HOW TO APPLY
The Global Track/China Focus Dual Degree Program welcomes your application for graduate study at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and Tongji University College of Architecture and Urban Planning (Shanghai, China). This unique program is offered by the School of Architecture at the University of Hawai'i leading to a professionally accredited (NAAB) Doctor of Architecture degree. The dual degree opportunity to receive an M. Arch. from Tongji University accredited by NBAA is an option within the Track based upon an articulation agreement with the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Tongji University. In order to be considered for graduate study for both programs there is one application process.
Please visit University of Hawai'i at Manoa Graduate School of Education admissions website in order to successfully apply to the University of Hawai'i at Manoa as a graduate student:
https://www.sis.hawaii.edu/uhdad/bwskalog.P_DispLoginNon
Create your unique login and pin, then on the pull down select to apply for Graduate Studies for the upcoming Fall Semester for the DArch Degree. From there, specify your application in the Global Track program and complete the additional specified requirements. Academic performance through transcripts, letters of reference, letter of intent and portfolio are all taken into consideration upon review.
Only students of the highest level will be accepted. Candidates will be screened for academic, personal, linguistic (English) qualifications and inter-cultural competencies. The capacity for inter-cultural learning may be judged through experience (exchange visits, travel), reference letters and interviews. The most qualified students will be selected using evaluation criteria specific to the graduate level of our program. This includes: creativity, ability, and design sensibility as represented in a submitted portfolio; character, integrity and inter-cultural learning as expressed in three letters of reference; passion, interest and written communication as developed in the candidate’s letter of intent.
COST
The following chart shows the tuition for 90 total credits. They vary because some are charged through Outreach at a per credit basis (which has resident/non-resident differential), while summer school through Outreach is the same for residents and non-residents. While in Shanghai, tuition is charged through our Study Abroad and there is no tuition differential. The costs below are not set and may shift due to overall changes in the cost of tuition at the university through the Board of Regents.
In US dollars:
Year
Honolulu
2024 F (15)
Honolulu
2025 Sp (15)
Asia
2025 Su (6)
Shanghai
2025 F (12)
Shanghai
2026 Sp (12)
Asia
2026 Su (6)
Honolulu
2027 F (12)
Honolulu
2027 Sp (12)
Tuition
Outreach
Outreach
Study
Abroad
Study
Abroad
Study
Abroad
Outreach
Study Abroad
Outreach
Resident
7800
7800
Non-resident
16824
16824
4047
4047
16764
16764
16764
16764
4047
4047
7800
16824
7800
16824
International Student Housing is available on the Tongji campus. The cost is $11-13 per day. A meal plan is an additional $5 per day. Therefore, the cost for housing and food in Shanghai should range around $6,000.00-$7,000.00 for a year.
CULTURE
Eating in Shanghai can be as expensive as New York or as inexpensive as a few dollars a day. Getting around Shanghai is cheap and easy. Shanghai is home to the world's largest subway system and the subway. You can go virtually everywhere in Shanghai by subway and most rides are about 50 cents USD.) Many students also choose to take advantage of Shanghai's public bike sharing network (like Biki) with membership including unlimited rides costing only $3 USD per month. A week long excursion throughout China is also incorporated as part of the program and transportation/lodging is included in tuition. Round trip airfare from Honolulu to Shanghai is about $1,100. Airport to the University costs about $50 by taxi and is much less by bus or subway. You can also take the Maglev ($10) into the city and then subway.
The two months during the summer between year 2 and 3 takes place in highly dense and developed cities across Asia such as Singapore and Seoul. Therefore, costs can vary widely. The Practicum Firms will be contacted to provide housing for students as a way of supporting the program if possible or they will provide the students with adequate compensation when housing is not available. It is anticipated that students will room together and/or possibly use dormitories of other architectural programs. We recognize the challenge of short term housing in major cities, but we are confident we can find affordable housing. This housing budget should be about $30 per day.