Hawaii public high school seniors now have a new pathway to higher education through Direct2UH, an initiative launched jointly by the University of Hawaii and the state Department of Education.
The program, which is scheduled to be officially introduced today at Kauai High School and followed by a news conference at Farrington High School, allows students to secure free, direct admission to multiple UH campuses based on their grade-point averages, eliminating the need for a traditional, time-consuming college application.
Direct2UH builds on years of collaboration between UH and the DOE to help students pursue postsecondary education and reduce barriers to college, said Tammi Oyadomari-Chun, DOE deputy superintendent of strategy and administration.
Programs such as Upward Bound and GEAR UP have provided college preparation for middle and high school students for decades; Hawaii received its first GEAR UP grant in 2000 and was recently awarded a new $35 million grant. Direct2UH builds on these earlier efforts to simplify the transition from high school to college.
Earlier initiatives include Fast Pass, which since 2021 has offered expedited admissions processing for seniors at UH’s four-year campuses, with waived application fees starting in 2022, and the Kamaaina App, introduced in 2022, a short, free application for high school students applying to UH community colleges.
Programs such as College Placement, launched in 2019, allow students to enroll directly in college-level courses based on high school grades, coursework or test scores, while UH and DOE have partnered for years to host FAFSA workshops to assist students with financial aid applications. The Hawaii Promise scholarship covers 100% of community college costs for eligible students.
Recent legislation, Act 138 of 2025, further supports students by classifying Hawaii public high school graduates as residents, removing up to 10 residency questions from college applications and guaranteeing in-state tuition.
“Direct2UH is the natural next step in our ongoing collaboration to make college in Hawaii more seamless and affordable,” Oyadomari-Chun said.
The initiative provides seniors with the opportunity to gain admission to UH Hilo, UH West Oahu, and all seven UH community colleges — Hawaii, Honolulu, Kapiolani, Kauai, Leeward, UH Maui College and Windward. UH Manoa, the state’s flagship campus, is expected to join the program in 2026. Participating students are required to fill out a short online form to confirm their admission, which is contingent upon graduating in May.
“We want to make it as seamless and simple as possible for students to enroll, and sometimes the bureaucracy gets in the way of that,” UH President Wendy Hensel said. “We have much of the data for these students, we share many of these students in early college, and yet we’re requiring extensive steps in order to allow them to move into higher education. So this not only expands access and makes it easier for students, but it also says to the student who may not think that they’re college material, that we think ‘you’re college material, and you’ve already met our admissions criteria.’”
Hensel emphasized that while the program does not aim to directly affect retention or graduation rates, it opens the door for more students to enroll and benefit from existing support programs like EAB Navigate, which tracks student progress and provides early interventions to improve success.
The program is intended to support students who may not have previously considered college, whether they are aiming for career-focused training or pursuing a four-year degree, Oyadomari-Chun said. The initiative also is expected to especially benefit first-generation students and Native Hawaiians, whose college enrollment has dropped from 45% in 2019 to 36% in 2024.
Direct2UH also simplifies logistics that have historically slowed or discouraged students. Students with a 2.7 GPA or higher automatically qualify for UH Hilo, UH West Oahu and all community colleges, while students with a 2.69 GPA or below qualify for admission to all community colleges. Admission to four-year campuses is subject to verification of transcripts and eligibility requirements.
“Our community colleges are open-access institutions,” Hensel explained. “That means if you graduate from high school, you have a place in the class at the community college. If you have a 2.7 or above, you are also eligible for UH West Oahu and UH Hilo. This year, Manoa is not participating because there are some additional requirements to matriculate there, but we’re working on identifying how we can streamline that admissions process for next year.”
The program also represents a strategic approach to counseling and advising. With less time spent on paperwork, DOE counselors can focus on advising students about the campus or program that best fits their goals.
“A simplified application process allows counselors to spend more time helping students explore their options and make informed decisions about life after high school,” Oyadomari-Chun said.
UH is also providing workshops, webinars and information sessions for educators to ensure they are equipped to guide students effectively.
To mark the launch, every public high school senior in Hawaii received an official acceptance letter signed by Hensel and DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi. Informational postcards also were mailed to students’ homes to ensure families are aware of the program.
“Direct2UH affirms the potential and readiness of every high school graduate,”Hayashi said in a statement. “Together with the University of Hawaii, we’re strengthening the bridge between high school and college, ensuring that the preparation happening in our classrooms leads directly to opportunity, and that our graduates are equipped to lead, serve and make a difference in Hawaii and beyond.”
Funding for Direct2UH required no additional appropriations.
“This has been discussed for five years between the DOE and the University,” Hensel said. “When I came on board in January, I said, ‘Let’s make this the year that we launch, and make it happen. It’s important to our students and to the state.’”
The initiative also reflects broader legislative support. Act 138 of 2025 classifies Hawaii public high school graduates as residents, removing up to 10 residency questions from the application and guaranteeing in-state tuition — a move that further simplifies the process for students.
Hensel emphasized that Direct2UH is not just about making the application easier but also about sending a message to students: “There’s a place for you at UH. You are college material, and that can mean anything from a tech degree all the way up to a bachelor’s or a Ph.D. We want you here, and we’re excited to engage with you.”
Direct2UH is a critical step in Hawaii’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the education-to-career pipeline, making college more accessible, reducing bureaucratic barriers and ensuring that students from all backgrounds — including those in rural communities or from underrepresented populations — have a pathway to higher education in the state.
Source: The Garden Island
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