Oʻahu has four public community colleges in the University of Hawaiʻi system, and each serves a different part of the island. Honolulu CC sits in Kalihi-Pālama and supports technical programs across several specialized sites; Kapiʻolani is near Diamond Head and Waikīkī; Leeward’s main campus is in Pearl City with an additional west-coast education center at Waiʻanae Moku; Windward serves Kāneʻohe and the Koʻolau region. The City and County of Honolulu spans the island, so a guide for “Honolulu” can mean a long cross-island commute. Check the actual class address before choosing by city name.
How to apply. Most applicants begin with the University of Hawaiʻi application, select the appropriate college and term, provide the records the college requests and complete placement, advising and registration steps. Open admission at a community college does not mean every major is unrestricted: health programs, technical sequences and international-student routes may add prerequisites, tests or deadlines. If you are transferring, request official transcripts and ask how prior credits apply before repeating coursework. Start at the UH application portal, then follow the campus-specific checklists linked in the profiles below.
What does tuition cost? The four colleges publish the standard lower-division UHCC rate of $131 per credit for Hawaiʻi residents and $345 for nonresidents in 2026–27, with a separate rate for certain Pacific Island jurisdictions. At 12 credits, the base tuition is $1,572 or $4,140 per semester; campus fees, books, laboratory charges, transportation and housing are additional. Kapiʻolani publishes a $40 U-Pass charge for many in-person or hybrid students and separate activity and publication fees; charges differ at the other colleges. Honolulu CC’s full cost-of-attendance budget includes estimated housing and living expenses, so it is not the tuition bill. Compare the official schedules for Honolulu CC, Kapiʻolani, Leeward and Windward.
Financial aid and scholarships. File the FAFSA every academic year and list the college you plan to attend; each campus has its own federal school code and financial-aid office. Students may qualify for federal Pell Grants, state programs, work-study, institutional or private scholarships, and loans. Hawaiʻi Promise is a state program for eligible students enrolled at UH community colleges that may cover remaining tuition after other aid, subject to eligibility and academic-progress conditions. Scholarship applications have separate criteria and dates, so an award should never be treated as guaranteed. Ask the relevant office to review your aid year and program before building a budget. The Hawaiʻi Promise eligibility page explains the statewide program.
If English is still developing. Options differ by campus. Honolulu CC has a credit-bearing ESL sequence and HELLO, a noncredit adult-English route. Kapiʻolani offers ESOL courses that can be combined with some regular college classes, as well as an intensive English-only program aimed at international students. Leeward uses placement to guide students into ESL courses and has a separate international pathway. Windward’s EdReady assessment helps place students into the appropriate college-English or ESL course; it is not itself an intensive English program. Ask whether a course carries credit, how it applies to the intended credential and whether the level can be combined with general classes. Links to each current pathway appear in the campus profiles.
Degrees, credits and time. Associate degrees often require around 60 credits and are commonly planned across two years of full-time study, but that is a planning reference rather than a promise. Prerequisites, developmental coursework, selective admission, class availability and part-time schedules can extend the calendar. Certificates may be shorter: Windward’s published types span 4–23 credits for Certificates of Competence and 24–51 for Certificates of Achievement; Kapiʻolani’s program finder shows exact credit ranges for each major. Use the 2026–27 catalog and course schedule to check transferability, course sequence and which physical location hosts a class.
Getting to class and choosing a site. Honolulu CC’s Dillingham campus and its aviation, auto/diesel and marine sites are not interchangeable; its parking rules require permits or passes, with visitor time limits at the main campus. Kapiʻolani has limited permit parking and a public-transit fee for many in-person students. Leeward’s Pearl City visitors with official college business can use marked stalls for a limited time; Waiʻanae Moku has separate parking rules. Windward’s marked campus parking is free and bus route 61 serves the campus. Check TheBus and the college maps for the day and class time. The profiles below give each location’s address, phone, official route and verified site-specific details.
Four colleges share Oʻahu, but they do not share one admissions desk, one program catalog or one daily commute. Honolulu CC is especially oriented toward applied technical education; Kapiʻolani combines transfer study with culinary, health and hospitality programs; Leeward connects a broad degree catalog to central and west-side communities; Windward serves the Koʻolau region with transfer, science, veterinary and Hawaiian-studies pathways. Compare the credential, credit total, net cost, language support and classroom location together before enrolling.
Campus and teaching sites. Check the location where your class or service is actually offered: Honolulu CC — Main Campus, Airport Training Center, Automotive Technology and Diesel site, Marine Education and Training Center, Kapiʻolani CC, Leeward CC — Puʻuloa Campus, Leeward CC — Waiʻanae Moku and Windward CC. Specialized centers may host selected programs rather than the full college catalog, so confirm the class address before traveling.
Check current details and choose according to your budget, time and way of travelling.
Options to compare
These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.
Honolulu Community College — Main Campus
874 Dillingham Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96817
Dillingham Boulevard places Honolulu Community College in Kalihi-Pālama, a working, largely urban district between the downtown core and the airport side of the island. The main campus is the college’s broad academic base; three additional Honolulu CC training locations specialize in aviation mainte
The principal campus for student services and a broad mix of liberal-arts, technical, transportation, construction and service programs.
