Located in the bustling urban landscape of Salt Lake City, the University of Utah stands as the state's flagship institution and the region's hub of higher education. Also known as “the U,” we are a Tier 1 research university and a member of the exclusive Association of American Universities. Home to the state's only academic medical center, we offer world-class health care education and patient care. Driven by our goal to become a top 10 public university with unsurpassed societal impact, we're committed to making social, economic and cultural contributions that improve the quality of life throughout the state, the nation and the world.
After early settlers came to the area, an ambitious vision took shape to establish an institution of higher learning that would leave an indelible mark on the western frontier. And on February 28, 1850, the first state university west off the Missouri River opened as the University of Deseret. Classes were held in private homes and tuition was $8 per quarter. In 1884, the university found its permanent home on the east benches of the Salt Lake Valley, and in 1892 it was renamed the University of Utah. This rich history of trailblazing spirit and growth has shaped our institution into the esteemed university it is today.
The University of Utah acknowledges that its campus is built upon the traditional and ancestral homeland of the Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute, and Ute Tribes. We recognize and respect the enduring relationship that exists between many Indigenous peoples and their traditional homelands. We respect the sovereign relationship between tribes, states, and the federal government, and we affirm the University of Utah's commitment to a partnership with Native Nations and Urban Indian communities through research, education, and community outreach activities.
Nestled beneath the majestic Wasatch Mountains, the University of Utah offers inspiring views of the Salt Lake Valley. Ranked as the best state in America by U.S. News & World Report, Utah has a robust economy, high-tech sector, vibrant urban area, abundant recreation opportunities, and low crime rate. In the foothills above campus are miles of pristine hiking and biking trails. Within a 30-minute drive are seven world-renowned ski resorts and within five hours you can visit any of Utah's five breathtaking national parks.
The University of Utah fosters student success by preparing students from diverse backgrounds for lives of impact as leaders and citizens. We generate and share new knowledge, discoveries, and innovations, and we engage local and global communities to promote education, health, and quality of life. These contributions, in addition to responsible stewardship of our intellectual, physical, and financial resources, ensure the long-term success and viability of the institution.
The University of Utah campus is 1,534 acres of "you can achieve anything here." We believe that education holds the promise of unmatched individual and societal benefits that contribute to a better world. This is a campus that integrates learning, living and the world around us. Here, students are granted the freedom and imagination to transform their future through living-learning communities, undergraduate research opportunities and learning abroad at our campus in South Korea and other affiliate programs in Ghana, the United Kingdom, and much more.
Our campus is more than a classroom; it's an experience, a playground where everything is possible. We focus on student achievement knowing that our efforts will help increase our students' lifetime earnings, enhance their social mobility, and help them live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. We strive to achieve a healthy, humane campus culture for all students. The U has 18 colleges and schools and nearly 100 departments. We also serve as the state's dental school, law school, medical school, pharmacy school, comprehensive cancer institute, and mental health institute, and confer more than half of the state's graduate degrees.
The University of Utah faces an unprecedented era of opportunity. We are located in the middle of the nation's most vibrant economic region—the Intermountain West—in the fastest-growing state in the U.S., with the nation's fastest-growing economy, in a community increasing in cultural diversity. We are not on the periphery, we are at the very center. Since 2000, the U has launched 330+ companies and more than 750 products, generating 37,000+ life science jobs. The co-location of a comprehensive research university and an academic medical center makes the U one of just 12 equivalent institutions in the country.
The U is enmeshed in the community we serve—cultivating community connections, building trust, caring for patients, uprooting injustices, and transforming the future of the state we call home. That's why the state arboretum (Red Butte Garden), the Natural History Museum of Utah, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Utah Presents, Pioneer Theatre Company all call our campus home. We embed ourselves in the social, economic, health care, and cultural fabric of Utah and fulfill our responsibility as a model public university with a goal to impact the lives of all 3.4 million Utahns.
The University of Utah was founded on February 28, 1850 as the first state university west of the Missouri River. Because early settlers to the area wanted to establish an institution of higher learning, the General Assembly of the State of Deseret, led by Orson Spencer, chartered the University of Deseret. State funding was limited and the economy was struggling, so the first classes were held in private homes and other make-do spaces, and money for teacher salaries and supplies came from private donations to the school. The roster the opening semester was 25 students, and tuition was $8 for the quarter.
The first classes in 1850 were held in the home of John Pack on the corner of West Temple and what is now 200 North.
The limited funds didn't last long, and in 1853, the university was forced to close. Courses were held intermittently for more than a decade, until state leaders could put greater resources into the school thanks to a rebounding economy. In 1869, John R. Park, a well-known educator in Utah, was hired as the university's first president. Under Park's leadership, the school built a solid foundation in the community.
In 1884, the university moved into its very own building for the first time, located where West High now stands in Salt Lake City (241 N. 300 West). After the move, student life began to develop on campus with the formation of literary and debating societies and the establishment of the annual University Ball. Two years later, the university granted its first degrees and formed the Alumni Association. By 1900 enrollment had grown to 400 students, and B.A. and B.S. degrees were offered in classical, scientific, and normal programs.
The University of Deseret moved in 1884 into its first building, located where Salt Lake's West High School stands today at 241 N. 300 West.
In 1892, the school was renamed the University of Utah. The Territorial Legislature petitioned Congress for 60 acres for a new campus, which was granted in 1894, landing the university on the east bench of Salt Lake Valley—its permanent home.
At an elevation of 4,330 feet above sea level, the University of Utah is set on the east bench of the Salt Lake Valley. Just beneath the towering Wasatch Mountain Range, campus provides a stunning view of the areas to the west, north, and south. The university is a part of incorporated Salt Lake City, which has a population of about 200,000 people, nestled in the greater Salt Lake Valley with a population of about 1.3 million. In recent years, the region has grown in population, cultural diversity and accolades.
Recently named the Best State in America by U.S. News & World Report, Utah is frequently listed by prestigious magazines and news outlets among the “best places to live” due to a variety of factors including recreational options, the business environment, climate, and a low crime rate. And Salt Lake City, the 46th largest metropolitan area in the United States, just came in as the 21st best place for business and careers by Forbes. It was also recently ranked as the nation's second-friendliest city by Travel+Leisure magazine. The international airport is just nine minutes from downtown, and getting around is easy on TRAX, the city's ever-expanding light rail transit system. TRAX lines now connect campus with the airport and all sections of the Salt Lake Valley.
In addition to the diverse assortment of restaurants and bars (with culinary options running the gamut from tapas bars to nouvelle cuisine), there are two beautiful mixed-use shopping/living areas—the Gateway, on the west side of the city, and City Creek, in the heart of downtown. The NBA’s Utah Jazz is a state staple, as are the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. On our campus you will find the Utah Museum of Fine Arts; the Natural History Museum of Utah; and the state's abortorium, Red Butte Gardens. The U was also the founding force behind the much-acclaimed Utah Symphony and Ballet West, fixtures of the Salt Lake cultural scene.
But many Utahns spend much of their time outdoors. Seven world-renowned ski resorts are about 30 minutes away from campus. Utah was home to the Winter Olympics in 2002, and has long been dubbed to have “The Greatest Snow on Earth.” Five national parks with stunning scenery are within a five-hour drive. Forty golf courses are located throughout the valley and nearby mountains. And hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails can be accessed in the foothills east of campus. For a quick getaway, the historic mining and ski town of Park City is only a 30-minute drive from Salt Lake.
Beyond the state, Los Angeles is a 10-hour drive to the southwest, and Las Vegas is just six hours. To the north, Boise is about four and a half hours, while Denver is eight hours to the east.
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