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International Application Documents

You want your application results as soon as possible, and we want to make that happen.

Our requirements and deadlines are tailored to allow us to make admission decisions carefully and efficiently.

To help us deliver a swift result, we ask that your application be as complete and accurate as possible at the time of submission.

General Application Documents

What is a Transcript?

Academic transcripts are documents that include scores or grades for the educational courses you have completed during a specific period, such as:

  • Grade or mark sheets
  • School records
  • Diplomas
  • U.S. GED or HiSET certificates

Transcripts are created by the secondary school (high school), college, university, or technical school you attended.

Transcripts arrive at our office as either digital images or paper hard copies.

Official paper transcripts bear the school seal and/or include the Registrar’s signature.

A transcript must include all the following information:

  • Your name, the institution’s name, and the dates during which you studied there
  • Names of all the courses or exams you completed
  • Grades, scores, or marks earned for all completed courses
  • Diplomas, certificates, or degrees earned

You can submit transcripts for courses or degrees still in progress.

Check which transcripts or documents are required for your application type, as each program may have different requirements.

Official vs Unofficial Documents

The University of Utah classifies all transcripts as either official or unofficial.

During the application process, we can accept unofficial transcripts from secondary and post-secondary schools located outside the United States; however, we can only accept official transcripts from schools located within the United States.

Before starting classes you must submit official copies of all transcripts as well as any related proofs of graduation (diplomas or degrees).

If not submitted, a registration hold will be placed on your account preventing you from registering until all required documents are received.

Graduate Applicants

Graduate applicants may submit unofficial transcripts for both international and US-based schools during the application process.

After admission, all graduate students are required to submit official transcripts from all schools attended.

Paper Transcripts

Printed hard copy transcripts will only be received as official if they meet all the following requirements:

  • The transcript was placed in an envelope by the staff at the school which generated it
  • The envelope was closed completely with adhesive by the issuing school’s staff
  • University of Utah Office of Admissions staff are the only people to open the envelope

The envelope can be sent via mail or hand-delivered.

The University of Utah International Admissions Office address:

The University of Utah
International Admissions
201 South 1460 East, Room 250S
Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA

Service window hours:

Monday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Tuesday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Wednesday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Thursday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Friday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Digital Transcripts

Electronic transcript images will only be received as official through one of these certified digital document services:

When requesting your transcripts using any of these services, please use this email address if prompted: [email protected]

*PLEASE NOTE: Documents emailed to the University of Utah can only be accepted as unofficial, even if they are directly emailed by a school official.

CommonApp Documents

For freshman applicants, transcripts received through CommonApp can only be received as official when uploaded by an authorized school official who also includes an email address specific to that school. Transcripts uploaded to CommonApp with generic email addresses, such as Gmail, can only be received as unofficial.

Unofficial Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts are any transcripts that do not arrive directly to our office from the issuing institution. The following are some examples of unofficial transcripts:

  • A photocopy or digital scan of an official transcript already in the applicant’s possession
  • Documents sent to the University of Utah via email
  • A screenshot of an online grade report
  • A transcript in an open envelope, an envelope never closed with adhesive or which was placed in the envelope by the applicant themselves
  • Transcripts uploaded to ApplyYourself as part of a graduate application

English Language Translations

If documents are not originally issued in English, you must provide a certified English translation as well as all original language transcripts.

We don’t recommend or approve any specific translation service and suggests each applicant research and find a service that best meets their needs.

Translation services provide their certification documentation along with the English language translations.

Name Differences Between Documents

Your name may appear differently among various documents due to translation discrepancies, different cultural naming structures, etc. Please contact the International Office of Admissions through email to clarify and avoid delays in matching your documents to your application.

International Credit Evaluations

The University of Utah conducts in-house evaluations of all transcripts submitted to our office.

Our staff will convert your scores to a U.S. 4.0 GPA equivalent in order to reach an admissions decision.

This conversion is for in-house uses only and cannot be produced externally or distributed outside the University of Utah.

We do not accept a third-party transcript evaluation as fulfilling the transcript requirement for an application, though it can be accepted in place of a certified English language translation for a transcript.

Citizenship Documents

The citizenship section of your application is meant to ensure you are attributed the correct classification when admitted to the University of Utah.

Please clearly indicate which of the following pertains to your immigration status:

  • US citizen
  • Permanent residency
    • Include the correct “Date of Issuance,” as the current date will default and cause delays due to inaccuracy
  • Have applied for permanent residency
  • Refugee or Asylum status
  • Will attend on a visa (please indicate which visa)
  • Here under the (DACA) Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

We encourage you to submit documents pertaining to immigration status in one of the following ways:

  • Conventional Mail
    • You may mail any supporting documents to the International Office of Admissions.
  • In-person Drop Off
    • You may bring supporting documents to our service window located in the Student Services Building (SSB) on the second floor: International Admissions is window #6.
  • Fax
    • You may fax documents to (801) 585-7864.
    • Please send a follow-up e-mail to [email protected] to let us know that you have chosen this option and to ensure that we have received your documents.
  • Email
    • If you were previously a student at the University of Utah or, are a current student and still have access to your UMail account, you may send this information/documents using your UMail account.
    • Supporting immigration documents cannot be received via email other than through the official U of U email system.

Contact the International Office of Admissions if you have any questions.

Further information about immigration documents related to the I-20 process is available on the I-20 information page.

Undocumented Applicants

Applicants to the University of Utah who are undocumented, with or without DACA, will be considered for admission on the same basis as U.S. citizens or any other applicant.

Supporting Application Documents

History of Events

During the evaluation of your application, our office may request a history of events to explain gaps in the timeline of your educational history.

A history of events is simply a description of your activities, their duration, and location during a stated period.

Common explanations include employment, other educational activities, or humanitarian/military service.

If there are gaps in your educational history of 6 months or more, please include a brief explanation in your essay or comments section of your application to prevent processing delays.

Letters of Recommendation for Undergraduate Admissions

Letters of recommendation and admission essays are optional and can be submitted to our office by any means and in any format.

This information is not applicable to graduate students and they should refer to “Additional Documents for Graduate Students.”

English Proficiency Test Score

Our office can only include official English proficiency test scores when processing an application.

For your English proficiency test score to be included in the evaluation of your application, it must be received directly from the testing agency that administers the exam.

Copies of test results sent via email can only be received as unofficial and will not fulfill the English proficiency requirement.

You must arrange with ETS, College Board, ACT, or Duolingo for your test score to be submitted to our office for your file.

As an exception, you can email your IELTS results as our office can validate official test scores from a copy of your IELTS results and add it to your file.

Additional Documents for Graduate Students

Be sure to confirm with your department that you are meeting both Graduate School and department requirements for admission, as some departments may have additional requirements including:

  • Letters of recommendation
  • Resume/CV
  • Essays
  • Alternative test scores