A Four Year Degree Pathway
Starting your four-year degree pathway at Kauaʻi Community College is an affordable choice and prepares students to transfer smoothly to a Bachelor’s degree. Kaua`i Community College offers lower-division, transfer-level courses for students who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university.
There are various transfer options and pathways available to students who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university. Meet with your advisor or a transfer specialist to plan your path to graduation!
Click on the campuses below to learn more about their transfer programs and requirements:
 |  |  |  |
Click on the tabs to learn about transfer options
Kauaʻi Community College has partnerships with University of Hawaiʻi (UH) campuses to help students make a smooth transition from the community college to a specific major or program at the four-year college or university.
Articulation agreements ensure courses taken at the community college are applied to their major or program requirements at UH institutions. This can potentially save the student both time and money and ensure they are on a path to graduation.
See your counselor or advisor to find out about our transfer pathways to ensure a successful transition to our UH Universities.
- University of Hawaiʻi System EP 5.209 UH System Student Transfer and Intercampus Articulation (amended July 2020)
- UH Mānoa
- AS Early Childhood Kauaʻi CC to UH Mānoa, BED in Elementary Education (Early Childhood) (2019)
- Nursing Articulation 4-Year Transfer: https://www.kauai.hawaii.edu/nursing-articulation-4-year-transfer (Oct 2010)
- UH Maui College
- MoA Maui College, Applied Business and Information Technology (ABIT)
- UH West Oʻahu Articulation Agreements:
- Accounting: AAS, Accounting articulates to BA, Business Administration, concentrations in Accounting, Finance, General, Hospitality and Tourism, Management, or Marketing (2019, subject to review in Spring 2021)
- Business: AS, Business articulates to BA, Business Administration, concentrations in Accounting, Finance, General, Hospitality and Tourism, Management, or Marketing (2019, subject to review in Spring 2021)
- Creative Media: AS, Creative Media articulates to BA, Creative Media, concentration General Creative Media (2019, updated as necessary)
- AS, Early Childhood Education articulates to BA, Social Sciences, concentration in Early Childhood Education
- Hospitality & Tourism: AAS, Hospitality and Tourism articulates to BA, Business Administration, concentrations in Accounting, Finance, General, Hospitality and Tourism, Management, or Marketing (2019, subject to review in Spring 2021)
Automatic Admission is an initiative that allows UH System community college students to transition directly to a four-year university without having to pay the application fee.
Criteria for Automatic Admission
- Enrolled at a UHCC or one semester after graduation from a UHCC.
- Have a UHCC designated as the student’s home campus.
- Enrolled in an AA degree program (includes AA in Teaching and AA in Hawaiian Studies) or selected AS or AAS degrees with an articulation agreement with a four-year campus to a specific program on the Automatic Admission program list.
- Cumulative GPA at the student’s home campus is 2.0 or above.
- Have greater than 45 credits that are 100 level and above, including earned or in progress credits.
- Have greater than 12 institutional credits (at the student’s home campus) that are 100 level and above, including earned or in progress credits.
- STAR Grad Requirements (overall requirements such as GPA and number of credits) are greater than or equal to 81 percent complete.
- STAR Core Requirements (courses required to fulfill the core requirements) are greater than or equal to 81 percent complete.
- Include students who were offered auto admission the previous semester who did not respond or who declined the offer and are not currently enrolled in a four-year campus.
- Exclude students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree.
- Exclude students who have current academic actions (suspension or dismissal) at a four- year campus from being offered admission to that campus.
- Exclude students who have been offered automatic admission five times.
Eligible Degrees for Automatic Admission
Automatic Admission Deadlines
Automatic Admission offers are made once a semester excluding summer. Students are given a total of 5 opportunities for the Automatic Admission offer.
| Semester | Offers Sent Via UH Email | Deadline to Accept Offer |
| For Spring Semester | September 1 | October 31 |
| For Fall Semester | February 1 | March 31 |
Auto Admit Programs Operating Guidelines (Updated 2024)
Procedures
- Check your UH Email for the offer of automatic admission.
