Admission Requirements

Have a quick 15 min. question? Our admission team is available for questions during online drop-in office hours. Click the link below to join our Zoom meeting room. (Mountain Time)

Online drop-in hours:

Monday: 1 – 3 p.m.
Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Wednesday: 2 – 4 p.m.
Thursday: 9 – 11 a.m.

Drop-in office hours will be unavailable on these dates:

  • 2023 Holidays: Dec. 25, 26, 29
  • 2024 Holidays: Jan. 1, 15, Feb. 19, May 27
  • Graduation: May 2, 2024
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Application Components

Please complete the MSIS online application to be considered for the program. In the Academic Program section of the application, select Information Systems MSIS from the dropdown list.

The application for spring and fall enrollment opens each year on August 1st. Applications for the spring enrollment period will be evaluated first and during the months of August through December. Applications for the fall enrollment period will be primarily reviewed during the months of January through July.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early and at least two weeks prior to the final deadline. Once your application is complete, your application will be included in a committee review for a program admissions decision. We define a complete application as having received two letters of recommendation, and if applicable, receipt of a third-party transcript evaluation and an official English language proficiency exam score. Committee reviews are typically held every two weeks.

The University of Utah Residency Office determines residency status for tuition purposes. You must apply for reclassification to qualify for in-state tuition. Please follow their instructions and deadlines for reclassification. Note you must reclassify before you start the program, as reclassification will no longer be an option for you once you begin the program.

The David Eccles School of Business seeks candidates who are professional and ethical. These behaviors are considered when making admission decisions. Candidates are expected to demonstrate professional and ethical conduct and disposition in their interactions with program staff, fellow students, and faculty.

Applicants must have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.

International applicants must have an equivalent four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. International applicants are required to have their transcripts evaluated by a NACES-approved third-party transcript evaluation company (more details can be found in the International Applicants- Additional Requirements section).

Applicants must have earned a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their undergraduate degree.

International Applicants must complete additional admissions requirements.

Transcript Evaluation

To confirm you meet the bachelor’s degree and minimum GPA admissions requirements, you must work with a NACES-approved third-party evaluation company and send a course-by-course evaluation to us. We recommend that you work with WES because they can complete your course-by-course evaluation in seven business days after they receive all your documents. To ensure that we receive your course-by-course evaluation in time, it’s best to have this step completed at least 4 weeks prior to the final deadline.

While we only require a course-by-course evaluation of your bachelor’s degree, you may have completed a 3-year degree with a 1-year post-baccalaureate degree.  If this is the case, you are required to include the 1-year post-baccalaureate degree in your course-by-course evaluation. International applicants holding a 3-year degree do not qualify for the program.

Please email your course-by-course evaluation to MSISinfo@eccles.utah.edu.

If you are admitted to the program, you are required to submit your official transcript(s) from the institution(s) you attended and earned a bachelor’s degree. Official English translations must be provided if the transcripts are in another language.

English Language Proficiency

International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency and the ability to contribute to classroom discussion and interact with faculty and peers. You can find more information about this requirement, as well as a list of countries where English proficiency may not be required here.

We accept the following English language proficiency exams with minimum scores.

  • TOEFL (iBT or computer version only): 90
  • IELTS (IELTS Academic only): 7.0
  • Duolingo: 115

While you may meet the minimum score requirements, this does not guarantee admission into the program. If you score below the minimum, you must re-take the exam before the final deadline.

It takes approximately 2-4 weeks for Utah Admissions to receive and mark the official TOEFL and IELTS scores as having been received. It takes approximately 7 business days for Utah Admissions to receive and mark the official Duolingo scores as having been received. Please account for this timeline when scheduling exams and sending official score reports.

Make sure to send your electronic official English language scores the right way to avoid delays.

  • TOEFL– You can either use the school code, 4853 or select the University of Utah to send your test score. Do not select the David Eccles School of Business.
  • IELTS– During or after the exam, select the University of Utah to repost your score electronically.
  • Duolingo– Log into your Duolingo account, select the “Send Results” button next to your test results and choose the University of Utah as the receiving institution.

I-20 Documentation for F-1 Visa

If you are admitted into the program, you are required to submit I-20 documentation by the appropriate I-20 deadline. The minimum financial amount that you must provide for the I-20 is not equivalent to the program’s tuition and fees. The program cost is higher than the I-20 cost. Without an F-1 Visa, you cannot start the program. Learn more here.

If you are on another visa, it’s in your best interest to consult with an immigration attorney and confirm you can enroll in a graduate program. Note you can only do OPT if you are on an F-1 visa. If you decide to switch to an F-1 visa, you will need to complete this step prior to starting the program.

Applicants are required to obtain two letters of recommendation that demonstrate their unique abilities and experiences pertinent to the graduate program. The Admissions Committee would like to see details about your relevant abilities and experiences, especially those related to the field of study.

