The University of Hawaii at Manoa is the flagship of the University of Hawaii system, in Honolulu. It is best known for ocean and earth sciences, astronomy, tropical agriculture, Asian and Pacific studies and travel industry management, with research sites from the summit of Mauna Kea to the deep Pacific. Choose it for a research degree in a unique island setting.
Honolulu, United States
Official website: manoa.hawaii.edu
#488
Top 20 in the world (ShanghaiRanking)
R1 — very high research activity
Operates telescopes on Mauna Kea and Haleakala
$28,000 – $36,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$18,000 – $24,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on manoa.hawaii.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA (Shidler College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Oceanography
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Master of Travel Industry Management
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 70
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology — a top-20 oceanography programme with its own research ships.
Institute for Astronomy — access to Mauna Kea, the world's premier ground-based observatory site.
Shidler College of Business — AACSB-accredited, with a strong Asia-Pacific focus.
Manoa Valley campus — a tropical site ten minutes from Waikiki beach.
Graduates join Hawaiian Airlines, Bank of Hawaii, the US Navy's Pacific research labs and Honolulu's tourism industry.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Ocean science alumni work at NOAA, the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center and research institutes worldwide.
Travel industry management graduates move into hotel and resort management across the Pacific and Asia.
Undergrad
5 Jan 2027
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
1 Sep 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 320-acre campus fills the lush Manoa Valley behind Honolulu, with the Hamilton Library, the East-West Center and student housing under the Koolau mountains.
Honolulu offers year-round warm weather, surf beaches and a mix of Pacific and Asian cultures, but rent and groceries are among the most expensive in the US.
Form I-20 issued by UH Manoa
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
For fall 2027 undergraduate entry, international applicants must apply by 5 January 2027; spring 2027 entry closes 1 September 2026. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most engineering and computer science master's closing between January and March for fall.
Undergraduates can start in fall (August) or spring (January). Most master's programmes, including computer science, engineering, oceanography and the Shidler MBA, admit for both, while travel industry management is fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. International Student Services issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, the Shidler MBA, electrical engineering, oceanography and travel industry management attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.5, and the GRE for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is based mainly on grades.
UH Manoa offers a limited number of merit scholarships to international undergraduates, considered automatically when you apply; need-based aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in ocean science, astronomy and engineering, and the East-West Center offers its own fellowships.
