Admissions 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:
- Graduation: May 4, 2023
- 2023 Holidays: May 29, June 19, July 4, July 24, September 4, November 23-24, December 25
Application Components
The applications for spring and fall open on August 1st of each year. While you can apply to the program early in August, the Office of Graduate Admissions completes transcript evaluations in a particular order. A transcript evaluation is one of the admission requirements for the program and is used to confirm you have a cumulative 3.0 GPA. Here are the transcript processing timelines:
- Spring Start: August – December
- Fall Start: January – July
Applicants are encouraged to complete their program application at least two weeks prior to the regular admission period deadline (see Admission Deadlines for details). Please take the time to read through each admission requirement, so that you are prepared to complete the program application.
The University of Utah Residency Office determines residency status for tuition purposes. Please take the time to complete the questions pertaining to residency on the program application. You may contact the Residency Office with questions about your residency status.
Once your application is complete, it will be included in the bi-weekly committee review for an official admission decision. We define a completed application as submission of your application, submission of your video essay, a completed transcript evaluation, and both letters of recommendation received.
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.
MSBA applicants must have completed the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. An academic or employment background specifically in business is not required to apply for the MSBA program.
International applicants holding a three-year bachelor’s degree should contact the International Admissions Office to determine if additional coursework will be needed before applying to a graduate program.
Applicants must have earned their bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
For fall 2023, we can now accept third-party course-by-course transcript evaluations from these NACES members: https://www.naces.org/members. If you have a copy of your course-by-course evaluation, please email it to MSBAInfo@Eccles.Utah.edu.
For international applicants who attended an institution that did not use a 4.0 GPA scale, transcripts will be evaluated by University of Utah International Admissions officers. Your GPA will be converted to a 4.0-scale equivalent after you submit your application. A third-party transcript evaluation is not required.
The GMAT/GRE are optional for admissions. Applicants who have taken an exam may submit their official scores to strengthen an application.
Official scores can take up to four weeks to reach the university.
Submission codes for your test scores are as follows:
GMAT Code: K0R-S3-78
GRE/TOEFL Code: 4853
English language proficiency is required.
International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency and the ability to contribute to classroom discussion and interact with faculty and peers. Click here for more information and to find a list of countries where English proficiency may not be required.
The MSBA program minimum score requirements are:
- TOEFL: 85
- IELTS: 7.0
- Duolingo: 105
Score Reporting
Official TOEFL/IELTS scores take 2-4 weeks to reach the University, and official scores need to be received and processed before application deadlines. Please account for this timeline when scheduling exams and sending official score reports.
- Our TOEFL code is 4853 for the University of Utah. If the test does not give you a number code option, then please select the University of Utah. Do not select the David Eccles School of Business. This will ensure we receive your official score report. Please note that paper-based scores are not accepted.
- During or after the IELTS exam, you have the option to select the University of Utah to report your score electronically.
- Duolingo: Please log into your Duolingo account, select the “Send Results” button next to your test results, and select the University of Utah as the receiving institution.
F-1 Visa Information
- I-20 documents are required if admitted into the program. Admitted students must submit documents before posted I-20 deadline for their start term to ensure issuance of an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility.
- If you hold another visa type, most admitted students will be required to switch to an F-1 prior to beginning their 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.
Required Written Essay – 750 word maximum
Written essay prompts:
- Tell us about your interest in and experience with business analytics.
- Why are you choosing to pursue the MSBA 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 MSBA 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 MSBA program at the Eccles School is the right place for you?
- The MSBA program has been designed with the assumption that incoming students have prior preparation in statistics, usually (but not always) in the form of a college statistics course. Please tell us about your statistics background. What is your familiarity with statistical concepts and your comfort level with statistical calculations?
Optional Written Essay – 250 word maximum
The optional essay is truly optional and may be presented in 250 words or less. It should be used to address any weaknesses (low GMAT or GPA) or inconsistencies in your application. You may also use it to explain your choice of recommenders or to share any additional information you would like the admissions committee to know that hasn’t been previously addressed.
Tips for Essay Responses
- Keep answers in a business context and framework.
- Include citations for any sources, quotes, references, or figures included in your essay.
- Focus your energy on painting a concise, complete, and well-thought-out picture of who you truly are, rather than present what you think the admissions committee is looking for in response to essay questions.
Imagine you are at the MSBA orientation. Please submit a video recording of how you would introduce yourself to your new 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.
Videos should not exceed 60 seconds. Please email your video essay to MSBAinfo@Eccles.Utah.edu. It is preferred that you email a non-password-protected link to your video hosted on a platform such as Google Drive, Vimeo, Youtube. Or, if necessary, you can email a .mov or .mp4 file.
If a personal situation through the Americans with Disabilities Act precludes you from submitting a video, please contact MSBAinfo@Eccles.Utah.edu for alternate submission options.
Work Experience
The MSBA program does not have a minimum work experience requirement for admission; however, having relevant work experience can strengthen your application. Prior experience in analytics or statistics is not required for admission.
The online application will ask you to list in chronological order all colleges and universities attended, including the University of Utah, regardless of length of attendance. Include each college you have taken courses from, including concurrent enrollment, study abroad, and correspondence courses.
You will then be asked to upload an unofficial transcript for each institution of higher education you have listed, regardless of length of attendance. This includes the University of Utah. An unofficial transcript for each institution must be submitted separately, meaning notation of accepted transfer credit does not replace the need for an unofficial transcript from the university from where credits were transferred. Your application will not be considered complete until all unofficial transcripts have been received, so please attach unofficial transcripts for each institution of higher education you have attended before submitting your application.
Applicants must upload a copy of all post-secondary transcripts to their application. These transcripts will be used as working copies during the admissions evaluation process. Failure to list all schools previously attended or making false or misleading statements on the application may result in cancellation of admission status and/or loss of credit.
International Applicants
If you are uploading transcripts from an international institution, please make sure to upload individual marksheets. We cannot accept a consolidated marksheet for evaluation.
Notes
- Official English translations must be provided if the transcripts are only in the native language.
- If you are having trouble uploading your transcripts due to file size, please email your documents to MSBAinfo@Eccles.Utah.edu, note that your file size is too large and our office will assist you.
- Official transcripts are not required during the application process.
When you are ready to submit your application, you will be directed through a payment process. The application fee is $55 for domestic applicants and $65 for international applicants. Payment can be made via credit card or check. Please note that if you choose to pay by check, your application will not be reviewed until the payment is received.
An additional $30 fee will be charged for:
- Applications for spring submitted after November 1
- Applications for summer and fall submitted after April 1
If admitted, a $185 seat fee is due shortly after acceptance. For international applicants, a $300 seat fee is due shortly after acceptance. Fees are non-refundable.
For program success, students will need to have a solid academic background in statistics. All MSBA applicants are strongly encouraged to complete a statistics course prior to starting the program. Sample course option:
Candidates with two years of IT-related professional work experience will be given preference.