UH Hilo has 5 residence halls. Each of them has a Hawaiian name that begins with the word “hale” which means “house” in Hawaiian: Hale Kauanoe, Hale Kanilehua, Hale Kehau, Hale ‘Ikena and Hale ‘Alahonua. Don’t worry about how to pronounce the names: you will quickly learn how to say them, as well as many other Hawaiian words and phrases.

Almost all of the rooms on campus are shared rooms, meaning that you will share a room with one other student. Hale ‘Alahonua, the newest dorm on campus, has private, individual rooms with bathrooms and a common area that are shared with a few other students. Hale ‘Ikena is the only residence hall that has a kitchen, so students who live in Hale ‘Ikena are not required to be on a meal plan. To live in Hale ‘Ikena, you must be at least 21 years old or have at least 30 transfer credits.