About 2,500 students from 70 countries comprise the diverse student body of Brigham Young University-Hawaii, a private, undergraduate university located on Oahu’s northeast shore in Laie about 35 miles from Honolulu.
BYU-Hawaii is operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with a focus not just on intellectual learning but also spiritual, moral and ethical enrichment as well as career preparation.
The university had its origins in 1955 as the Church College of Hawaii, a two-year college. By 1961 BYU-Hawaii was a fully accredited fouryear college, which was then elevated to the rank of university in 1974.
Just to the northwest of the campus is the Laie Hawaii Temple which was built in 1919 and is the fifth oldest Mormon temple in the world. The temple was a key step in the later establishment of the university.
Adjacent to the east side of the campus is the Polynesian Cultural Center which is owned and run by the university. About 700 students from the BYU work at the Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii’s top paid attraction, helping the students cover their school costs.
Not far from BYU-Hawaii are the famous surfing beaches of Oahu’s north shore including Waimea Bay and the Banzai Pipeline.