Early Admission Programs

Our Early Admission programs allow high school students to enroll in college classes and earn credits toward high school graduation and a college degree. There are several different Early Admission programs in Hawaiʻi that eligible high school students can participate in. The most common programs are Early College, Running Start.

EARLY COLLEGE

Early College is a partnership between the Hawaiʻi Department of Education and the University of Hawaiʻi that allows students  attending a public Hawaiʻi high school to take college classes on their high school campus. For the most part, students in an early college class are taught by college professors and take the class with their high school peers. Students who successfully complete the college class receive both high school and college credit. If you’re interested in learning more about what early college opportunities are available at your high school, please talk to your high school counselor.

Requirements:

Visit Dual Credit for Early College website

RUNNING START

Running Start is a program that allows “eligible” high school students to take a college course at a University of Hawai‘i system campus as part of their high school coursework. This partnership between the Hawai‘i State Department of Education and the University of Hawai‘i System allows high school students attending public and charter schools to enroll in college classes while earning both high school and college credits.

Requirements:

EARLY ADMIT

Early Admit is another Early Admission program open to public and private high school students. These students may not necessarily need the college course to fulfill their high school graduation or equivalency. However, students who successfully complete the college course will receive college credit.

Requirements:

EARLY ADMIT: HOME-SCHOOLED

Home-schooled applicants must be 16 years of age or older and not currently enrolled in a public, private, charter, or independent high school. Students must submit a valid copy of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Education Exceptions to Compulsory Education Form (4140) and are subject to health clearances.

Requirements:

Contact the Admissions and Records Office arkauai@hawaii.edu for more information.