Understanding Utah Valley University's Tuition Costs
Choosing a university is a big decision, and understanding the costs involved is a crucial part of the process. This article breaks down the tuition expenses at Utah Valley University (UVU), along with other financial considerations, to help prospective students and their families make informed decisions.
Tuition and Fees: The Sticker Price
Utah Valley University's tuition is $6,507 for in-state students and $18,489 for out-of-state students. These figures include both tuition and fees, also referred to as the sticker price. When compared with the national average cost of in-state tuition of $12,436, Utah Valley University is cheaper. For students coming from out of state, the tuition is cheaper than the national average cost of out-of-state tuition of $29,815. Fees differ by institution and may fund library services, student gym facilities, student centers, technology resources, and campus health centers.
Beyond Tuition: Calculating the Total Cost
As you’re comparing costs of different institutions, also consider the total cost and the net price. The total cost is the sticker price, plus the cost of food and housing, books and supplies, and transportation and personal expenses.
Understanding Financial Aid at UVU
Many students rely on financial aid to help cover the costs of college. UVU offers various forms of aid, including scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs.
Need-Based Aid
The average need-based scholarship or grant awarded to first-year students at Utah Valley University was $6,442. Additionally, 41% of first-year students received need-based financial aid in fall 2023. Need-based scholarships take a student’s financial status into account.
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Need-based self-help aid includes federal loans and work-study. The average need-based self-help aid awarded to first-year students was $1,862.
Merit-Based Aid
Merit-based aid, also called non-need-based aid, is awarded for a specific talent or academic achievement. You might also qualify for a scholarship based on your community service involvement, unique hobbies or traits, your personal background, or a parent’s employer or military affiliation. The average non-need-based scholarship or grant awarded to first-year students at Utah Valley University - excluding any athletic scholarships, if applicable - was $7,850.
Meeting Financial Need
Utah Valley University met 49% of its students’ financial aid need.
Student Loan Debt: A Long-Term Consideration
How much student loan debt you accumulate can affect your financial life long after college ends. Ideally, your total student loan debt should fall below your anticipated starting salary once you graduate.
At Utah Valley University, the median federal loan debt among borrowers who completed their undergraduate degree is $14,750. The median monthly federal loan payment (if it were repaid over 10 years at 5.05% interest) for student federal loan borrowers who graduated is $156.
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Additionally, 3% of graduating students at Utah Valley University took out private loans. Students with private loans had an average of $27,585 in private loan debt at graduation. The Average Total Indebtedness of 2024 Graduating Class was $21,466, with 32% of graduating students who have borrowed any loan type.
Scholarships and Grants: Funding You Don't Repay
Scholarships are a type of funding that you don’t need to pay back. Some students receive enough in scholarship money to cover their tuition and living expenses.
Work-Study and Campus Jobs: Earning While Learning
Working while in school can help lessen the burden of your student loans. Schools offer work-study programs to those who qualify and campus jobs to students looking to earn money in their free time. Some institutions match students with work-study positions, while others require them apply to the positions, like they would for any other job.
Begin your job search by checking whether your college has in-person or online job boards.
Understanding UVU's Tuition Policies and Payment Options
Tuition and student fees are approved by the Utah Board of Higher Education (UBHE). University Policy regarding payment of tuition and fees states that all tuition and fees assessed at the time of registration are due and payable. Account balances not paid in full may incur late fee penalties. UVU does not utilize an automatic drop-for-non-payment (purge) process. Students who decide not to attend UVU are responsible for dropping/withdrawing their own courses and should file a Leave of Absence. Filing a Leave of Absence does not absolve the student of any financial obligation to the University for tuition or other charges owing or repayment of a financial aid disbursement. Students must drop by the published 100% refund deadlines or they will be responsible to pay the total tuition and fees owed.
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Students who default on all or any portion of their tuition and fees may have a hold placed on their account preventing further registration until their account is paid in full. Students are encouraged to avoid accumulating credit hours beyond those needed to successfully complete their identified program of study. In accordance with Utah System of Higher Education policy R515, a student may be charged the excess credit hour surcharge for credit hours in excess of 125% of a student’s program of study. The surcharge amount for resident students is double the current year’s resident tuition rates for the number of credit hours taken.
If a student decides not to take a course, it is their responsibility to drop or withdraw from the course. If dropped before the refund deadline, the charges for the course are reversed/refunded.
