An applicant for admission to the master's degree program must hold or expect to hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or its equivalent from a recognized institution of higher learning (see international credentials in the Graduate Admissions Application & Information Brochure and/or visit the Graduate Division's website for detailed information). The standards of the degree in question must be equivalent in both the distribution of academic subject matter and the scholarship achievement requirements to those maintained at the University of Hawai‘i. Professional degrees, such as the MD, DVM, and DDS, that are equivalent in depth to a U. S. bachelor's degree also qualify an applicant for consideration. At a minimum, the applicant needs to demonstrate above average academic performance (B average or its equivalent) for his or her undergraduate work and for any post-baccalaureate or graduate course work.

Individuals applying to the epidemiology specialization will be expected to have the academic background, experience, interests, and commitment for professional training in this field. While no specific undergraduate major is required, candidates should have completed one year of coursework in a biological science, chemistry, and at least one semester of calculus is recommended.To be eligible, an applicant must hold or expect to hold prior to matriculation a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or an equivalent degree from a recognized non-U.S. institution of higher education. At minimum, the applicant needs to demonstrate above average academic performance (B average, usually a 3.0 on a 1.0-4.0 scale) for undergraduate course work and for any post-baccalaureate or graduate course work. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score for master's degree applicants is 550 (79-80 for the IBT).