Honolulu Community College — Airport Training Center
140 ʻIako Place, Honolulu, HI 96819
The Airport Training Center is a program site, not a second general campus. Honolulu CC’s map locates Aeronautics Maintenance Technology in Building 52 at 140 ʻIako Place, near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The address matters to students in aircraft maintenance: the program’s practical in
A specialized Honolulu CC site for Aeronautics Maintenance Technology near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
Honolulu Community College — Automotive Technology and Diesel Mechanics
445 Kokea Street, Buildings 43–44, Honolulu, HI 96817
Honolulu CC’s automotive and diesel programs use a dedicated training site at 445 Kokea Street, in Buildings 43 and 44. The official map separates it from the Dillingham campus and lists Lot 8 alongside two distinct contacts: one for Automotive Technology and one for Diesel Mechanics. That division
A distinct Kokea Street teaching site for automotive technology and diesel mechanics, with its own program contacts and Lot 8.
Honolulu Community College — Marine Education and Training Center
10 Sand Island Parkway, Building 50, Honolulu, HI 96819
The Marine Education and Training Center sits at 10 Sand Island Parkway on Honolulu’s industrial harbor side, away from the main Dillingham campus and the visitor-facing center of town. Honolulu CC’s current campus map lists it as Building 50 and publishes a dedicated phone number. The institutional
A specialized Sand Island location serving Honolulu CC marine education and training; confirm the course and visitor access before travel.
Kapiʻolani Community College — Main Campus
4303 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, HI 96816
Kapiʻolani Community College occupies a 44-acre campus on Diamond Head Road, on the slopes of Lēʻahi and about a mile from Waikīkī. Its setting is scenic but the practical reason to choose the campus is its concentration of programs: culinary arts and hospitality, healthcare, liberal arts, education
A 44-acre campus near Diamond Head with culinary, healthcare, hospitality, liberal-arts and STEM pathways, plus credit-bearing ESOL.
Leeward Community College — Puʻuloa Campus
96-045 Ala ʻIke Street, Pearl City, HI 96782
Leeward’s Puʻuloa Campus is in Pearl City, on the central Oʻahu side of the college’s service area. The 49-acre site is the district’s main teaching campus and has the broadest mix of academic services: its Learning Commons brings together library access, tutoring, testing, disability services, comp
Leeward’s main campus in Pearl City offers a broad associate-degree and certificate catalog, learning commons, labs and student services.
Leeward Community College — Waiʻanae Moku Education Center
87-380 Kulaaupuni Street, Waiʻanae, HI 96792
Waiʻanae Moku brings Leeward Community College to the island’s west coast, where the Pearl City campus can be a long cross-island trip. The college describes it as a full-service education center and posts a current Fall 2026 schedule, a local contact and links to classes, services and partner progr
A full-service west-coast education center with current credit and noncredit classes, student support and a local point of access to Leeward CC.
Windward Community College — Main Campus
45-720 Keaʻahala Road, Kāneʻohe, HI 96744
Windward Community College serves Kāneʻohe and Oʻahu’s Koʻolau region from a single main campus at 45-720 Keaʻahala Road. The 2026–27 catalog describes a college that combines transfer education with programs shaped by Hawaiʻi’s land, culture and workforce: associate degrees in liberal arts, Hawaiia
The Koʻolau region’s public two-year college campus, known for liberal arts, Hawaiian studies, natural sciences, veterinary technology and small-scale learning spaces.
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Main Campus ↗
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Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Airport Training Center ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Airport Training Center ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Airport Training Center ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Automotive Technology and Diesel Mechanics ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Automotive Technology and Diesel Mechanics ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Automotive Technology and Diesel Mechanics ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Marine Education and Training Center ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Review the program finder ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Honolulu Community College — Marine Education and Training Center ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Kapiʻolani Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Kapiʻolani Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Kapiʻolani Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Kapiʻolani Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Review the complete fee table ↗
Primary source
Kapiʻolani Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Compare ESOL pathways ↗
Primary source
Kapiʻolani Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Kapiʻolani Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Kapiʻolani Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Kapiʻolani Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Kapiʻolani Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Leeward Community College — Puʻuloa Campus ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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degrees and certificates ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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current catalog and class schedule ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Review the ESL program ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Leeward Community College — Puʻuloa Campus ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Leeward Community College — Puʻuloa Campus ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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View the center’s current schedule and contact details ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Leeward Community College — Waiʻanae Moku Education Center ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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check the catalog ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Leeward Community College — Waiʻanae Moku Education Center ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Leeward Community College — Waiʻanae Moku Education Center ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Windward Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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2026–27 program catalog ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Check current tuition ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Read the placement guide ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Windward Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Windward Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Windward Community College — Main Campus ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Hawaiʻi System · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
City and County of Honolulu · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Hawaiʻi System · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Kapiʻolani Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Honolulu Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Kapiʻolani Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Leeward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
City and County of Honolulu · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Kapiʻolani Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Windward Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.