Student Financial Responsibility Agreement (SFRA)
The SFRA includes agreements to pay tuition and fees, requires adherence to payment and withdrawal deadlines, outlines the consequences of delinquencies, and presents required financial aid consents. It also provides students an opportunity to consent to electronic delivery of their 1098-T Tax Form. The following is a brief description of terms included in the SFRA. If expecting Financial Aid, the student is responsible to follow up and ensure they have met all requirements to receive it and acknowledge that they may be charged a late fee if Financial Aid has not disbursed by the Late Fee Deadline or does not cover all tuition.
Refund Policies
UVU offers full semester, block, and other condensed session courses. Each semester, block, or session has a unique deadline. Students will receive a refund of tuition and fees if courses are dropped within 20% of the course duration. For full semester courses, this provides students with 3 weeks (21 calendar days) to drop and receive a refund. Students must drop courses by the published refund deadline in order to have the charges removed from their account. Students who withdraw after that date will not receive a refund; if they have not paid, they will continue to owe the University for these charges and will be subject to collections procedures if left unpaid.
Changes in enrollment may affect eligibility and amounts received from Financial Aid, Veterans Affairs Benefits (VA), and Military Tuition Assistance (TA). Students who miss the deadline can submit a refund petition if the reasons for missing the deadline are extenuating. See UVU Policy 526 Student Record Adjustments and Refund Requests for full details. Armed Forces who stop attending due to a military service obligation may submit a copy of their Orders along with their petition.
Additional Fees
Some courses require fees in addition to standard tuition and fees. Tuition Late Fees are assessed weekly throughout the semester with a begin date published on the Student Dates and Deadlines page. Special approvals are required to register late for a course. The length of time for each late registration period is relative to each part of term and is governed by the Student Dates and Deadlines.
Payment Methods
Electronic check payments are only available online and can be made with the bank routing and account number for personal checking or savings accounts. Corporate checks, credit card checks, home equity, traveler’s cheques, etc. are not accepted online. Payments with credit cards are accepted online only and will be charged a non-refundable service fee of 2.95% (minimum $3.00). TransferMate is an online platform and payment portal where students can pay tuition and fees in their local currency from almost every country in the world.
Tuition Payment Plan
With a minimal fee to enroll, the tuition payment plan allows students to pay installments on their tuition and fees over the course of the semester. Enrollment in the payment plan before the Late Fee Deadline will prevent the 20% late fee from being assessed. The tuition payment plan is processed through Tuition Payment PLUS.
Checks
The University does cash checks. Checks written to UVU must have the student’s UV ID number, and the payor’s address and phone number on the face of the check. A dishonored check is any check returned by the payor’s bank for any reason, including, but not limited to, insufficient funds, no account, bad account, stop payment, unauthorized account, refer to maker. Checks written that later have a “stop payment” placed upon them will be considered as “dishonored”.
Third-Party Sponsorships
Students are responsible for ensuring that appropriate documentation for a third-party or sponsored payment is submitted to the Accounts Receivable Office prior to the start of courses each semester. Students who are sponsored by a third-party must comply with the terms of the sponsor agreement and verify that the sponsor will pay all tuition and fee charges.
Late Fees
Late Tuition Payment Fee: 20% of account balance up to $200 total per semester.
Tuition Changes
Tuition and student fees are approved by the Utah Board of Higher Education. These rates are subject to change without notice. All tuition and fees are payable at the time of registration. Tuition tables for the 2026-2027 year are currently under review and will be published as soon as approved by the Utah Board of Higher Education.
Summer Semester at UVU
UVU offers online summer classes. Summer classes are shorter, faster, and more affordable. The summer semester begins in May and ends in August.
Benefits of Summer Classes
- Stay on Track
- Get Ahead on your grad plan
Registration
Have a list of classes that you want to take ready when you go to register. Pay your registration fees so you can enroll and take the classes you need. All important dates and deadlines are listed on the UVU Schedule page.
A Brief Overview of Utah Valley University
Utah Valley University (UVU) is a public university in Orem, Utah, United States. UVU offers master's, bachelor's, associate degrees, and certificates. Previously called Utah Valley State College, the school attained university status in July 2008.
