koseki was a faculty member of the School of Public Health whose career in public service spanned over 36 years. During this time he shared his expertise with many local, national and international organizations devoted to improving the health and well being of others. Part of Dr. Koseki's great contribution to this community was the outstanding support and wisdom he provided for many of the programs in which he participated. Each year, students are nominated to receive the Koseki Award for Excellence in Community Services based on their record of service to individuals and organizations as well as service in public policy. The Department selects the student who best exemplifies Dr. Koseki's passion for community service to receive the award certificate and an honorarium of $100. The request for nominations is made in the fall semester.

Pauline Stitt Award for Outstanding Graduate Student: In recognition of over a half century of service to public health, the Department's Outstanding Public Health Graduate Student Award was established in honor of Dr. Pauline Stitt, Professor Emerita of the Maternal and Child Health specialization. The award is intended to foster a spirit of excellence similar to that which Dr. Stitt cultivated in so many people she touched in her long and distinguished career. Nominations for this award are made both by the student body and the faculty. Award criteria include scholarship and participation in the department's governance, student activities, and community service. The recipient must be a well-rounded individual as well as an excellent performer in the academic arena. A certificate and honorarium of $100 is presented to the student selected to receive this award. The request for nominations is made in the spring semester.