Frequently Asked Questions

High School Students:

It is possible to be admitted as a not-matriculated/non-degree seeking student and get credit for a course. However, the Credits and Admissions Committee has determined that while high school students can be admitted as a non-matriculated students, they are not eligible to take online courses. They must take in-person courses at a U campus. Non-matriculated students can take any classes they have met the pre-requisites (if there are any). So for example, a student wanting to take an entry level 1010 course could do so no problem. But if that student wanted to take a 3000 level course that required a previous 2000 level course, then the student would need to provide some evidence of having taken the 2000 level course. This is usually done by submitting a transcript. There really is not set maximum number of credits a student can take as a non-matriculated student, but many schools will limit the number of non-matric credits that they will apply to a degree program later on. For example, the U will only apply up to 30 credit hours of non-matriculated credits towards a degree. So students will want to be careful of this.

Foreign Students:

Yes. You can apply as a non-matriculated student and take UOnline courses if your country has favorable trade relationships and/or treaties with the US. You would do your computer-based exams in your home with a virtual proctor. Follow the steps for non-matriculation entry here.

All Others:

To begin a course of study with UOnline we must be approved in your state of residence to offer our programs.  You can find out if you are approved by visiting our State Authorization page.  Then you must complete an application for admission and be accepted into the University.  If you are a current student at the University you may register for an Online course just as you register for any course.

The University of Utah  has continuously maintained accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) since 1933. Accreditation through NWCCU means that the institution meets the Commission’s established standards of educational quality and effectiveness.

• More information about the University’s general accreditation
• The University also provides program specific accreditation

Welcome to the world of online learning. Before you enroll in an online course, take some time to think about yourself as a learner and see whether your characteristics would help you be a successful online learner. Your answers to these questions can help you decide whether or not to take an online course. You can also talk to your adviser before you decide.

Online Readiness Questionnaire by Penn State University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:

Start quiz

If you are a main campus student, it is possible to take both on campus and online classes simultaneously. You would register for the online classes the same way that you register for on campus courses through CIS. When you are registering for a class, simply look at the "Class Attributes" to see if the class has an "ONLN" designation. The ONLN designation means the class will be online and the instructor will communicate with you via Canvas. Please note you may not register for classes in the Online Campus. The class schedules can found here: https://registrar.utah.edu/Catalog-schedules.php

UOnline students may only take classes in the Online Campus. UOnline students wishing to take on-campus courses will need to switch their status to become a main campus student. Additional questions about this can be sent to uonline@utah.edu.

Yes! Academic departments at the University of Utah determine whether courses taken at another school are equivalent or comparable to courses taught at the University of Utah. This process is called “transfer articulation”. The transfer articulation guide provides information on how courses articulate between Utah schools. This guide is specific for the University of Utah and identifies articulated courses; it does not indicate how these courses might apply to a major and/or institution graduation requirements. Please reference our Getting Ready Guides for more information about how courses transfer into a specific major.

We have agreements in place with all the Utah State Institutions of higher education and BYU-Idaho (Articulation Guides) that can inform you as to what credits will transfer to the U. If you have taken any courses after high school at a college or university, you will fill out the “Transfer Student” application. However, if you have fewer than 30 credit hours you will need to submit your official college and high school transcript as well as your ACT or SAT scores.

You must apply and be admitted to the University in order to take any for-credit, online courses. Students registering for online classes follow the University of Utah’s standard registration procedures. Nondegree-seeking and main campus students will register for Main Campus online classes (usually section 90 classes). UOnline students will register for Online Campus classes (usually section 290 classes). It is not possible for main campus students to register for Online Campus courses, nor can UOnline students register for main campus classes. Class schedules can be found here: https://registrar.utah.edu/Catalog-schedules.php

Online courses follow the regular semester schedule just like our on-campus classes. They start the first day of the semester and end 16 weeks later. You will often have exams, such as a midterm or a final, which need to be completed within specific timeframes. All coursework and its corresponding timeframe are outlined on a syllabus you can access electronically. These courses are not like an independent study program where you can take 9-12 months to complete the material and information. Online classes simply don’t have a required meeting time or place; instead you access class media, readings, discussions, and assignments over the internet through your computer or mobile device. The online environment lets you ask questions, build connections with classmates, and virtually access university services.

There is no cap on the number of credits a University of Utah student can earn through online offerings – with the exception of special regulations for international students on campus or residing in the United States. The University’s International Student and Scholar Services can explain online credit limitations for international students.

Yes, most international students on campus can take UOnline courses, however please be aware that students on an F-1 visa may only take a limited number of online credits in a semester.  Please visit the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) website or speak with an ISSS advisor before registering to ensure you understand the applicable rules for your visa.   

There are limited scholarship opportunities for international students. Students applying to attend the University of Utah on an F-1 student visa are not automatically considered for merit-based scholarships and do not qualify for federal (U.S. government) financial aid.  The majority of scholarship opportunities would come from individual departments or programs, however they are generally reserved for continuing students, meaning they would not qualify their first semester or first year. There are a few departments that will award scholarship money to incoming first year students: College of Engineering, Business Scholars, and talent awards from the College of Fine Arts (dance, music). The deadlines to apply for these are generally early in the cycle and all require additional applications/materials. Most departments offer major specific scholarships to students once they have declared their major and meet some minimum criteria (GPA, etc.)

Yes. If you want to take the course for credit, you need to apply to the University. You can apply through this link: http://admissions.utah.edu/apply/.

Individuals who have completed at least 30 semester credits from a regionally-accredited college or university after high school should apply as transfer students. Test credits (AP, IB, CLEP, Language, etc.) do not apply toward the 30 semester credit requirement. Concurrent enrollment will also not be included in the 30 semester credit requirement unless the student has attended another college or university for at least one semester after high school graduation. The 30 required hours need to be completed at the time of application.

Yes, you must already be a Registered Nurse in order to complete this program. You would have already earned your Associates of Nursing.

That is something that the Department Advisor would determine. Please contact the specific advisor for your program as it is subjective and the same policies don’t apply across all majors. To see the list of Advisors, click here: https://advising.utah.edu/academic-advising-appts.php.

Yes, you must have transcripts from every institution you have previously attended, even if it was just one course. You must also have “official” transcripts sent from the institution to our Office of Admissions directly. You cannot be the one to send them over. 

We go by the University Academic Calendar each semester, but you can see the upcoming and previous two semesters through this link: https://online.utah.edu/credit-class-schedule/. As soon as it is live on the University website it will be live here.

Yes! Our advisors are very familiar with working with students that are not close to the campus. You can meet via phone call or through our “face-to-face” virtual appointments with our new Cranium Café system. All of our UOnline Academic Advisors are very responsive to emails as well. You can find their contact info on the program page: https://online.utah.edu/ug-programs/index.php.