  • We accept professional or academic recommendation letters. Select recommenders who can speak specifically about the quality of your work. Whether the letter is from an employer or academia, it’s preferable for the letter to include details on your experience in your chosen degree of study.
  • We do not accept letters of recommendation from family or friends.
  • We may verify your recommenders by phone. Falsified application materials will disqualify your application to the program.

Applicants must complete a short essay. We highly suggest that you write your short essay in Word to avoid misspellings, grammatical errors, and formatting issues, and then, copy and paste it into the short essay text box in the application.

Short Essay

In 300 – 750 words Tell us about your interest in and experience with information technology. Why are you choosing to pursue the MSIS program at this time in your career and what do you hope to achieve while in the program? What goals do you have after the program, and how will the MSIS degree help you achieve them? Tell us about the personal qualities and/or experiences that make you a strong candidate for the program. Why do you think the MSIS program at the Eccles School is the right place for you?

Optional Essay

You can upload an optional essay to address any perceived weaknesses in your academic transcripts or application. We strongly encourage applicants to complete the optional essay if your GPA is below our admitted average or if you failed and/or repeated courses on your transcript.

Imagine you’re at the MSIS orientation. In 60 seconds, introduce yourself to your peers and faculty members. Include any personal and/or professional aspects that you believe are significant. Additionally, include one interesting thing about yourself that is unrelated to your work/field of study. Your video should not exceed 60 seconds.

In the application, please upload your video in one of the following video formats: 3g2, .3gp, .avi, .m2v, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .mxf, .webm, .wmv. We will not accept audio, slide, document formats, nor links (even though these are listed as options).

  • Submit a current, chronological resume. (Resume Guide)
  • Only include professional work experience. The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission defines professional jobs as those that usually require a college degree.
  • You may include internship experience if it is related to your graduate program of study.
  • The MSIS program does not have a minimum work experience requirement for admission; however, any relevant work experience can strengthen your application.

The MSIS program does not have a minimum work experience requirement for admission. However, candidates with two years of IT-related professional work experience will be given preference.

In your application, you are required to list all higher education institutions you’ve attended and provide unofficial transcripts for each institution. While we can accept unofficial transcripts during the admissions stage, the unofficial transcripts must include: the name of the school, your full name, semesters, course numbers, course titles, course grades, semester GPAs, and cumulative GPA.

International applicants please see the International Applicants- Additional Requirements section for transcript details.

Application Fee Details:

  • You’re required to pay a non-refundable application fee to submit your online application. Domestic applicants must pay $55.00 and international applicants must pay $65.00.
  • Applicants who apply during the rolling deadline will pay an additional $30.00. This charge will be applied after Nov. 15 for spring submission and after April 1 for summer and fall submission.
  • We only provide a limited number of application fee waivers per cohort. We will raffle a couple of application fee waivers to those who attend an Information Session.

Seat Fee Details:

  • If you’re admitted into the MSIS program, then you must pay a non-refundable seat fee. A domestic student is required to pay $185.00, while an international student must pay $300.00. Your payment will secure your place in the program and go toward paying a portion of the total tuition bill that is due in the first semester.
  • If you submit a complete application before the priority deadline you are not required to pay a seat fee.

While this program doesn’t have any prerequisites, applicants who are new to information systems are strongly encouraged to complete the free, online CLEP Information Systems course offered by Modern States Education Alliance.

Academically high-achieving students have the option to bypass the admissions committee and receive an admission decision sooner. Qualified Fast Track applicants are no longer required to attain letters of recommendation.

To qualify for Fast Track, you must meet these requirements at the time of application.

  • Must be a David Eccles School of Business Undergraduate in Information Systems Alum
  • Minimum 3.2 IS GPA
  • Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA

If you qualify for Fast Track, simply mark “yes” to the Fast Track question in your application. Please note that the admissions coordinator will verify that you meet the Fast Track requirements. If you don’t qualify, you will be asked to provide two letters of recommendation and your application will be put through to a committee review.

Undergraduate information systems students at the David Eccles School of Business are eligible for the BS/MS Program. Learn more.

Applicants who feel they have weaknesses in their application, can take either the GMAT or GRE. Please know this is optional and not a requirement. Do not submit official scores to us if you didn’t perform well. A composite score of 600 in the GMAT or 315 in the GRE is considered strong. If you would like your GMAT or GRE to be included as part of your admissions decision, we must receive them in time for a committee review, as well as before the final deadline.

Official scores can take 2 – 4 weeks for the university to receive them. Request ETS to send the official GRE score using either the school code, 4853, or the school’s name, University of Utah. Request GMAC to send the official GMAT score either using the school code, K0R-S3-78, or the school’s name, University of Utah.

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