The University of Hawai'i at Hilo is one of ten branches of the University of Hawai'i System anchored by the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawai'i. The University of Hawai'i at Hilo is a public, co-educational university located in Hilo, Hawai'i in the United States. It opened in 1970 by an act of the Hawai'i State Legislature. The University of Hawai'i at Hilo primarily serves residents of Hawai'i but also enjoys a considerable international student body. It offers 33 undergraduate and three graduate degree programs for an average of 3,045 students served each year. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

The University's curriculum is especially strong in marine biology, volcanology, astronomy, and Hawaiian studies. One of its three graduate programs, the Masters of Arts in Hawaiian Language and Literature, is distinguished for being the first in the United States to focus on an indigenous language. [1]