ハワイ大学 ヒロ校（University of Hawai’i at Hilo）

アメリカの大学のアドミッション担当者にインタビューを行い、各大学の特色や学生生活、出願などに関するお話を伺います。
今回は、自然豊かなハワイ島に位置する州立大学、ハワイ大学 ヒロ校 を取り上げました。すべて英語で掲載していますので、最後まで頑張って読んでいきましょう！

Fast Facts

Name	Location
University of Hawai‘i at Hilo	Hilo, Hawaii, USA

US News Rank
#329 National Universities	#178 Top Public Schools

# of Students	% of International Students	# of Japanese Students	Student-to-faculty ratio
2,700	8.6% of the total student body	46	13:1

Average SAT® Score	Required TOEFL iBT® Score
945–1140	Minimum: 61 / 120

Interview

I. Academics

1. What are your most popular majors or areas of study?

We are excellent with natural sciences such as marine science, astronomy, geology, environmental science, biology, and agriculture. Those are the consistently popular programs that attract students from all over the world. We do have a really unique ecosystem, so students who are into those natural science fields can get a one-of-a-kind, hands-on learning opportunity.

1. Do you emphasize theoretical or practical learning? Are classes mostly lectures, discussions, or labs?

We definitely emphasize hands-on learning opportunities because of our small class sizes of 15 to 20 students, which allows our professors to take our students outside the classroom. That happens a lot in the natural sciences because we take students to the ocean if they’re marine scientists, to the rainforests if they’re biologists, and to the volcanoes if they’re volcanologists! We’ll definitely take them out in the field to learn from a real practitioner, but that doesn’t mean that we leave theoretical aspects behind. For example, if you’re a marine science student, you will go out in the ocean, get a sample of coral reef, and then bring it back to the lab and work on it. That’s in addition to attending theoretical lectures, so I would say UH Hilo combines everything that you mentioned, but focuses more on hands-on, experiential learning.

1. Do you have an average or even a required SAT^_® score?

So, we don’t require SAT^_® or ACT^_®. Our admissions requirement for freshmen is a 2.7 GPA or above. It’s on the 4.0 scale, but high schools overseas have a different grading scale, so we convert it on our end, but on the 4.0 scale, that’s the admission requirement. We don’t require the SAT^_® or ACT^_®. If students have already taken it; they need to send it to us because that is one of our placement tests.

1. Is there a minimum TOEFL^_® score for non-native speakers?

It’s 61. If students have this or above, they can enroll in any of our degree programs.

II. Admission

1. What does your ideal Japanese applicant look like?

We want to welcome all students, but I would say we especially want to meet students who love to challenge themselves and step outside of their comfort zones. At any university, no matter where they go, students will face difficulties and unexpected events. We want students who love to challenge themselves and seek answers if they need them, rather than waiting for somebody to help them.

1. What part(s) of an application (e.g., personal statement, letters of recommendation, volunteer experience, grades, test scores, etc.) do you place particular importance on?

We open more doors for a lot of students through our admissions requirements. We require your high school transcripts. Personal statements and letters of recommendation are optional. Students can submit recommendation letters and personal statements, and when that’s the case, we’re happy to read them. We review everything, but those documents don’t significantly impact their admissibility.
I love to read personal statements more than recommendation letters, to be honest. I think that really shows students’ vulnerability and their journey of why they ended up applying to us. We’d love to learn more about what students are interested in, so even though personal statements are not mandatory, we would love to see a personal statement.

1. Do you use the Common Application? Do you require supplemental essays?

We don’t, but the University of Hawai‘i system uses the same application for all our campuses. It’s very user-friendly.

III. Financial Aid

1. Do you offer scholarships and other financial aid to international students?

We do offer scholarships for students who are on an F1 student visa. The amount of the scholarship is $4,500 per year, which counts towards tuition. It’s an academic merit-based scholarship. For freshman students, for example, their academic merit will be based on their high school coursework. A great high school GPA is always an advantage! After completing their first year, students’ awards will be based on their UH Hilo grades.
This scholarship is also first-come, first-served, so we always recommend applying early to get your application on the table of the scholarship committee. You will be automatically considered for review once you are officially admitted. No separate application is required, and a lot of our international students receive this award.

1. Are international students eligible for work on campus?

Yes, our international students can work up to 20 hours per week on campus, and we have a student employment office where students can go and ask about job availability.

1. Are there on-campus or off-campus internships?

Yes, we have many internship opportunities, especially in the natural sciences, but also in other fields like business. Most students secure internships independently, but we also provide a database so they can explore their potential interests.
For example, one of our recent graduates in astronomy completed a NASA internship. Given how small our astronomy department is, even these valuable, notable internships aren’t too competitive. We are lucky to have a small class size.

IV. Student Life

1. Do you have a dormitory system? Do students live on campus?

We have five different dorms on campus, and they have different layouts, different price ranges, etc. It’s not mandatory to live on campus, but it is highly recommended so the students can adjust to campus life.

1. Are the dormitories available during winter break for international students who might not go home?

They are available for summer and winter vacations. Then, for the summer, if you take the summer session, you can move into our summer housing.

1. What kinds of on-campus support are available to international students?

International Student Services provides most of the necessary support for international students, including visa support. For mental or emotional support, there are free and confidential counseling services that students can access whenever they need. And as academic support, we have tutoring support for specific subjects such as computer science, math, or biology.

1. What are your most popular student clubs and organizations?

One program popular among our international students is “Adventure.” We take our students to various parts of the island throughout the semester for free. The purpose of that program is to build a network on campus and meet other students outside of your major. This is great for students who do not have a car but want to see different parts of the island.

V. After Graduation

1. How many of your students graduate with a four-year degree?

The graduation rate for the school in general is around 70%. That’s because we are the only four-year campus on this island, and a lot of our local students end up transferring to other institutions or other campuses.
Japanese students, especially those who are on an F1 student visa, have a higher rate of degree completion within four years because they have a deadline.

1. What careers do your alumni pursue after graduation?

For Japanese students who are in a natural science field, I noticed that they tend to go to graduate schools in Japan or on the US continent after their graduation. But some alumni went to work for big companies like Fast Retailing, Uniqlo, SoftBank, and Japan Airlines. And I think that what you majored in doesn’t really matter to what you pursue after graduation, since sometimes the Japanese job market doesn’t necessarily require a specific bachelor’s degree program.

VI. Other Questions

1. What should kids be doing in late middle school or early high school to get ready for university?

I think that it is nice to take tests like TOEFL^_® often, so students can have enough time to prepare.
Also, it’s important for students to think about what they really want instead of what their parents want. A lot of Japanese students tend to unconsciously follow what their parents say. It’s nice for them to consider, “What do I value the most? What do I feel passionate about?” in middle school and high school, so that it might be easier for them to organize their college pathways later.

1. Why are you passionate about the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo?

We are the most ethnically diverse national university in the United States. So, if I had to pick one element of UH Hilo, it is definitely our diversity that makes me passionate. The great thing about diversity is that there are lots of perspectives that you can learn from. You can learn that your common sense is not everyone’s common sense, and it helps students, especially those coming from Japan, to step outside of their comfort zone. There is also the ALOHA spirit, which connects us and supports students.

YGC invites you to visit our campus in Yoyogi to meet with our advisers and instructors to learn more about studying abroad. We offer a variety of programs to support students who aspire to attend top boarding schools and universities all over the world!

※TOEFL^_®はETSの登録商標です。このコンテンツはETSの検討を受けまたはその承認を得たものではありません。