The East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship funds master's and doctoral study at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa for citizens and permanent residents of the United States and Asia-Pacific countries, combining degree study with residential leadership development, cultural exchange and community-building programs at the East-West Center in Honolulu. Fellowships are awarded annually in an international competition; the 2027 cycle application closes December 1, 2026.
Why it is notable: Unlike the ADB–Japan Scholarship at the same institution (already in the Opplore database — master's only, ADB developing countries only, age ≤35, work experience required), the Graduate Degree Fellowship is annual, covers both master's AND doctoral study, and has no age limit or work-experience requirement — it is the East-West Center's flagship annual award and a distinct program, not a duplicate.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Full-time graduate tuition and fees up to the general UH Mānoa graduate (post-baccalaureate) rate, for the academic year
Housing in an East-West Center residence hall for the academic year (based on single occupancy)
Partial living stipend (amount not published on official pages)
Competitive field study / conference-presentation travel grants (awarded competitively)
Automatic consideration for EWC Alumni Association and Foundation scholarships (no separate application needed; can supplement the fellowship or serve as stand-alone one-year awards)
Residential leadership development programming: leadership projects, internships, cultural exchange, educational enrichment, community service
International residential community membership (Indo-Pacific peer network)
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Graduationfor MastersMasters/MPhilfor PhD
This scholarship is offered for Masters and PhD programs.
Who can apply
Citizens or permanent residents of the United States, and citizens of countries/territories in the Pacific region, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia (full list published on the official application page — incl. Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, plus Pacific island nations/territories). US permanent residents included.
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
Official IELTS (academic), Duolingo, or TOEFL score required for non-UH applicants (per UH graduate admission; EWC minimum: TOEFL 79, Duolingo 95, IELTS academic total band 6.5). Exemption only if degree was from an institution in a country where English is the first language AND the degree was received within the past five years. Currently-enrolled UH students need not submit a score report.
Other Certificates
Official transcripts from each college/university attended (official copies, sent per the Application Handbook; currently-enrolled UH students may submit photocopies issued by their program or the UH Records Office plus a Campus Report by Semester)
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Tools that may help
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1
Country checker
Citizens or permanent residents of the United States + citizens of listed Asia-Pacific countries/territories eligible (official country list). All other…
2
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3
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Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Qualification
4-year bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an accredited US college/university or recognized institution abroad, obtained before the award starts; minimum GPA 3.0 (4.0=A) or equivalent in the last four semesters or six quarters of undergraduate work and all post-baccalaureate work.
02
Language
Official TOEFL / Duolingo / IELTS score (minimums per EWC FAQ: TOEFL 79, Duolingo 95, IELTS academic total band 6.5), sent by the testing service, unless the applicant is currently enrolled at UH or exempt (degree within past five years from a country where English is the first language).
03
Documents
CV/resume; UH Application Acknowledgment; passport biodata page (international applicants); official transcripts from every institution attended; all received by the stated deadlines.
04
References
three letters of reference via the official forms — two Academic Letter of Reference forms and one Civic Engagement Letter of Reference form (the application is not reviewed without them).
05
Admission application
separate UH Mānoa graduate admission application submitted by December 1 (new applicants), with admission-office and departmental requirements completed by January 10.
06
Essays/answers
per the official Application Handbook — UNVERIFIED (Handbook PDF not opened this run; confirm before publishing)
02UH Mānoa graduate admission application (separate; required for new applicants) + UH Application Acknowledgment uploaded to the EWC application
03CV/resume
04Passport biodata page (international applicants only)
05Official transcripts from each college/university attended
06Official English proficiency score report sent by the testing service (TOEFL / Duolingo / IELTS), unless exempt or currently enrolled at UH
07Three letters of reference via the official forms (two Academic + one Civic Engagement)
Application fee
EWC fellowship application — no fee published (the separate UH Mānoa admission application has its own university applic
Visa, kept concise: Study visa type for this destination: USA J-1 Exchange Visitor visa (Student category) — EWC/GDF scholars receive J-1 sponsorship documentation (DS-2019) from the East-West Center/University of Hawai'i (UNVERIFIED on the GDF pages read…
Application Procedure
10 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Review the official Application Handbook and the
GDF FAQ page on eastwestcenter.org before applying.
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02
Apply for admission to the chosen UH
Mānoa graduate program for the fall semester via the UH online application (launches August 1 each year) — new applicants must submit by December 1.
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03
Complete the EWC Graduate Degree Fellowship online
application at www.eastwestcenter.org/applyGDF — submit by 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time on December 1, 2026.
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06
Ensure supporting documents reach both UH and
EWC by January 10, 2027: official transcripts from each institution attended; official English test score reports sent directly by the testing service (if required). Official English scores must reach EWC by January 10 —
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05
Enter referee contact details in the online application —
two Academic Letter of Reference forms and one Civic Engagement Letter of Reference form go to referees as a link; all three must be submitted for the application to be reviewed.
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04
Upload by December 1
CV/resume; UH Application Acknowledgment (screenshot/PDF of the confirmation from UH); passport biodata page (international applicants only).
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07
Await the decision —
applicants are contacted by email in early April (results are not disclosed by telephone).
When is the fellowship application deadline? — A: December 1 — the online application portal (www.eastwestcenter.org/applyGDF) closes automatically at 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time on December 1.Do I have to apply separately to the University of Hawai'i? — A: Yes, if you are not already enrolled as a classified graduate student at UH Mānoa you must apply to the university for the fall semesteIs my application disqualified if my recommenders don't submit letters on time? — A: Yes — your application will not be reviewed without the letters of reference.I'm already enrolled at UH — do I need official transcripts and test scores again? — A: No; photocopies issued by your academic program or the UH Records Office are acceptable, plus a copy of your curI studied in English — do I still need an English proficiency test? — A: UH grants an exception only if your degree was from a country where English is the first language AND received within the past What is the latest date I can take the English test? — A: EWC must receive official score reports directly from the testing service by January 10 — plan test dates accordingly.Do I need a separate application for other EWC scholarships (Alumni/ Foundation awards)? — A: No separate application is needed for the EWCA Alumni and Foundation scholarships — all GDF applicants areWhen will I hear the result? — A: Applicants are contacted by email in early April; results are not disclosed by telephone.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
United States · East-West Center + University of Hawai'i at…