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Funding Opportunities

Graduate Assistantships

Each year several graduate assistantships (GAs) are made available to the Department of Economics. Graduate assistants are required to work 20 hours per week. GAs receive full tuition waivers and health insurance benefits. Specific duties of GAs are diverse. Research Assistants help faculty with their research projects, while Teaching Assistants help faculty with course grading, record keeping, review sessions, and student consultation.

Since graduate assistants usually engage in verbal instruction, high proficiency in English is necessary. The University requires that all foreign GA applicants take the TOEFL exam and score 600 or better on the paper version (PBT) or 100 or better on the internet version (iBT). The scores of listening and speaking should be higher than 25 for applicants with iBT.

Download a graduate assistant application form. Send your completed application, plus a copy of your current transcript, to the Economics Department office at the following address:

Graduate Chair:
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Department of Economics
2424 Maile Way
Saunders Hall 542,
Honolulu, HI 96822

East-West Center Fellowships

The Department of Economics maintains strong links with the East-West Center (EWC) adjoining the Manoa campus. The EWC currently makes available graduate fellowships to individuals interested in participating in the educational and research programs at the EWC while pursuing a master's or doctoral degree at the University of Hawai'i. Some Department of Economics faculty members have joint appointments or are affiliated with the East-West Center. Citizens and permanent residents from these countries are eligible for EWC fellowships.

EWC applications are due on December 1. Students are encouraged to request application forms between July and September to insure adequate time for completion and submission. Nonetheless, the EWC will send out applications for financial aid up to two weeks before the deadline to applicants in most countries. Those interested in applying can download an application here.

The following is a list of scholarships available through the East-West Center.

Tuition Waivers

A modest number of full and partial tuition waivers are available to assist students who are able to defray part but not all of the costs of their graduate education in economics at the University of Hawai'i. They are awarded on the basis of need and/or merit.

Merit-based tuition waivers are also available to applicants for admission and continuing students, regardless of country or state of residence. These waivers are awarded by the Department of Economics. All admitted applicants and continuing students are automatically considered for tuition waivers.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available from federal, state, University and private resources. Interested applicants and students can learn more from the Office of Financial Aid Services

Hung Family Fellowships

Each year the Hung Family Endowment funds one fellowship in Chinese economic policy. Fellows receive a stipend along with a full tuition waiver provided by the University of Hawai'i. The applicant must be a resident of China or Taiwan and a graduate student in the UH-Manoa Economics Department. At the discretion of the Department, the one-year award may be renewed. The application must include a letter of recommendation from an economics faculty member in the relevant field and a 500-word essay on Chinese economic policy. Academic ability is the main criterion for selection of fellows.

Please send application materials by e-mail to econgap@hawaii.edu with "Hung Family Fellowship" in the subject line.

Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP)

The Asian Development Bank, as part of its Scholarship Program funded by the Government of Japan, offers opportunities to talented individuals from its developing member countries to pursue post-graduate studies. Scholarships to study economics are awarded through the East-West Center. The awards cover full tuition and fees, a monthly subsistence allowance, housing in East-West Center dormitories (except for students with accompanying children), medical insurance, and airfare. Students from Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Brunei are not eligible. Questions regarding eligibility should be directed to the scholarship coordinator at the address below. The deadline for ADB-JSP scholarships is December 1 each year. Please note that this deadline is earlier than the University of Hawai'i deadline.

Those interested in applying can download an application. Or you can request via e-mail that an application be e-mailed to you: adbjsp@ewc.hawaii.edu.

Burnham O Campbell Scholarship

The Burnham O Campbell Scholarship is awarded annually to a Ph.D. candidate with interests in Asian economic development who has successfully defended the dissertation proposal, made substantial progress towards completion of the dissertation and has a high probability of successfully completing the dissertation within a few months of the award.

For more information, contact Graduate Chair.

Prof. M.K Mok & Prof. James Mak Scholarship Fund

The purpose of this fund is to provide scholarship assistance to a graduate student in the department. Preference is given to a Ph.D. student in their dissertation-writing stage, and especially to a student who has papers accepted for publication in respectable top-tier academic journals. The applicant should be a full-time student with a minimum GPA of 3.5. The selection committee awards one scholarship in each academic year and this scholarship is non-renewable.

For more information, contact Graduate Chair.

Other Potential Funding Sources

© University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Saunders Hall 542, 2424 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822
Phone: (808) 956-8496   Email: econ@hawaii.edu
For questions about our Undergraduate Program please email: adviecon@hawaii.edu
For questions about our Graduate Program please email: econgap@hawaii.edu