Student Handbook

2024-25 Student Handbook (8/19/2024)

Forms

Information Requests

• Information Request Form for Law Students: This form may only be used by current Law students and is required for requesting letters of good standing and enrollment verification. Law students who are applying to other degree programs at UH Mānoa may also use this form to request copies of undergraduate transcripts on file with the Law School to be sent to the other UH degree program.
• Information Request Form for Alumni [PDF, 182KB] – This form may only be used by Law alumni to request letters of good standing, enrollment verification, bar certification, and other information requests.
• Third Party Requests for Enrollment & Degree [manoa.hawaii.edu] – UH Mānoa has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to provide degree and enrollment verifications. Third parties (e.g., employers, background screening firms, etc.) should visit the National Student Clearinghouse [studentclearinghouse.org] or call 703-742-4200.
• Official Transcript Request Form [manoa.hawaii.edu] – Official transcripts must be requested through the UH Manoa Registrar’s Office.  Follow the instructions set forth by the University of Hawai‘i Office of the Registrar [manoa.hawaii.edu].

Registration

• Audit Request Form for Law School – Required for law students to audit law courses. Professor signature required. Audit credits are included in your tuition bill and count against the maximum number of credits that law students are allowed to register for per semester. If the maximum number of credits allowed are exceeded, students must also complete and submit a Credit Load Request Form to increase credit maximum. ​Submit the completed form to the Law Registrar. If requesting to audit a non-law course, complete the Audit Request Form for UH Manoa [manoa.hawaii.edu] and submit to UH Manoa Registrar.
• Change Grade Mode Request Form – Required for law students who wish to change a grade mode for a law course (e.g., from letter grade to credit/no credit). The student must obtain permission from the professor to change the grade mode of the course prior to submitting the form. The form will be routed to the faculty for approval and then to the Law Registrar. This form may also be completed by students who wish to take up to 6 credits of elective courses that are offered for letter grade on a “Credit/No Credit” basis. Students who are in their first semester of their first year as a JD student should not complete this form.
• Credit Load Request Form – Approval required for Full Time students who wish to enroll in fewer than 12 credits (full-time); or for limited approval to increase semester max credits above 18 for non-JD credits (applicable only for dual degree programs/non-law graduate certificate program).  Approval required for Evening Part Time Students who wish to enroll in fewer than 9 credits or more than 11 credits.
• Directed Study Approval Form – Required for enrolling in Directed Study. Student must consult with the supervising faculty before filling out this form. The form will be routed to the supervising faculty for approval before being sent to the Law Registrar. Students who would like to apply for an additional 1 credit directed study related to a moot court team must submit this form during the Spring semester, per academic year. If completing an approved, supervised Directed Study to fulfill the Upper Division Writing Requirement, this purpose must be indicated in the submitted form.
• Graduate Course Approval Form – Required for any law student requesting to receive JD credit for graduate coursework (600 or higher) taken at UH Mānoa. See Academic Regulations for exceptions. This form must be submitted prior to the last day of the “In-person restricted withdrawal” period. Must be taken for letter grade, but will be entered as CR/NC in Law School Records, and will not count towards calculation of Law GPA. Upon successful completion of the course (receipt of a grade of ‘C’ or better), the Law Registrar will transfer the credits and count them towards the completion of the student’s law degree.

Enrollment

• Change of Status Form  Required for changing law student status from Full Time to Part Time, or Part Time to Full Time. ABA standards prohibit any student working more than 20 hours per week while enrolled in 12 credits or more in a semester. This form is sent to the Associate Dean of Student Services; then to the Law Registrar’s Office for action.
• Dual Degree Notification Form – Required for law students who are pursuing a dual degree. Students must complete this form prior to the start of classes in the other degree program.
• Summer School Approval Form – Required for approval to attend and to transfer credits from summer programs at other ABA-accredited law schools. This form is sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for approval. Approval of this form is required before meeting with the Financial Aid Manager about summer school financial aid. A separate application process is required if requesting financial aid for attendance at another institution.
• Visiting Another Law School Approval Form – Required for law students who are requesting to visit another law school in the Fall and/or Spring semester. This form must be submitted and approved prior to commencing studies at the other law school. This form is sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for approval.

Administrative

• Absence Form [Kuali Form] – Use this form to notify the Associate Dean for Student Services of an absence.
• Change Address & Phone [manoa.hawaii.edu] – Law students are responsible for providing the University with current and personal contact information.
• Leave of Absence Application [PDF, 76KB] – Required for any Fall or Spring semester for which a student is requesting to not enroll in classes and take a leave of absence. Submit this form to Associate Dean for Student Services for approval.
• Petition for Tuition Status Change [PDF, 89KB] – Complete this form and return it to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Office of Admissions, 2600 Campus Road, Rm 001, Honolulu, HI 96822-2385 or manoa.admissions@hawaii.edu. Please contact the Office of Admissions [manoa.hawaii.edu] with any questions. 
• FERPA Release for Letters of Recommendation Request Form [PDF, 102KB] – Please use this form when requesting letters of recommendation from faculty. Also available in downloadable Word Format [DOC, 37KB].

For Graduating Students

• Prospective graduates will declare their intention to graduate and to order a diploma on their STAR account. $30 fee required. Application must be completed in January for Spring and Summer graduates and in September for Fall graduates. More information and the form will be received from the Law Registrar’s Office.
  *LLM students: choose ‘LLM Law’ for Major and ‘Law School’ for School or College
• Graduation Checklist [PDF, 92KB] – Review important reminders in preparation for graduation.
• Inviting Family Members Abroad to Commencement

For Non-Law Students

• Classified UH Graduate Student Application Form [PDF, 129KB] – Required for non-law UH graduate students requesting to enroll in a law school course.
• Professional Auditors Application Form [PDF, 93KB] – Required for non-law professional auditors who are requesting to take law classes. Please allow at least 10 business days for processing.