Transfer Student FAQ - Academic Advising Center

Application and Admission

Learn about transfer admission criteria at the Office of Admissions website.

There are three basic steps for application to the U.

First fill out an application. This can most easily be done online.
You must also have transcripts sent from all previous schools.
Finally, you must pay an application fee, which can also be done online.

Learn all the steps from the Office of Admissions.

The Admissions Office will begin processing your application once all fees and supporting documents have been received. In busy times, processing can take 3 to 4 weeks.
Don't wait for the deadline. Apply early!

It is wise to begin applying at least a semester before you plan to attend the U. You want to have plenty of time for your application to be processed and to get signed up for an early Orientation session. This will allow you to register with the rest of the students at the U. The following are good guidelines for early admission:

For Fall Semester: Apply in January or February
For Spring Semester: Apply in September
For Summer Semester: Apply in January

No! You want to apply as early as possible! Admissions will evaluate you based on the course work that you have already completed. You can send your complete transcript after all your grades are posted.

You will receive an acceptance letter from the Office of Admissions if you have been admitted. A "Summary of Transfer Credit" showing all the coursework that has been accepted will also be sent, as well as information on how to sign up for a Transfer Student Orientation.

You will be eligible to register once you have

Confirmed your intent to enroll by paying your Enrollment Deposit.
Met with an academic advisor.
Attended a Transfer Student Orientation. You will receive information in the mail on how to arrange to attend an orientation session, or you can visit the Orientation web site for more information. Don't delay attending an Orientation; the earlier you attend, the better your options for selecting classes will be.

Housing Information

Many housing options are available through Housing and Residential Education. Qualified transfer students may choose between apartments, single or double occupancy dormitory-style rooms, as well as a wide variety of Living Learning Communities for different academic specializations. Registered students may apply for housing through the "Housing U" link on their CIS webpage.

Transferring Credits to the U

The University of Utah accepts all non-remedial credits with grades of D- or higher from Utah State System of Higher Education (USHE) institutions. For students applying for the Spring 2023 term and after, the Office of Admissions will accept all out-of-state transfer courses from US regionally accredited institutions as long as the courses are non-remedial, non-graduate level, or have not been applied to a previous bachelor’s degree. Advisors from the Academic Advising Center can evaluate transfer work to see if it can be used to clear any Bachelor's Degree requirements. A student's major department will evaluate transfer work for applicability to major requirements. It is important to meet with your departmental advisor as soon as possible to discuss these requirements.

Majors at the U

The University offers over 80 undergraduate academic majors, more than 50 teaching majors and minors, and several certificate programs from which students can choose to build their own unique academic experience.

It is expected that you choose one of these majors by the end of your sophomore year (60 semester hours) or within one year of entering the U of U. You must meet with the departmental advisor of your major who can formally admit you to your degree-granting college.

You can research departmental home pages online.
Look at major information sheets which provide a quick summary of major requirements.
You can also meet with any departmental advisor for the programs you are interested in pursuing.
Finally, you can look through the U general catalog.

A restricted major is one that requires a student to go through some sort of acceptance process to enter that program. This acceptance is separate from your initial admission to U. and will require some sort of additional application to your major department. The requirements for acceptance to these restricted programs are varied but can include: completion of prerequisite classes, GPA, personal statement, portfolio, and volunteer/work experience. Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Nursing, Education, Architecture, Communications, and Pharmacy are just a few examples of restricted majors at the U.

It is important that transfer students think about a major before or as soon as they begin at the University of Utah. Students are expected to declare a major by the end of their sophomore year (60 semester hours) or within one year of entering the U of U. If you are still undecided, check out these Major Exploration Resources OR make an appointment with an Academic Advising Center Advisor at 801-581-8146.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

The best resources for exploring financial assistance at the U is the web site for our Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Transfer students should pay particular attention to the scholarships offered by their major department and home college.

Graduation and Degree Requirements

The University Graduation Requirements at the U consist of 2 parts:

General Education

General Education includes course requirements in the areas of Fine Arts, Humanities, Physical & Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Writing, American Institutions, and Quantitative Reasoning.

Bachelor Degree Requirements

The Bachelor Degree requirements make up the second part of the University Graduation Requirements. These include an upper division Communication/Writing requirement, a Diversity course, an upper division International course, and either two upper division Quantitative Intensive courses or foreign language courses, depending on what type of degree you are seeking.

The University Graduation Requirements therefore add up to a total of 14-16 courses depending on the degree and major that you are seeking.

Note: If you are considering a major in the College of Engineering, there are specific General Education requirements that need to be met, and you should see a departmental advisor as soon as possible.

View the Undergraduate Studies Bulletin.

An Associate of Science (AS) or an Associate of Arts (AA) degree (not an Associate of Applied Science) or an Interstate Passport or Certificate of Completion from an accredited Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institution will waive your General Education requirements. U of U Bachelors Degree requirements are not cleared by these degrees and certifications.

An Associate of Science (AS) or an Associate of Arts (AA) degree (not an Associate of Applied Science) from an out-of-state institution should clear the Writing and Intellectual Exploration requirements (Fine Arts, Humanities, Physical & Life Sciences, and Social Sciences). Students transferring from out-of-state may also clear the Quantitative Reasoning and American Institutions requirements if they are transferring in comparable classes.

If you think a transfer course could fill a University General Education or Bachelor’s Degree requirement, make an appointment with a full time advisor in the Transfer Program by calling 801-581-8146. Be sure and bring a course description and syllabus to your appointment. If you think a transfer course could fill a major requirement, take a course description and syllabus to your departmental advisor.

Upon admission to the U, you will receive a summary of transfer credit that will identify which transfer courses were applied to these graduation requirements. Once you are accepted, you may also access the My Degree Dashboard Audit to determine which requirements you have satisfied.

Degree Audit is an audit that University of Utah students may access over the web, listing university graduation requirements and what you have completed up to the current time. To generate an audit you will need to login to the Campus Information System. The report also lists major requirements; however, you will want to work closely with your departmental advisor to determine applicability of transfer work. Learn how to run an audit here.

The length of time you spend at the U depends on a variety of factors, such as the number of units transferred, your major, and personal factors.