Graduate Financial Aid
How to read the list. All students are eligible for the general awards. All students in an Asian area are eligible for the Asia awards as well as those that may be listed under their country of specialization. For example,
- students in Japanese studies would be eligible for the General, Asia, and Japan awards.
- students in Southeast Asian studies would be eligible for the General and Asia awards.
Available on this page:
Pacific-Asian Scholarships (PAS)
Tuition Waivers (TW)
Graduate Assistantships (GA)
Foreign Language and Area Study Fellowships for Asian Language and Area Studies (FLAS)
Starr Foundation Graduate Fellowship in Asian Studies
Asian Pacific Tuition Differential Exemptions (APTDE)
National Security Education Program (NSEP)
East-West Center Graduate Fellowships (EWC)
James Shigeta Scholarship in Asian Studies (JS)
Japan Travel Bureau Scholarship (JTB)
Graduate Student Organization Travel Fund (GSO)
Other Sources of Financial Assistance
General Awards
Pacific-Asian Scholarships (PAS)
This scholarship, administered through the Asian Studies program and funded by the Graduate Division of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, consists of payment of two semesters' tuition (student activity and campus center fees are not included). Students are nominated by each Center and then awarded by Asian Studies in late spring for the next academic year's PAS.
Tuition Waivers (TW)
A limited number of tuition waivers are available for graduate students. The waivers are granted on a two-semester basis and cover tuition only for resident or nonresident classified students (activity and campus center fees are not included). They are awarded primarily on the basis of need and academic performance with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Area centers nominate their respective students for tuition waivers.
Asian Pacific Tuition Differential Exemptions (APTDE) Non-Resident Tuition Waivers
The APTDE is no longer available. Instead, each department has been given non-resident tuition waivers. These are not just for international students, but for all non-resident (including US mainland) students. For Fall 2007, Asian Studies has 5 awards
Those students who have been receiving the APTDE exemption will continue to receive it until they graduate. The new rule applies to students who enroll for Fall 2007 and after.
To be eligible an applicant must be a superior student. To maintain eligibility the student must be enrolled for at least 8 credits and must stay in good standing. The student will retain the waiver until he or she completes the degree or loses eligibility, but the waiver cannot be transferred. A student who changes programs will lose the waiver. However, switching degrees (e.g. from MA to PhD) within a program is permitted.
Graduate Assistantships
The Asian Studies Program has two teaching assistantships currently available for each academic year. Appointees must carry at least 6 units of credit each semester and maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA. The award includes a tuition waiver and a stipend for a 9-month appointment.
To be eligible for a Graduate Assistantships, an applicant must
- have a strong background in Asian Studies
- have high scholastic record;
- admitted as a graduate student;
- evidence a high level of English proficiency (for non-native speakers of English).
- January 15 to June 14, deadline January 1
- June 15 to September 14, deadline June 1
- September 15 to January 14, deadline September 1
- Southeast Asia: .doc or
- China: .doc or
- Japan: .doc or
- Korea .doc
Send letter of application, resume, and names, addresses and telephone numbers of three references to
Chair of Asian Studies
Moore Hall 412
University of Hawaii at Manoa
1890 East-West Road
Honolulu HI 96822
Fax: 808.956.2682
The application deadline is March 3.
East-West Center Graduate Fellowships
The East-West Center is a non-degree granting educational institution located on the UH Manoa campus. Established in 1960 by the United States Congress, the Center serves as a catalyst and link among the peoples of some 60 countries and territories in an area encompassing Pakistan eastward through Asia to Japan, and from Australia across the Pacific to the United States. Each year some 2,000 research fellows, graduate students and professionals in business and government from Asia, the Pacific, and the United States work with the Center's staff on issues of mutual concern.
EWC Graduate Fellowships are available to individuals interested in participating in the educational and research programs at the EWC while pursuing a master's or doctorate degree at the University of Hawai'i; preference is given to those in a master's degree program. Fellowships are granted on an annual basis but may be renewed depending in part on timely and satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree and East-West Center requirements.
Applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of an Asian or Pacific country, or the United States. Award recipients who are not US citizens or permanent residents must meet all exchange visitor (J-1) visa regulations. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 is required for nonnative speakers of English. For most non-US applicants, application must be made to the Center's in-country program representative. Application deadlines for the in-country competitions vary and are usually earlier than the deadline for US citizens/permanent residents, therefore the program representative should be contacted as soon as possible. Postmark application deadline for US citizens or permanent residents is November 1. Further information may be obtained by writing to the East-West Center, Office of Award Services, Room 2066, 1601 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96848; tel: 808.944.7735. or the web site
Graduate Student Organization Travel Fund
The Graduate Student Organization (GSO) of the University of Hawaii has a travel fund to provide assistance to UH graduate students making scholarly/artistic presentations at conferences and professional meetings on the mainland and elsewhere. There are three award periods:
Applicants must be classified graduate students. Contact GSO for application forms and more detailed information on the amount of stipends at 808.956.8776/8018/4832, Hemenway Hall 212.
Other Sources of Financial Assistance
The Graduate Student Programs Office of the Graduate Division makes available information on fellowship competitions open to graduate students. Inquiries should be directed to the Graduate Student Programs Office, 352A Spalding Hall, telephone 808.956.8113.
Asia
Foreign Language and Area Study Fellowships for Asian Language and Area Studies
Subject to the availability of federal funds, SPAS administers the award of Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships in Southeast Asian Language and Area Studies at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. These fellowships are funded through the U.S. Department of Education under Title VI of the National Defense Education Act of 1958.
The forms for each Center differ slightly. So please choose the one for the area in which you are interested. The forms are in MS Word .doc format.
For the details see the FLAS FAQ
Information and application materials may be obtained from the SPAS Office of Student Academic Services, 315 Moore Hall, unless otherwise specified. Application deadline is usually February 15.
Starr Foundation Graduate Fellowship in Asian Studies
The Starr Fellowship supports continuing graduate students for such activities as field study, summer language study, or research/conference travel. Awarded in the Spring of each year, it carries a stipend of $$2,000. Competition is announced during the preceding Fall term. It is limited to continuing graduate students who do not hold FLAS awards. The application deadline is 15 November for the next competition.
Information and application materials may be obtained from the SPAS Office of Student Academic Services, 315 Moore Hall.
National Security Education Program
NSEP fellowships require recipients to fulfill a service
requirement.
The NSEP enables outstanding U.S. graduate students
(U.S. citizenship required) to pursue specialization in area and
language study or to add an important international dimension to their
education. Area and Language Studies Doctoral Fellowships award up to
$2000 per semester to doctoral track students with area and language
specializations at a graduate school in the US. Graduate Enhancement
Fellowships award up to $10,000 per semester to graduate students for
overseas study. For applications and information, please contact
Dr. Chizuko Allen, Undergraduate & Fellowships Advisor, School of
Pacific & Asian Studies, University of Hawaii, Honolulu,
HI 96822, 808.956.2210. Deadline: Early November
James Shigeta Scholarship in Asian Studies
This scholarship covers tuition costs for one academic year for graduate students or undergraduates in Asian studies at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Some consideration for financial need is given in the selection process. Application deadline is March 1.
Information and application materials may be obtained from the SPAS Office of Student Academic Services, 315 Moore Hall, unless otherwise specified.
Japan Travel Bureau Scholarship
This annual $1,000 scholarship was established to promote understanding between peoples and nations of the world through higher education. A candidate must be a full-time classified UHM graduate student or upperclass undergraduate interested in international relations or cross-cultural studies and have demonstrated high scholastic achievement. Application deadline is March 1.
Information and application materials may be obtained from the SPAS Office of Student Academic Services, 315 Moore Hall, unless otherwise specified.