Questions & Answers

Why are scholarships so important?
Few things say more about the strength of a university than its students. With decades of rising educational costs, student financial needs have been redefined. The competition for today’s top students is keener than ever, and the U must remain competitive in attracting and keeping the best students, while providing financial assistance to those particularly deserving of help.

What size gifts are being requested for scholarships?
Gifts at all levels, both endowment and annual, are welcome and needed. From $25 to $125,000 or more, every gift will make a difference!

How large a gift is needed to establish a named scholarship?
Gifts of $10,000 or more can be designated to establish a named endowed scholarship. The annual earnings from the endowment will fund the named scholarship in perpetuity.

How much should I contribute to fund an annual scholarship?
A gift in the range of $1,000 to $1,500 will pay approximately one-third to one-half of the required annual tuition for a Utah resident student carrying a typical course load of 12 semester hours.

What if I can’t afford to give a gift of $1,000 or more?
There is no set minimum. Scholarships at all levels provide important recognition for students. They are a vote of confidence that can inspire and encourage students to achieve their educational goals. New annual scholarships of $500, for example, boost the ability of the U to recruit and retain students.

Can I designate a college, department, or program to receive my gift?
Yes. Your scholarship gifts can be unrestricted to be applied to an endowed scholarship fund. Or you may designate your suport for any academic area of the U or special programs such as Honors, international study, diversity, research, athletics, performance opportunities, health-care programs, and many more.

Can I make a gift to a scholarship that already exists?
Yes, we encourage you to direct additional resources to named scholarships that have already been established at the U in honor of family members, outstanding faculty, or others. Also, if you were the recipient of a particular type of general scholarship, such as a Presidential Scholarship or National Merit Scholarship, you may wish to designate your gift for the scholarship fund that helped you.

What is the cost for an undergraduate student to attend the U?

Undergraduate student (Utah resident):
With a typical course load of 12 semester hours, annual tuition and fees total approximately $3,400.

Undergraduate student (nonresident):
With a typical course load of 12 semester hours, annual tuition and fees total $10,500.

In addition, books can range between $600 to $1,200 annually for undergraduate students.

What does it cost to pursue a graduate degree at the U?
Graduate education is more costly than undergraduate education at the University of Utah, as is the case at colleges and universities nationwide. To remain strong in its quality graduate programs, the U seeks to raise additional monies for stipends and fellowships to help recruit and retain top participants and to expand the diversity of the graduate student body.

Graduate student (Utah resident):
With a typical graduate course load of 12 semester hours, annual tuition and fees total approximately $3,900.

Graduate student (nonresident):
With a typical graduate course load of 12 semester hours, annual tuition and fees total approximately $12,200.

Tuition costs vary for students enrolled in graduate programs in schools and colleges at the U such as architecture, business, education, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, health, physical therapy, and others. Books are $600 to $1,200 annually.

How can I fund named scholarships?
Named endowed scholarships can be funded through outright gifts of cash, securities, or through planned gifts, such as bequests, trusts, gifts of life insurance, or other means.

"When they reach college, Honors Program students have already learned how to hold a job and earn a paycheck. For a few short years in college, they need the freedom to let their intellect roam, uninterrupted by the demands of a job. And they need more than time in the classroom. They must read, think, confront different values, and discover the difference between books and real life. Scholarships allow that freedom."
— Richard D. Rieke, former director of Honors Program, University of Utah