Study abroad at Honolulu

Honolulu is the breathtaking, tropical capital and cultural crossroads of the state of Hawaii on the island of Oahu, situated between the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean and the lush Koolau Mountain Range. Celebrated worldwide for Waikiki Beach, the iconic Diamond Head volcanic crater (Leahi), Pearl Harbor National Memorial, and its rich Native Hawaiian Aloha culture, Honolulu is the premier geopolitical, marine science, and Asia-Pacific bridge of the United States. The city is the flagship home of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UH Mānoa - founded in 1907, premier Land-, Sea-, Space-, and Sun-Grant Carnegie R1 Tier One research university with over 19,000 students and $500+ million in annual research expenditures). UH Mānoa is globally renowned for the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST - consistently ranked in the World Top 10 for Oceanography, Marine Biology, Volcanology, and Meteorology), Shidler College of Business (AACSB-accredited, ranked top 15 in the US for International Business with the Asian Field Study), John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM - top-tier biomedical and tropical medicine research), William S. Richardson School of Law (leader in Environmental Law and Pacific Asian Legal Studies), and College of Engineering (Renewable Ocean Energy, AI, and Cybersecurity), alongside Hawaiʻi Pacific University (HPU - downtown Honolulu private university renowned for International Business and Marine Science) and Chaminade University of Honolulu. Degrees are taught 100% in English with prestigious US accreditations. International students benefit from unique Pacific and marine research field stations, generous international merit scholarships, safe island lifestyle, and direct US F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support with 3-year STEM OPT work extensions.

Tuition fees in Honolulu for international undergraduate students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UH Mānoa - Carnegie R1) range between $33,500 and $34,800 per academic year for Marine Biology, Oceanography, Computer Science, Engineering, and Shidler Business (with UH Mānoa awarding the International Merit Scholarship of $4,000 to $10,000/year to qualified international applicants). At Hawaiʻi Pacific University (HPU), undergraduate tuition is approx. $32,500/year with international scholarships up to $15,000/year. Postgraduate Master's and PhD programs range from $22,000 to $36,000 per year (with extensive funded graduate research assistantships in oceanography and marine sciences). On-campus university residence halls (UH Mānoa Frear Hall, Gateway House, Hale Wainani, Hale Noelani) cost between $850 and $1,450 per month (inclusive of meal plans and utilities), while off-campus student apartments in Moiliili, McCully, Manoa Valley, and Waikiki range from $800 to $1,450 per month. General monthly living expenses range between $950 and $1,650.

International students require a US F-1 Student Visa. Upon academic admission and verification of financial documentation (bank statement certifying first-year tuition and living expenses minus scholarship awards), International Student Services (UH Mānoa ISS) issues the official Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, completes the DS-160 online visa application, and attends the F-1 visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. STEM graduates qualify for a 24-month OPT extension (total 36 months of US employment authorization).