University of Hawaii at Manoa

Founded in 1907, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is the flagship campus of the University of Hawaiʻi System. A destination of choice, students and faculty come from across the nation and the world to take advantage of UH Mānoa's unique research opportunities, diverse community, nationally-ranked Division I athletics program, and beautiful landscape. Consistently ranked a "best value" among U.S. colleges and universities, our students get a strong education at an affordable price.

UH Mānoa was founded in 1907 under the Morrill Act as a land-grant college of agriculture and mechanic arts. Regular classes began the following year with President John Gilmore at the helm and five freshmen, five preparatory students, and 13 faculty in temporary quarters near Honolulu's Thomas Square. In 1912 the newly-named College of Hawaiʻi relocated to Mānoa Valley and the first permanent building—known today as Hawaiʻi Hall—was erected amid pig farms and kiawe groves.The college became the University of Hawaiʻi in 1920 with the addition of a College of Arts and Sciences. The Territorial Normal and Training School (now the College of Education) joined the University in 1931.The University continued to grow throughout the 1930s. The Oriental Institute, forerunner of the East-West Center, was founded in 1935, bolstering the University's mounting prominence in Asia-Pacific studies. In 1939, the first student union building was erected through financial contributions from the community.