There is no single "transfer" between BYU and the University of Utah. There are two different moves, governed by two different rulebooks, plus a third move that is far more common in this valley: between BYU and UVU, two miles apart. Each direction has its own deadline, its own way of reading your transcript, and its own catch.
The short version: moving among Utah's public schools (the U, UVU, Weber, USU and the rest) is protected by state policy. Moving into or out of BYU is not. BYU is private, so everything about a BYU transfer is decided course by course, on BYU's terms or on the receiving school's.
The rule that splits the map in two
The Utah Board of Higher Education's policy R470 binds the state's public colleges and universities. Under it, an associate degree earned at any public Utah institution meets the general education requirements of all the others, and general education courses approved at one public school are accepted at full value by the rest. Courses numbered 1000 and above earned anywhere in the system carry onto the receiving school's transcript.
BYU is not part of that system, in either direction. That has three practical effects:
- Going from BYU to the U or UVU, your general education is reviewed rather than guaranteed. UVU's transfer office says degrees from schools outside the public system "are reviewed individually and may not meet all requirements."
- Going from the U or UVU to BYU, BYU decides. Its registrar says completing general education at most accredited schools, usually shown by an associate degree or a letter of completion, waives most BYU general education, but not American Heritage, Advanced Written and Oral Communication, Languages of Learning, or BYU religion hours.
- A letter of completion takes nine credits. R470 says a student who arrives at a public Utah school with most general education from outside the system, BYU included, must complete at least nine credit hours at that school (or meet its residency and GPA rules) before it will issue a general education letter of completion.
One more rule applies everywhere: accepting credit is not the same as applying it. R470 entitles a transfer student to a clear explanation of the difference. A class can transfer as an elective and still not count toward your major.
Moving from BYU to the University of Utah
This is the move a student makes for a program, for Salt Lake City, or for distance from Provo.
Admission. The U's admissions page says "there is no minimum GPA to be admitted." In its Fall 2024 class, 1,522 new transfer students arrived with an average transfer GPA of 3.38 and an average of 59 transfer credits. Applicants with fewer than 30 transferable semester hours also send a high school transcript.
Deadlines. The U's transfer office lists February 1 as the priority date for fall and summer, April 1 as the deadline for summer and fall, and November 1 for spring. That is far later than BYU's December deadline, which makes a spring decision to leave BYU workable for the following fall.
Money. The U's Transfer Utah Flagship scholarship pays $5,000 a year toward tuition, for up to four semesters, to resident transfer students with a high GPA who completed a two-year program at a Utah college or its equivalent. Admission must be complete by February 1. Former U students are not eligible.
Credits. BYU courses are reviewed one at a time against the U's transfer equivalency guide. BYU religion courses, American Heritage and other BYU-specific classes may land as electives. Check your major's requirements before assuming the hours count.
Finishing. The U requires at least 30 semester hours earned at the U, and 20 of the last 30.
Tuition residency. A student who came to BYU from out of state does not automatically become a Utah resident for tuition at the U. Utah's residency rules, and how time spent in Provo counts, are in our in-state tuition guide.
Moving from the University of Utah (or anywhere) to BYU
Who counts as a transfer. BYU treats you as a transfer applicant if you completed at least 0.5 graded college credit after high school graduation. College credit earned only through concurrent enrollment in high school does not make you a transfer. Students who already hold a bachelor's degree cannot apply for a second one. Applicants with 90 or more graded semester hours are "unlikely to be admitted."
What BYU reads. BYU's transfer page says the admission criteria are the same for every entry date, and it gives separate instructions for applicants with fewer than 24 graded credits and those with 24 or more, so read the section that matches your record. Applicants self-report high school work and send official transcripts for all college work, including concurrent credit. Pass/fail credit, in-progress work and non-accredited credit, including Pathway Connect, do not count as graded credit, though you must still report it.
Deadlines. For Fall 2027, BYU lists December 15, 2026 (decisions February 15, 2027) and a later June 1, 2027 deadline (decisions June 28). Spring and Summer 2027 also close December 15, 2026. Winter 2027 closed August 3, 2026. All close at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time.
Money. BYU's transfer scholarship page says transfer students are not eligible for academic scholarships awarded by its Financial Aid Office on initial entrance, though some university and departmental awards may be considered. After one full 12-credit enrollment, you can apply as a continuing student by February 1. (BYU's main deadline page also lists a January 2 scholarship date for fall applicants of every type; if you are counting on aid, ask the Financial Aid Office which rule applies to you.)
Credits. BYU accepts courses from regionally accredited schools with a C- or better. Credit more than eight years old is accepted at the university's discretion. BYU publishes unofficial transfer guides for "some of our main-feeder schools" and a Transfer Evaluation request for everything else.
Finishing. At least 30 credit hours must be earned in residence on the Provo campus, out of 120 for the degree.
The Honor Code and endorsement. Every BYU student, member or not, agrees to the Honor Code and needs an annual ecclesiastical endorsement to register. For a student coming from the U, this is the biggest change in daily life, and our Honor Code explainer covers how it works now, including the August 2023 change to the endorsement interview.
