Admission Requirements
Online Drop-In Office Hours
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)
Summer online drop-in hours:
Monday: 1 – 3 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 – 11 a.m. (Note: Drop in hours are not available on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. Our office is closed for a team retreat.)
Drop-in office hours will be unavailable on these dates:
- 2024 Holidays: May 27, June 17, July 4, July 24 (Utah state holiday), Sept. 2, Nov. 28-29, Dec. 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 a bi-weekly committee review for an official admission decision. We define a complete application as not only a submitted application, but also letters of recommendation, and if applicable, a transcript evaluation and an official English language proficiency exam score 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.
MSF 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 or finance is not required to apply to the MSF program.
International applicants holding a three-year degree do not qualify for the program. To be considered for the program, you must complete an additional year of college work from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent in your home country. You may contact IAO@utah.edu to determine the number of credits required to satisfy our four-year degree requirement.
Applicants must have earned their bachelor degree with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
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 MSF-Masters@Eccles.Utah.edu.
International non-resident students are required to attend the program full-time (9 credits minimum).
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 info and to find a list of countries where English proficiency may not be required.
- Applicants should note that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the graduate program. Those who score below the minimums must schedule to re-take the exam well before the international final deadline. The University of Utah reserves the right to request additional proof of English proficiency from an applicant. Applicants may be required to complete a video interview.
The MSF program minimum score requirements are:
- TOEFL (iBT or computer version only): 90
- IELTS (IELTS Academic only): 6.5
- Duolingo (effective March 26, 2021): 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
- Once admitted to the program, students are required to provide I-20 documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions before the I-20 document deadline for the term they are applying. Learn More
- 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.
Statement of Purpose Essay 1 – 750 word maximum
In no more than 750 words, describe why you are choosing to pursue an MSF degree. You may include information about what you hope to achieve while in the program and mention goals for after the program. The intent of this essay is to convey to the Admission Committee how the MSF will contribute to your goals, and how you will in turn contribute to the program. 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.
Optional Essay – 250 word maximum
The Additional Information section of the online application gives you the opportunity to address any perceived weaknesses in your academic transcripts or application. We strongly encourage students to utilize this if your GPA is below our admitted average, or if you have failed or repeated courses on your transcript. You are welcome to contact the admissions team before submitting your application if you have questions.
- 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.
- In your online application, you will be asked to list all colleges or universities you’ve attended, and to provide unofficial transcripts for each. The college or university name needs to be on your transcript.
- Please ensure the following information is included on your unofficial transcripts: your full name, the name of the school, semesters, course numbers, course titles, grades, semester GPAs, and cumulative GPA.
- Official English translations must be provided if the transcripts are in another language.
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.
Seat Fee Details:
-
If you submit a complete application before the priority deadline, you are not required to pay the non-refundable seat fee. We define a complete application as having received all application requirements, including two letters of recommendation from a professional or academic source, and if applicable, a completed transcript evaluation from WES, and an official English language proficiency exam score that meets the program requirements. You will receive email confirmation once your application is considered complete and ready for review. If you apply after the priority deadline, you must pay the seat fee to confirm your enrollment in the program.
If admitted, your seat fee payment will be applied to your first semester’s tuition.
Students are required to have completed the following prerequisite courses with a C or better prior to applying and receiving an admission decision. Work experience cannot substitute the completion of prerequisites.
Prerequisites:
- Introductory Accounting
- U of U BCOR 3010, ACCTG 5050 (offered online), or equivalent
- Financial Management
- U of U BCOR 3020, FINAN 5050, or equivalent
- or
- Series 7 License
- or
- CFA Level I
The program has two co-requisites that can be taken as part of the graduate courses in the program. The admissions team will evaluate your transcript(s) to find equivalent courses taken.
Co-requisites:
- Statistics
- U of U OIS 2340, FINAN 6510, or FINAN 6510
- Intermediate Excel
- U of U FINAN 4020 or FINAN 6040
Prerequisites and the co-requisites are in addition to the graduate course requirements and will not count toward program completion. Prerequisites and co-requisites are subject to change.
Academically high-achieving students have the option to bypass the admissions committee and receive an admission decision sooner. Qualified Fast Track applicants also waive the following application requirements:
- Letters of recommendation
- Statement of Purpose
In order to qualify for Fast Track, you must meet these requirements at the time of application:
- Minimum 3.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA
- Must have already completed the prerequisite courses (see above) with a B or higher
Fast Track instructions:
- In the online application and within the David Eccles School of Business Supplement section, type “Fast Track” in the question that asks what admissions path you qualify for.
- In order to bypass the required Recommenders section, for the name values in recommendations one and two, put MSFFT. For the two email address fields, put MSF-Masters@Eccles.Utah.edu and MSF-MRED-Masters@Eccles.Utah.edu.
- In order to bypass the required Statement of Purpose section, upload a Word doc with the following typed at the top: FAST TRACK APPLICANT.
Please note that letters of recommendation submitted with Fast Track applications may not be reviewed.
Please contact us with any questions.
- Take your time writing a thoughtful Statement of Purpose. Ask a friend or two to read through it to ensure it makes sense and conveys what you want it to.
- Ensure you have all of your unofficial transcripts ready for your application. Did you take concurrent enrollment courses in high school? We will need those transcripts as well.
- If there is a circumstance that you would like the admissions team to be aware of while reviewing your application, consider answering the Optional Essay question asking about any perceived weaknesses in your application.
- Have questions about any component of the application? Email MSF-Masters@Eccles.Utah.edu.
Fall 2022 Class Profile
Employed at Start of Program
59%
Non-Finance Majors
74%
International Students
49%
Countries Represented
37
Class Size
73
Average GPA
3.50