Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)
Effective with the Fall 2021 semester, UH Hilo is participating in The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP). The WRGP is coordinated by the Western Interstate Commission of Higher Education (WICHE) and provides a tuition rate of 150% of resident graduate tuition for residents of qualified WRGP/WICHE states and who are admitted to a participating UH Hilo graduate program.
Application and Deadlines
WRGP application submission deadlines are as follows for the corresponding start term
- Fall 2021: June 1, 2021
- Summer 2022: April 15, 2022
- Fall 2022: June 1, 2022
A scanned copy of a government issued ID from your state of residency is required to be submitted with your application. Please submit applications via email to: hilograd@hawaii.edu.
Qualified States
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- South Dakota
- U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States
- Utah
- Washington
- Wyoming
Approved Programs
- Counseling Psychology, M.A.
- Doctor of Nursing Practice, D.N.P.
- Education, M.Ed.
- Hawaiian and Indigenous Language and Culture Revitalization, Ph.D.
- Hawaiian Language and Literature, M.A.
- Heritage Management, M.A.
- Indigenous Language and Culture Education, M.A.
- Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education Certificate
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D.
- Teaching, M.A.
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science (TCBES), M.S.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is WRGP/WICHE?
- The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) is a program that is coordinated by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) that allows master’s, graduate certificate, and doctoral students who are residents of WICHE member states to enroll in 900+ graduate programs at 60 public institutions outside of their home state and pay 150% of resident tuition at UH Hilo.
- When do I apply for WRGP?
- Once you have been accepted to a graduate program at UH Hilo, you may submit your WRGP application form. The form should be submitted with supporting documentation via email to hilograd@hawaii.edu. Please see above for deadlines.
- Do I need to re-apply for WRGP every semester?
- No, once you have been approved, you will remain approved for WRGP throughout your graduate program.
- What happens if I miss the deadline?
- Applications received after the posted deadline will be considered for the future term. Please contact the Graduate Division if you have any questions.
- Can I convert from WRGP to Hawai‘i Resident status?
- No, because the WRGP tuition rate is approved on the basis of your residency in a state listed above, the process of establishing Hawai‘i residency for tuition purposes cannot happen until after terminating participation in WRGP for a period of one year and meeting other necessary requirements to be eligible for Hawai‘i resident tuition status. More information on establishing Hawai‘i residency for tuition purposes.
- What If I was accepted to and am currently enrolled in a participating program before UH Hilo was participating in WRGP?
- Current students who are residents of a qualified state that were accepted to and are enrolled in a participating program prior to Fall 2021, will be offered a one-time application window to apply for the WRGP tuition rate. Students must submit their WRGP application forms and supporting documents to hilograd@hawaii.edu no later than March 1, 2021. If approved, the WRGP rate will take effect in the Fall 2021 semester.