This page is for a high school athlete visiting BYU or Utah Valley University, and for the parent or two who came along. The program will plan part of the weekend. This page is about the rest: the campus tour you can book yourself, the questions about daily life that a recruiting schedule rarely answers, and how to fill the hours before your flight home.
First, which kind of visit is this?
University compliance offices summarize the NCAA definitions this way: an official visit is one "financed in whole or in part by the member institution," and an unofficial visit is one "made at the prospective student-athlete's own expense." On an unofficial visit, your family pays for the flights, the hotel and the meals. Rules about what a school may provide, and when coaches may meet you, vary by sport and change often, so ask the program's compliance office rather than relying on anyone else's summary, including this one.
Either way, the coaches' part of the weekend is theirs. The plan below is for the hours around it.
BYU and UVU, side by side
| BYU (Provo) | UVU (Orem) | |
|---|---|---|
| Campus tours | 75 minutes, Monday to Friday, schedule online ahead | Up to 90 minutes, Monday to Friday 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Wednesday 6 p.m., register online |
| Visitor parking | One-hour lot at the Hinckley Center; overflow at the Museum of Art lot | Paid visitor lots west of the Fulton Library and in the garage to its southeast |
| Conference | Big 12 | Big West, starting 2026-27 |
| From SLC airport (est.) | About 50 miles, 1 hour | About 45 miles, 58 minutes |
The two campuses are about 12 minutes apart by OpenStreetMap routing estimate (OSRM), so families looking at both can do both in one trip. Our BYU vs UVU page compares the schools beyond athletics.
Friday: the campus as a student, not as a recruit
The admissions tour. It sounds redundant on a recruiting trip, but the athletics tour shows you the facilities; the admissions tour shows you the university you would attend if your sport ended tomorrow. At BYU, the 75-minute tours run Monday through Friday and must be scheduled ahead online; get a parking pass from the Hinckley Center receptionist. At UVU, the tours run weekdays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Wednesday at 6 p.m., and UVU says most of the route is indoors.
One thing the tour won't show you. At UVU, the Roots of Knowledge stained-glass wall in the Fulton Library's Bingham Gallery is 154 feet long, with 80 windows; it is free, and UVU suggests coming an hour before sunset. At BYU, the free museums and the Creamery are in the BYU campus visitor guide.
Friday evening. Go where students go on a Friday, not where the program takes you. Things to do in Utah Valley at night lists what is open late, and Provo nightlife covers the city.
Saturday: game day, and the questions to ask
If there is a home game, go. The crowd, the walk in and the campus on game day tell you something no meeting will. Our guides cover the logistics: BYU football game day, LaVell Edwards Stadium, BYU basketball game day and UVU game day. For UVU's teams one by one, see UVU athletics, sport by sport.
If there is no game, spend the free hours on five questions worth answering before you fly home:
- Where would I live, and what does it cost? Freshman housing, the contract system and what rent looks like: finding student housing in Provo and UVU student housing.
- How would I get around without a car? Start with the UVX bus guide.
- What are the rules? At BYU, read the BYU Honor Code, explained together before you visit, not after.
- What is Sunday like? See below.
- What would I do on a day off? Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon is about 15 minutes from BYU by OSRM estimate; Sundance in summer and the state parks within two hours (see Utah state parks near Provo) are the weekend answer.
Sunday: how it works here
For many visiting families, Sunday is the surprise. At BYU, the museums, bookstore, Creamery and dining close and the campus goes quiet. Some Utah County restaurants and attractions close too, and FrontRunner does not run on Sundays, per UTA. Plan Sunday as your travel day, or attend sacrament meeting with the family; visiting a church in Provo explains what to expect. For a meal, Sunday brunch in Utah Valley lists the places that open.
Getting here and home
Salt Lake City International is about an hour from BYU by OSRM estimate without traffic. Provo's airport, PVU, is about 14 minutes from BYU but has fewer routes; see flying from Provo airport. Book the return for Sunday afternoon or Monday, so the visit never has to compete with the drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an official and an unofficial recruiting visit?
Can a recruit take the regular BYU campus tour?
When are UVU campus tours?
What conference is UVU in?
What is open on Sunday during a recruiting weekend in Provo?
How far is Provo from the Salt Lake City airport?
What should a recruit's family look at that the program won't show them?
Should we go to a home game during the visit?
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.
- Utah Transit Authority: FrontRunner, Utah Transit Authority. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Brigham Young University Enrollment Services: Campus Tours, Brigham Young University Enrollment Services. Checked October 20, 2026.
- UVU Campus Tours, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Roots of Knowledge: Visit the Gallery, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- About Roots of Knowledge, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Valley University Joins Big West Conference, Utah Valley University. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Official & Unofficial Visits (NCAA definitions), University of South Florida Athletics Compliance. Checked October 20, 2026.
- NCAA: Recruiting, NCAA. Checked October 20, 2026.
- OSRM driving route estimates from downtown Provo, Project OSRM / OpenStreetMap. Checked October 20, 2026.
