Admissions

At the Eccles School, we’re looking for accomplished individuals who have a strong interest in exploring the intersecting landscapes of finance and business. Each MSF application is carefully evaluated, and much detail, time, and effort goes into each admission decision. We are dedicated to making the application process as seamless as possible.

Let’s Connect

Meet with Admissions

Our MSF admissions team is happy to help with any questions or concerns you might have about the application process, admissions requirements, or scholarships.

Our team is available by email and virtual appointment. Arrangements can be made for an in-person meeting and tour of the Eccles School locations.

Contact

MSF-MRED-Masters@Eccles.Utah.edu
David Eccles School of Business
Robert H. and Katherine B. Garff Building, Room 2350

Online Drop-In Office Hours

Have a quick question? Drop-in during our online office hours:

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

Drop-in office hours are unavailable on these 2024 dates:
Feb. 19, May 27, June 17, July 4, July 24, Sept. 2, Nov. 28-29, Dec. 25

Application Deadlines

Domestic Applicants

Spring Semester
Priority Deadline September 1
Final Deadline December 1
Fall Semester
Priority Deadline May 1
Final Deadline July 1

International Applicants

Spring Semester
Priority Deadline August 31
Final Deadline October 2
Fall Semester
Priority Deadline February 1
Final Deadline April 1

Priority Deadline

By submitting a complete application by the priority deadline:

  • You will receive an early admission decision.

  • If admitted, you will have first pick of course offerings.
  • If admitted, you will not be required to pay a seat fee. Seat fees are normally $185 for domestic applicants and $300 for international applicants.

International Exception

International applicants who do not require a new F-1 Visa may be able to apply after the international deadline. Please contact MSF-Masters@Eccles.Utah.edu to learn more.

Admission Requirements

Please complete the MSF online application to be considered for the program. In the Academic Program section of the application, select Finance MSF 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 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. 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 can find more details pertaining to this requirement 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

You must obtain a course-by-course evaluation from WES to confirm you meet the bachelor’s degree and minimum GPA admissions requirements. They can complete your course-by-course evaluation in seven business days after they receive all your documents. Add the University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business, Graduate Programs as a recipient so we can view your transcript in the WES portal.

To ensure that we receive your course-by-course evaluation in time, it’s best to complete this step at least 4 weeks before 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.

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 lower 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 two short essays. We highly suggest that you write your short essays in Word to avoid misspellings, grammatical errors, and formatting issues, and then, copy and paste it into the short essay text boxes in the application.

Short Essay 1

In 300 – 750 words tell us about a time you overcame adversity. What did you learn from the experience? How have you applied what you learned to your life?

Short Essay 2

In 300 – 750 words why are you pursuing the MSF? Explain how graduate school will contribute to your career goals.

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.

In two minutes or less introduce yourself to the admissions committee and share with us something you’re passionate about. How have you worked to develop that passion. Your video should not exceed two minutes.

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.

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 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 submit a complete application before the priority deadline you are not required to pay a seat fee.

Prerequisites

Applicants are required to complete 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 are in addition to the graduate course requirements and will not count toward program completion.

  • 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

Corequisites:

Corequisites can count as part of your elective credits in the program.

  • Statistics
    • U of U OIS 2340, FINAN 6510, or FINAN 6510
  • Intermediate Excel
    • U of U FINAN 4020 or FINAN 6040
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.

  • Minimum 3.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA.
  • Must have already completed the prerequisite courses with a B or higher.

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.

You have the option to complete the program with online and in-person classes to combine the flexibility of online teaching with the advantages and direct engagement of traditional teaching. This flexible way of teaching improves your overall experience and your ability to retain what you learn. If admitted, your Academic Advisor will work with you to plan your hybrid schedule.

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