Unclassified Graduate Student Status
A person who has an awarded Bachelor's degree or equivalent who wishes to take courses at UH Hilo but who do not meet the minimum requirements for admission to a program, or who for any other reason have not been formally accepted into a UH Hilo Graduate Program may apply for admission as an Unclassified Graduate Student.
Admission into a course as an unclassified graduate student does not guarantee admission as a regularly classified graduate student at a future date.
Unclassified graduate students are not required to submit the application fee, GRE scores, or letters of recommendation. If an unclassified graduate student later applies, and is accepted, into a graduate program, the student may petition for acceptance of credits taken while in unclassified status, but acceptance of the petition by the graduate program is not assured.
Proof of baccalaureate degree (unofficial transcript) if earned outside of the UH System is required to be uploaded with your application.
Application Deadlines:
Fall: July 1st
Spring: December 1st
Summer: May 1st
Apply Online- Spring 2025, Summer 2025, Fall 2025
Please contact the Graduate Division at hilograd@hawaii.edu if you have any questions.
Advantages:
- No application fee
- Official Transcripts are not required
Restrictions
- Class registration for Undergraduate courses (100-400 level) is done on a space available basis after classified, degree seeking students have registered.
- Financial Aid is not available.
- No faculty advisors.
- International visa students and WICHE Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) students are not eligible for Graduate Unclassified status.
- Students who are on academic dismissal or suspension do not qualify under this status.
- Students seeking to enroll in graduate level (600) coursework should see requirements below.
Enrollment in Graduate Level Coursework
Unclassified Graduate Students may register for any undergraduate course on a space available basis.
Unclassified Graduate Students may request to register for selected graduate level (600) courses. Such registration is done on a space-available basis, and is at the discretion of the Graduate Program Chair of the program that the course falls within.
Permission to enroll as an unclassified student may be granted with the permission of the instructor and the graduate program chair using the Permission to Enroll in Graduate Coursework as an Unclassified Student form. The form must be accompanied by a brief statement of objectives specific to each class in which the applicant hopes to enroll and should be submitted electronically using the Kuali Build system. Unclassified students are not able to register online for any graduate level course.