The East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship 2027 supports graduate study at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. It covers tuition and fees at the general graduate rate, graduate residence hall room costs, and a partial living stipend. Fellows may also compete for field-study and travel grants, which are awarded competitively rather than guaranteed to everyone.
This is a fellowship for a full degree, not a short visit or a summer programme. You would live and study in Honolulu while completing your graduate degree, as part of a community of students from across the Asia-Pacific region.
First, check whether you are in the eligible group
Eligibility here is narrow, so check it before you invest weeks of work. The fellowship is open only to citizens or permanent residents of the United States, the Pacific, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of one of those regions, you are not eligible, even if you meet every other requirement.
You also need a four-year bachelor’s degree and a minimum grade point average of 3.0. A shorter degree, or a GPA below 3.0, puts you outside the stated criteria. There is one more point that surprises many applicants: you must also apply separately for admission to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and that university application is due on the same day as the fellowship application, 1 December.
What the fellowship actually pays for
It helps to be clear about what is covered and what is not. Tuition and fees at the general graduate rate are handled, and so is the cost of a room in a graduate residence hall, which removes one of the biggest worries for a student moving to Honolulu. The living stipend, however, is partial, and that word matters.
A partial stipend helps with day-to-day costs, but the official page does not promise it covers all living expenses. Budget separately for food, transport, books, and personal costs. Field-study and travel grants are competitive, so only some fellows receive them.
| Detail | What the official page states |
|---|---|
| Organisation | East-West Center |
| Degree university | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, USA |
| Funding | Tuition and fees, hall room costs, partial living stipend |
| Extra grants | Competitive field-study and travel grants |
| Eligibility | Citizen or permanent resident of the US, Pacific, Southeast Asia, South Asia, or East Asia; four-year degree; GPA 3.0 minimum |
| Applications due | 1 December, portal closes 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time |
| Supporting documents | Completed by 10 January for UH and EWC |
Two applications, one deadline day
The double application causes the most confusion, so plan for it directly. The fellowship application and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa admission application are separate, and both are due on 1 December. Missing either one can end your chances, even if the other is perfect.
Supporting documents for both organisations must be completed by 10 January. That later date is breathing room, not an extension for the applications themselves. Keep two checklists, one for each organisation, and never assume that sending a document to one means the other has it.
A realistic timeline to work backwards from
Start by choosing the graduate programme at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa that fits your background and goals. Then check what that programme itself requires, since programme-level requirements can add their own documents or steps.
Give your referees plenty of notice, since a rushed request in late November rarely produces a strong letter. Ask early, share your study goals clearly, and confirm well before December that each referee has what they need. Request transcripts early too, and set your own personal deadline at least a week before 1 December. Note the portal closes at 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time, which may be a different day or time in your own time zone.
How to apply, step by step
The steps below follow the structure the East-West Center sets out:
- Read the official fellowship page in full, including the eligibility and funding details, before you begin any form.
- Choose your graduate programme at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and start that separate admission application.
- Complete the East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship application through the official portal.
- Arrange your supporting documents for both the university and the East-West Center, aiming to have them completed by 10 January.
- Submit both applications by 1 December, and keep copies of every confirmation you receive.
See also the ADB-JSP scholarship at the East-West Center, which follows a different funding route.
Before you submit: a quick self-check
Ask yourself these questions honestly, and only continue if every answer is yes:
- Are you a citizen or permanent resident of the US, the Pacific, Southeast Asia, South Asia, or East Asia?
- Do you hold a four-year bachelor’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.0?
- Have you chosen a graduate programme at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa that genuinely fits your background?
- Are both applications on track for 1 December, and have you budgeted beyond the partial stipend?
If any answer is no, fix that point first. An application that ignores an eligibility rule wastes your time and your referees’ time. A strong application has solid basics and a clear story: why this degree, why this university, and what you plan to do afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Do I need to apply to the university as well as the fellowship?
A: Yes. You must submit a separate University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa admission application, and it is due on 1 December, the same day as the fellowship application.
Q: When are supporting documents due?
A: Supporting documents for UH and EWC must be completed by 10 January, after the 1 December application deadline.
Q: Does the fellowship cover all living costs?
A: No. It covers tuition and fees, graduate residence hall room costs, and a partial living stipend. Field-study and travel grants are competitive and are not guaranteed.