History
The school was founded in the fall of 1941, when the Utah State Vocational Office consolidated federal work program classes into one campus in Provo, just west of the campus of Brigham Young University. At this time, the school was known as Central Utah Vocational School. Growth brought numerous changes to the school over the following decades, and it was renamed several times to reflect its changing role. In 1967, the school became Utah Technical College in Provo and was given the authority to confer associate degrees for the first time. In 1977, the institution began moving to its present location, at the junction of I-15 and University Parkway in Orem. In 1987, it became Utah Valley Community College. When it was a community college, the school had 8,000 students enrolled, and it was growing by approximately 3,000 students a year. In 1993, the school was named Utah Valley State College and began awarding four-year degrees. On July 1, 2008, UVSC changed to UVU, officially changing to a university. Astrid S. Tuminez is the institution's seventh president and the university's first female president. Tuminez was selected by the Utah State Board of Regents in 2018 and was preceded by Matthew S.
Campus
UVU's main campus is in Orem with satellite campuses in Heber City (Wasatch), Vineyard, Right Orem (Canyon Park), Provo Municipal Airport, Lehi, and the Capital Reef Field Station. Each building has been built using the same style of exposed reinforced concrete with masonry infill walls (before 2005), with all of the major buildings on campus connected by 30-foot-wide (9.1 m) concourses. UVU is home to the Utah Community Credit Union Center, formerly the David O. McKay Events Center which was built in 1996 with a capacity to seat 8,500 people. The events center is governed by a board of representatives from UVU, Utah County, and Orem City. It not only holds campus activities and sporting events but also community events such as major concerts, trade shows and expos, high school sports tournaments, family shows, graduations, and banquets. It is also home to UVU's culinary arts program, including Restaurant Forte. On average, the Events Center hosts 150-170 events per year.
In September 2006, the school began construction of a new Digital Learning Center (DLC) to replace the 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) Losee Resource Center (library). The DLC is 180,000 square feet (17,000 m2) and is northeast of the Liberal Arts building. It opened on July 1, 2008. The $48 million project includes networked computers, computer labs, a computer reference area (Information Commons), a media center, 31 study rooms, and wireless internet throughout the building. In 2016, money was donated to the library by Ira A. The UVU Science Building opened in the summer of 2012. The building features study rooms to the west side that have glass whiteboards as well as windows spanning the entire height of the towers. The Young Living Alumni Center opened in the fall of 2023. The construction was funded in part by Young Living, a multi-level marketing company based out of Utah, which donated $4.5 million toward its completion. The two-story building has a large event space on the main floor used for fundraising events, conferences, alumni reunions, and meetings.
Accreditation
UVU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Individual programs, schools and colleges, and departments are accredited, certified, or recognized by 19 specialized accreditation agencies. Vocational accreditation was granted in 1976 and renewed in 1990 and 1995 by the Utah State Office of Vocational Education.
Student Body
About 88% of UVU students come from Utah but an increasing number of students come from other states and countries.
Other Programs and Activities
The school is one of the few Utah universities that provides free training to Utah fire agencies. In August 2009, the university unveiled a Mobile Command Center, acquired by federal grants.
UVU is home to one of the largest public collegiate ballroom dance programs in the United States. The company has over 130 members divided into four teams; one touring team, one reserve, and two backup teams. The backup teams provide the students with the training and performance skills necessary to meet the demands of the touring team. UVU has ten main musical groups. The four choir groups are Chamber Choir, Deep Green, Emerald Singers, and Concert Choir. The two orchestra groups are Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra.
The UVU Theatre program produces five shows each year on its mainstage season. In addition, the president of the university selects a title each year as part of the freshman reading program that the department stages in the university's courtyard. The department partners with the Sundance Resort to produce Sundance Summer Theatre each year. The university creates a play that travels and performs in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of its annual Theatre Semester Abroad to London and Scotland. They also host the Rocky Mountain Summer Stock Theatre Auditions each year, where college students from across the region audition for professional summer stock theatres.
The school has an independent, student-run weekly newspaper called the UVU Review. The UVU student section was changed to "The Den" in the beginning of the 2017-18 school year. The Wolverines play their home basketball games in the 8,500-seat UCCU Center. The baseball team plays at UCCU Ballpark, a 5,000-seat facility that was also formerly home of the Orem Owlz, a minor-league affiliate of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, that competed in the Pioneer Baseball League. Track and Field compete at the Hal Wing Track & Field. Softball at the Wolverine Field.
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