Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Mandatory advising is a 30-minute appointment each semester for all students that have completed less than 60 credits (freshmen and sophomores), transfers (first semester only) and returning students (first semester of return). This is an opportunity to connect with an Advisor and review degree requirements, resources, opportunities, and answer any questions you may have.

The College of Natural Sciences will email you during the 4th week of each semester to notify you that it is time to complete your Mandatory Advising. Registration Holds are placed if advising is not completed prior to the deadline.

We recommend scheduling your meeting with your advisor early in the semester!

If you are changing your major to one within the College of Natural Sciences:

You can change your major by completing the Major Declaration Form. The Dropbox link to submit the form is at the top of the same page.

Keep in mind that you may need to meet with a major advisor (Astronomy, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Information and Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics) prior to completing the major change.

If you are changing your major to one outside of the College of Natural Sciences

You will need to meet with an advisor from the college you wish to change to. You can find a list of all College Advisors here

If you are adding a second or third Major, you will need to complete the UHM-3 Multiple Majors Application form and submit to the CNS Dropbox.

To declare a Minor or Certificate, complete the Verification of Minor/Certificate form.

To view a list of all Minors and Certificates offered at UH Mānoa click here.

Focus requirements identify important additional skills and knowledge necessary for living and working in diverse communities. Courses fulfilling Focus requirements are offered in departments across the curriculum and vary each semester.

To meet a Focus requirement, a course must have an official UH Manoa Focus designation during the semester in which it is taken. Courses taken outside the UH System cannot be used to fulfill Focus requirements. Instead, non-UH System transfer students’ Focus requirements are adjusted according to the number of credit hours awarded by UH Manoa for non-UH System courses. Click here to learn more.

We recommend meeting with an Advisor if you are unsure about how to find focus requirements or where to schedule them in your academic plan.

Helpful Links Focus Requirements at UH Mānoa.

If you are having an error when registering for a course that you meet the requirements for, you may need to request permission for an override to enroll in the course.

For overrides visit here

When you are waitlisted for a course you are essentially waiting to register for a class. This does not mean you will automatically get a seat! Instead, it means that if a seat becomes available, you will be notified via email that you can register. Remember, you will only have 24 hours to register once you are notified of the available seat, so check your hawaii.edu email regularly.

We recommend that you find an alternative to the course you are waitlisted for just in case you don’t get into that class. If you need help discussing your options, you can always schedule an appointment with your advisor.

Learn helpful information on waitlists here: What to know about Waitlists

You will complete the Time Conflict Override Request Form. This form is used for requesting to take classes that are scheduled at the same time. Each instructor must write how they will accommodate you with the overlapping courses and approve the form. Be aware that instructors are not required to approve Time Conflict Override Requests and they may not if they feel it would compromise your learning.

Time Conflict Override Form

If you cannot obtain a Time Conflict Override, please contact us so we can try to help you find an alternative solution.