- Log into STAR to accept your offer by the deadline.
NOTE: International students & students applying to a program with an earlier deadline should apply through the standard process first, then accept the Automatic Admission offer.
Pinning is a tool that helps you plan your academic path from a UH Community College to a four-year campus. It shows how courses from both 2-year and 4-year campuses fit together, allowing you to choose your future major early on and figure out the best time to transfer smoothly between schools.
Qualifications
- Completed at least 15 credits of 100-level transferable credits
- Minimum Cumulative GPA = 2.0
- Enrolled in an Associate of Arts degree
Students meet with their academic advisor/counselor or the Kaʻieʻie/Transfer Advisors to discuss possible 4-year degrees and PIN their intended 4-year major to their current academic pathway.
Deadlines
- Deadlines for pinning will follow the same timeline as Automatic Admissions (currently March 31/October 31 of the semester before they intend to transfer). However, it is highly encouraged to pin before this deadline to maximize transfer course planning.
Did you know you can apply for, and be enrolled, at UH Mānoa while completing your associate degree at Kauaʻi CC? Kaʻieʻie is a dual enrollment transfer program for students on a four year degree pathway to UH Mānoa. Watch this video to learn more!
If you want to transfer to UH Mānoa, ask your counselor to find out if you can be part of the Ka’ie’ie Program. To be part of the program, you must have completed at least 24 transferable credits, have earned at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and be a resident of Hawaii. You also need to apply and fill out the contract by the deadline.
Your $70 application fee and your $200 tuition deposit are waived. You will also be able to meet with a UHM counselor before you transfer. If you meet requirements, you will be eligible for admissions to University of Mānoa.
UH Mānoa Kaʻieʻie Transfer Advisor
Contact Jill Sur at 956-5563 or email sur@hawaii.edu. To make an appointment, go to STAR Balance, under “Specialized Academic Services” click on “Transfer to Mānoa (Jill)”.
The Kūkulu Transfer Student Program at UH Hilo is an initiative created for Native Hawaiian transfer students seeking holistic support in their academic and personal pursuits. This unique cohort program offers:
- Personalized peer mentorship
- Guidance and support with our dedicated Transfer Student Concierge
- Support through fellow cohort members in your shared transfer experience
- Tailored workshops; including off-campus and on-campus resources
- Exclusive internships and networking opportunities with both UH Hilo campus entities and community organizations For more information: Program Flyer.
To Apply click here. Contact the Kūkulu Transfer Bridge Program at kukulu@hawaii.edu or (808) 932-7418 if you have any questions!
Want to stay on Kauaʻi and pursue your degree online? UH offers over 60 online and hybrid certificate and degree programs supported by the University Center (UC) using a variety of technologies.
Papahana Wailau Ola is an online support program for transfer students entering the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu. Students will have the opportunity to attend culturally relevant workshops, mentoring, tutoring, and academic support services solely online in addition to their regular distance education degree or certificate program.
- Applicants who have completed 24 transferable college-level semester credits from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 2.0 GPA for residents, 2.5 non residents (based on a 4.0 scale); Some majors will require a higher GPA, or
- Associate in Arts degree or Associates in Science degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 2.0 GPA (based on a 4.0 scale).
- Students with an Associate in Arts degree in the liberal arts will be accepted as having completed general education requirements.
A Kauaʻi CC student planning to transfer to another campus should meet with their academic advisor to gather information on career interests, program availability, costs, financial aid, campus size, housing, student services, academic support, extracurriculars, climate, and transfer requirements. This info is often available online through college catalogs.
For transfers to non-UH campuses, students need to obtain application forms, request official transcripts from Kauaʻi CC, and complete any additional financial aid forms beyond the FAFSA. Course equivalency is determined by the receiving campus, so students should consult an Academic Advisor at the transfer campus for guidance on course selection.