If there is an academic advising hold from the ELI on your account that is preventing you from registering for courses, here’s how to have it removed:
- If the hold says “ELI Placement Test,” please sign up for the test at this page. After we receive your registration, we will remove your hold within three business days.
- If the hold says “Take ESL 100 for FW,” please contact the ELI at uhmeli@hawaii.edu, or call 808-956-6946. Please have your full name and UH Identification Number ready. We will remove your hold and allow you to register for ESL 100. You can find out more about the University of Hawaii’s FW requirement at this webpage.
- If the hold says “Probably exempt,” please contact the ELI at uhmeli@hawaii.edu, or call 808-956-6946. Please have your full name and UH Identification Number ready. You may be exempt from ELI requirements, so please check this page for a list of exemption criteria.
The above holds are placed on students that are flagged to take ELI courses. All students who have English as their second language must clear the ELI by first taking the ELI placement test, which is held at the beginning of the Spring and Fall semesters. Based on your scores on the test, you will be placed into ELI courses or exempted from them. These courses must be completed within your first two semesters at UH Manoa.
Other standardized test scores, such as TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or SAT, may be used to exempt you from ELI requirements, if your scores meet a certain threshold. If you score lower than the exemption threshold, your scores will be used alongside your ELI Placement Test scores to place you into the highest level ELI courses possible. Please see this page for a full list of standardized tests that the ELI recognizes, and the scores required to be exempted. If you have taken a standardized test, please ensure that your scores are submitted to the admissions department and are showing in your STAR report. If you have taken one recently, you may send official scores to uhmeli@hawaii.edu as proof of your exemption status.
For any other questions about ELI requirements, registration, or credits, please visit this page and browse the many informational articles we have on ELI courses and policies. You may also contact us at uhmeli@hawaii.edu with any questions.