University of Hawaiʻi JABSOM MD Admissions Guide (2027)

Quick facts

• Entry cycle: Fall 2027; JABSOM publishes an exact 2027 cycle timeline. 2027 timeline
• Location: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. Admissions requirements
• MCAT: Required; January 2024 through September 30, 2026 exams are valid for regular admission. Steps to apply
• PREview: Required on a 2026 exam date, with October 31, 2026 as the last regular-cycle date. 2027 timeline
• Resident priority: Applicants with strong Hawaiʻi or Pacific ties receive first priority; two of five residency-screen criteria are needed to be treated as a resident for application purposes. Residency screening
• Interview: Three virtual interviews: two assigned interviews and a final interview with the Director of Admissions or another committee member. Steps to apply

Admission requirements

Applicants must complete 90 semester or 135 quarter credits at an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution. Foreign-institution credits and third-party credential evaluations are not accepted, though foreign coursework appearing for credit on an accredited U.S., territorial or Canadian transcript may be processed through AMCAS. Admissions requirements Admissions FAQ

Science prerequisites are one academic year each of general biology with lab, general physics with lab, general chemistry with lab and organic chemistry with lab, plus one biochemistry course without a lab requirement. Prerequisites must be complete before matriculation. JABSOM accepts accredited U.S. or Canadian online lecture courses and continues to accept online labs taken from 2020 until further notice. Admissions requirements Admissions FAQ

For Fall 2027 regular admission, valid MCAT dates are January 2024 through September 30, 2026. The required AAMC PREview exam must be taken on a 2026 exam date, no later than October 31, 2026. The most recent MCAT is used for screening. JABSOM publishes no minimum GPA or MCAT score. Steps to apply 2027 timeline Admissions FAQ

Applicants submit a committee or composite recommendation, or at least two individual letters, through AMCAS. The secondary fee is $150 and JABSOM does not waive it through the AAMC Fee Assistance Program. Steps to apply

International, DACA and nonresident applicants may apply. International applicants must complete at least 90 semester credits at an accredited U.S. or Canadian school. JABSOM says about 10 of its 77 seats may go to nonresidents. Admissions FAQ

Important dates

For Fall 2027, verified AMCAS applications begin arriving June 26, 2026 and JABSOM secondaries begin in July. The Early Decision AMCAS and transcript deadline is August 3, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Regular interview invitations begin in September. 2027 timeline

September 30, 2026 is the last valid regular-cycle MCAT date. October 31, 2026 is the last valid PREview date. Regular AMCAS is due November 2, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, and transcripts are due November 16, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. 2027 timeline

All interviews are complete by February 5, 2027. Plan to Enroll opens February 19, decisions are scheduled for March 12, Commit to Enroll opens April 30, JABSOM's Commit to Enroll deadline is May 14 and the class begins July 12, 2027. 2027 timeline

The exact JABSOM secondary submission deadline is not published on the timeline or steps page. Applicants should follow the date in their invitation and confirm it directly with the Admissions Office.

How selection works

All applicants first complete a residency screen and an academic screen. The residency screen measures ties to Hawaiʻi or specified Pacific Islands using five criteria: the applicant's legal residence, parents' legal residence, birthplace, high-school location and college or university location. Two of five points are required to be treated as a resident for application purposes; fewer than two means nonresident. The initial screen determines status and does not itself eliminate an applicant. Residency screening

After AMCAS and the secondary are evaluated, selected applicants complete three interviews. All interviewed candidates are reviewed and rated by the Admissions Committee. JABSOM is not generally rolling: review is completed in March and most final notifications follow at the end of March, though a few applicants may receive an earlier acceptance. Steps to apply Admissions FAQ

JABSOM's first priority is applicants with strong ties to Hawaiʻi or Pacific Islands. It describes a class of 67 resident applicants and about 10 nonresidents; nonresidents must be highly ranked and preferably have Hawaiʻi ties. Residency screening Steps to apply

The school does not publish numerical academic or interview weights, screening cutoffs, interview score anchors, assessor calibration, a committee-vote rule or a final score-combination formula.

Interview details

Confirmed

All interviews are virtual and take place from August through early February. Applicants complete three interviews. Two are assigned with a clinical or basic-science faculty member, physician, JABSOM alumnus, medical-community member or fourth-year medical student. The final interview is with the Director of Admissions or another Admissions Committee member. Steps to apply Admissions FAQ

The Fall 2027 timeline says all interviews will be complete by February 5, 2027. 2027 timeline

Not published

The current pages do not publish interview duration, whether each interview is one-to-one or panel, file access, question categories, preparation time, scoring rubric, weights, assessor calibration, committee-vote mechanics or final score-combination method.

Who this program may suit

JABSOM's residency process reflects a mission to train physicians for Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. It gives first priority to applicants with strong ties to those communities and uses a distinct application-residency screen rather than relying only on tuition residency. Residency screening

Applicants should explain sustained knowledge of a community, the health needs they have observed and how their experiences support service in Hawaiʻi or the Pacific. Nonresident applicants should be especially specific about genuine ties and contribution. ʻImi Hoʻōla is a separate post-baccalaureate pathway associated with JABSOM, not a duplicate MD school record.

Practice and next step

Record one response to the featured prompt as if speaking to a JABSOM faculty member or community interviewer. Name the community, the health or access issue, what you learned from people affected, your role and how the experience changed your thinking. Avoid making a claim of Hawaiʻi or Pacific connection that your record cannot support.

Review whether the response shows cultural humility, evidence and accountability. Record it again with one improvement, then compare both attempts. Practise on the virtual setup you will use and remain ready for follow-ups from interviewers with different roles.

Frequently asked questions

What are JABSOM's Fall 2027 deadlines?

Regular AMCAS is due November 2, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern and transcripts November 16. The last MCAT date is September 30 and the last PREview date October 31. 2027 timeline

What is the interview format?

Three virtual interviews: two with assigned faculty, physicians, alumni, community members or fourth-year students, then a final interview with the Director of Admissions or another committee member. Steps to apply

Does JABSOM accept international applicants?

Yes. International applicants must complete at least 90 semester credits at an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution. About 10 of 77 seats may go to nonresidents, including international applicants. Admissions FAQ

Is there a minimum GPA or MCAT score?

No published minimum. JABSOM uses the most recent MCAT for screening and requires both the MCAT and PREview within its cycle windows. Admissions FAQ

Sources

Verified August 11, 2026. Current official sources used:

• Admissions requirements — credit, prerequisite, MCAT and PREview requirements.
• Fall 2027 cycle timeline — exact 2026 application and 2027 decision/matriculation dates.
• Steps to apply — AMCAS, exam windows, secondary fee, letters, virtual interview structure and committee review.
• Residency screening — Hawaiʻi/Pacific priority and five-factor application-residency screen.
• Admissions FAQ — course policies, no score minimum, international/DACA eligibility, letters, interview roles and nonrolling process.