Advanced Juris Doctor (AJD) Program FAQ
Fall 2025 Classes begin
August 25, 2025
The William H. Richardson School of Law is located in the heart of the East-West crossroads as the only law school for more than 2,000 miles. With the welcoming spirit of aloha, Hawaii’s Law School is immersed in a vibrant cultural landscape, balanced on a delicate ecosystem, and essential to the survival of our community and region. It is the perfect place to study environmental law, Asia-Pacific international and comparative law, Native Hawai‛ian law, and environmental and indigenous law.
AJD applicants are not required to take the LSAT or GRE scores.
Applications open in September and we accept applications on a rolling basis until June 1. Applications received after June 1 will be considered if space is available and applications received by February 5 will be given priority consideration for scholarships.
AJD students pay the same tuition as JD students. See our Law School Tuition web page for current tuition information.
Yes!
The Frank Boas Scholarship
- Limited funding open to international students, students in the Pacific Asia Legal Studies (PALS) Program, and students involved in international law. The application for the Boas Scholarship is included in the AJD application.
The East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship
Application deadline: December 1
- Open to graduate students from Asia, including Russia, the Pacific, and the United States
see complete list of countries here - Applicants will complete a Law School application and an EWC Graduate Degree Fellowship application
- Eligible participants can apply to the Fellowship before receiving admission to WSRSL
UH Foundation Scholarships
UH Mānoa Scholarships
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- open to U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens
- WSRSL federal school code: 001610
Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)
- Open to applicants from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam
- Applicants may qualify to pay pay 150% of the resident tuition.
Fulbright Scholar Program
International Education Financial Aid
Additional External Funding Options for International Students
For additional funding sources and information please visit our Financial Aid page.
Yes! For information and eligibility, please visit:
For on-campus and off-campus housing information, please visit the following websites:
UH Student Housing Services
Off-Campus Housing Options
East-West Center Housing
RISE Housing
UH Housing Resources
Yes! AJD graduates receive the same degree as other JD students and are eligible to take the bar examination in all U.S. jurisdictions, if they meet the other requirements for admission.
Yes! AJD graduates receive the same degree as other JD students and are eligible to take the bar examination in all U.S. jurisdictions, if all other requirements for admission are also met.
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Yes! Please note, however, that students may only enroll in LLM courses that were taken as part of the their AJD program with the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Permission might be granted in cases where the law has significantly changed or that the content of the course is sufficiently different.
You can reach out to our AJD Program directly.