The religion-hour scale
Religion classes are the most common surprise for students moving to BYU. BYU Religious Education scales the requirement to the hours you bring:
| Hours transferred to BYU | BYU religion hours required |
|---|---|
| 0 to 14 | 14 |
| 15 to 29 | 12 |
| 30 to 44 | 10 |
| 45 to 59 | 8 |
| 60 to 74 | 6 |
| 75 to 89 | 4 |
| 90 or more | 2 |
Three rules sit on top of the scale:
- The Cornerstones are required for everyone: The Eternal Family (REL C 200) and Foundations of the Restoration (REL C 225) have no substitutes; Jesus Christ and His Everlasting Gospel (REL A 250) and Teachings and Doctrine of the Book of Mormon (REL A 275) have approved substitutes. A student short on Cornerstones may need more than the scale says.
- Institute does not count toward residency. Institute credit must come on an official Church Educational System transcript, transfers as pass/fail, and does not satisfy the religion residency hours. Only religion courses taken through BYU Provo (including the BYU Salt Lake Center and independent study) count.
- Four per semester. No more than four hours of religion credit a semester count toward the requirement.
If you are at UVU and taking institute classes with an eye on BYU, the credit is still worth having for its own sake; our guide to the Institute of Religion at UVU explains what those classes are. Just do not count them as BYU religion hours.
Between BYU and UVU, the move two miles long
This is the transfer that happens most in Utah Valley, in both directions, often more than once.
UVU to BYU follows the BYU rules above. A student who finishes an associate degree at UVU arrives with most BYU general education waived, but still owes American Heritage, the advanced writing course, Languages of Learning and religion hours.
BYU to UVU is the easier door. UVU's model, by its own description, includes open admissions. Its transfer deadlines are August 1 for fall, December 1 for spring and April 29 for summer, with a June 1 deadline for transfer academic scholarships. Students transferring fewer than 24 college credits also send a high school transcript. UVU says credit evaluations are "typically completed within one week" after official transcripts arrive, and its online transfer guide shows how courses from other schools usually come in. Because BYU is outside the public system, a BYU general education package is reviewed rather than accepted whole.
Going back to BYU. A student who leaves BYU and wants to return files BYU's Former Students return form, not a transfer application. For Winter 2027 the form had two deadlines, August 3 and October 1, 2026; for Fall 2027, December 15, 2026 or June 1, 2027.
Students weighing the two local schools in the first place should start with BYU vs UVU, which covers admissions, cost and the governance difference underneath them.
The culture shift, both directions
The credits are paperwork. The culture is the part students talk about afterward.
BYU to the U means leaving a campus where nearly every rule of daily life is shared, for a large public university in a city. There is no Honor Code, no dress standard, no endorsement and no expectation that classmates share your faith. Wards are still assigned by address, so a Latter-day Saint student will have a young single adult ward wherever they live; what changes is that faith becomes a choice you make each week rather than the default around you. Many students moving north also change where they live. Our Salt Lake commute guide is useful if you are tempted to keep a Provo apartment and drive.
The U to BYU reverses all of that: the Honor Code, required religion classes, dress and grooming standards, and a social life that in Provo runs largely through student wards. Our transfer students guide covers that first year in Provo in detail, and the Provo YSA guide explains the ward structure that organizes so much of it.
And there is the rivalry. Moving between the two schools can mean changing which side of the stadium you sit on. Our Holy War explainer covers where it came from.
A checklist before you move
- Run every course through the receiving school's equivalency guide (the U's, BYU's transfer guides, or UVU's) and save the results.
- Ask the receiving school whether a general education letter of completion from your current school will be accepted, and get it issued before you leave if it will.
- Count residency: 30 hours at BYU, or 30 at the U with 20 of the last 30.
- For BYU, find your line on the religion-hour scale and check your Cornerstones.
- Mark the deadlines: BYU's December 15, the U's February 1 priority date, UVU's August 1 for fall.
- Read the scholarship rules before you leave a scholarship behind. Transfer students start over at BYU and compete for the U's flagship award by February 1.
For students comparing schools beyond these three, our guide to Utah's other colleges lays out the 2026-27 costs and distances for SUU, USU, Utah Tech, Snow, Weber, Westminster and SLCC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do BYU credits transfer to the University of Utah?
How many religion classes does a transfer student need at BYU?
When is the BYU transfer application deadline?
When is the University of Utah transfer deadline?
How many credits do you have to take at BYU to get a BYU degree?
How many credits do you have to take at the University of Utah to graduate?
Is it easier to transfer from UVU to BYU than to get into BYU as a freshman?
Can I keep a BYU scholarship if I transfer in?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- R470 policy text, Utah Board of Higher Education (copy posted by UVU). Checked October 20, 2026.
- Transfer and Articulation at USU, Utah State University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Transfer applicants, Brigham Young University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Transfer credit policy, Brigham Young University Registrar. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Transfer (catalog policy), Brigham Young University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Transfer guides, Brigham Young University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Admissions deadlines, Brigham Young University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Transfer students scholarships, Brigham Young University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Religion credit requirements, BYU Religious Education. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Undergraduate Education and Graduation Policy, Brigham Young University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Transfer Admission Standards, University of Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Preparing to transfer, University of Utah Transfer Student Success. Checked October 20, 2026.
- University Residency Requirement for Undergraduate Students, University of Utah Registrar. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Transfer Utah Flagship scholarship, University of Utah Financial Aid. Checked October 20, 2026.
- FAQ for Transferring to UVU, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Transfer Students (admissions), Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Legislative Fast Facts 2024, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
