Students who do not qualify on the first day of instruction as bona fide residents of the state of Hawaiʻi, according to UH Mānoa rules and regulations, must pay the nonresident tuition. An official determination of residency status will be made at the time of application. Applicants may be required to provide documentation to verify residency status. Once classified as a nonresident, a student continues to be so classified during his or her enrollment at UH Mānoa until he or she can present satisfactory evidence to the residency officer that proves otherwise.
Some of the more pertinent UH Mānoa residency regulations follow. For additional information or clarification, contact the residency officer in the Office of Admissions.
Definition of Hawaiʻi Residency
A student is deemed a resident of the state of Hawaiʻi for tuition purposes if the student (19 years old or older) or the student (under 19 years old) and the student’s parents or legal guardians have done the following:
- Demonstrated intent to establish domicile in Hawaiʻi (see below for indicia);
- Been physically present in Hawaiʻi for 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of instruction and subsequent to the demonstration of intent to establish domicile in Hawaiʻi; and
- The student, whether adult or minor, has not been claimed as a dependent for tax purposes for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of instruction by his or her parents or legal guardians who are not residents of Hawaiʻi.
To demonstrate the intent to make Hawaiʻi a person’s domicile, the following indicia apply, but no single act is sufficient to establish residency for tuition purposes:
- Filing Hawaiʻi resident personal income tax return;
- Voting/registering to vote in the state of Hawaiʻi; and
- Other indicia, such as permanent employment and ownership or continuous leasing of a dwelling in Hawaiʻi.
Other Legal Factors
Other legal factors involved in making a residency determination include the following:
- The age of majority is 18 years. However, a person between the ages of 18 and 19, unless emancipated, cannot claim residency solely on the basis of himself or herself because he or she does not have the minimum 12 months residency, which commences on his or her 18th birthday. Therefore, the applicant must claim a portion of the required 12 months on the basis of his or her parents or legal guardian;
- The 12 months of continuous residence in Hawaiʻi shall begin on the date upon which the first overt action (see indicia above) is taken to make Hawaiʻi one’s domicile. Resident status will be lost if it is interrupted during the 12 months immediately preceding the first day of instruction;
- Residency in Hawaiʻi and residency in another place cannot be held simultaneously;
- Presence in Hawaiʻi primarily to attend an institution of higher learning does not create resident status, regardless of the length of stay. A student cannot establish residency by simply being enrolled in school. If a student is a nonresident, it is presumed that he or she is living in Hawaiʻi primarily to attend school and his or her presence is temporary even if the student lives in Hawaiʻi during vacation and other breaks from study. For example, the student may be presumed to live in Hawaiʻi primarily to attend school if he or she is enrolled in school half-time or more, appears to be receiving significant financial support from family members who reside outside Hawaiʻi, is absent from the state for more than 30 days per year during school vacation period, or receives student financial assistance based on residency in another state or jurisdiction;
- The residency of unmarried students who are minors follows that of the parents or legal guardian. Marriage emancipates a minor;
- Resident status, once acquired, will be lost by future voluntary action of the resident inconsistent with such status. However, Hawaiʻi residency will not be lost solely because of absence from the state while a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, while engaged in navigation, or while a student at any institution of learning.
Exemptions
Nonresidents may be allowed to pay resident tuition if they qualify as one of the following:
- U.S. military personnel, spouses, and their authorized dependents (as defined by the armed services) during the period such personnel are stationed in Hawaiʻi on active duty;
- Members of the Hawaiʻi National Guard or Hawaiʻi-based Reserve who are under contract in Hawaiʻi;
- Full-time employees of UH Mānoa and their spouses and legal dependents (as defined under Internal Revenue Service rules);
- East-West Center student grantees pursuing baccalaureate or advanced degrees; or
- Hawaiians, descendants of the aboriginal peoples that inhabited the Hawaiian Islands and exercised sovereignty in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778.
- Individuals using educational assistance under the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Chapter 31, Chapter 33, Chapter 30, Chapter 35 manoa.hawaii.edu/registrar/va-education-benefits/tuition-va-payments/#status.
Citizens of an eligible Hawaiʻi Pacific island district, commonwealth, territory, or insular jurisdiction, state, or nation which does not provide public institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees may be allowed to pay 150% of the resident tuition. These currently include the following: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Futuna, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Republic of Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis.
Misrepresentation
A student or prospective student who provides incorrect information on any form or document intended for use in determining residency status for tuition purposes will be subject to the requirements and/or disciplinary measures provided for in the rules and regulations governing residency status.
Appeal Process
Residency decisions may be appealed. Contact the residency officer for information on how to initiate an appeal before the Committee on Resident Status.
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