Half of U of N Kona Students Are International

If you’re an international student, the Kona campus of the University of the Nations welcomes you. More than half of our students are international so you’ll feel at home here. We are one big multi-cultural family.

If you need help with your application, our Student Services Office has Spanish, French and Korean-speaking staff who can assist you. Just call 1-808 326-4433. Although some courses are translated into other languages, most U of N schools require you to speak and understand English. Please see the links on the right for more information. If your English skill is weak we encourage you to take our English as a Second Language School.

You will find that the state of Hawaii is also a multi-cultural place with many people from the Pacific rim nations of Japan, China, Korea, the Philippines, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The beauty and warmth of Hawaii also attract visitors from many other nations.

So come and feel the aloha (love and welcome) of our YWAM community and our island home.

Student Visa Information

Only two types of visa are available to students attending U of N, Kona, as mandated by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service.

The B-1 Visa is for those taking DTS Missionary Training (3 months) and serving as a Volunteer in Service to YWAM (2 months outreach field assignment).

The F-1 Visa is for those wishing to attend U of N, Kona for six months or longer. To qualify you must complete and return the Confidential Financial Information Form (with a bank statement showing you have enough funds to cover your study. Also required is a Report on Proficiency in English).

For help you can email our international student advisor at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Lower fees for students from developing nations

The campus has scaled back its school fees to make courses more accessible to students from developing nations.

"God has renewed in us a call to be both international and multi-cultural," said Associate Provost David Hamilton. "The rising cost of our schools over the years has made them less accessible to international students. To change that, we have overhauled our budgets to be able to significantly reduce tuition cost for those from developing nations."

International students already pay a higher price to get here because of travel costs. They also pay more than Americans in both time and money to comply with all the legal and visa requirements.

What does this change mean practically? Those from intermediate economies will end up paying $1,000 less per quarter; those from the poorest economies will see a reduction of $2,000 in the lecture phase. The cost for those from developed nations will remain the same, or see a slight decrease.

Students from developing countries may be eligible for additional financial assistance. Click here to download pdf application (you may need to right click) for more information or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Countries listing by Per Capita Income

The University of the Nations International, using information supplied by the United Nations and other sources, ranks countries in three categories (A,B,C) based on their per capita income. Under U of N Kona's fee schedule, students from B category nations will pay $1,000 less for their school fees than students from A category nations. Students from C category nations (per capita income of $5,000 or less) will pay $2,000 less than those from A category nations. For the full list and exact school fees contact : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

University of the Nations - Category of Nations