Residency & Non-Residency
Residency for Seat Allocation
Residency status for seat allocation and invitation to interview will be determined at the time of application by each applicant's legal state of residence as indicated on their AMCAS application. Each applicant is responsible for researching and understanding a state’s qualifications for legal residency before claiming it as their state of legal residence in their AMCAS application.
The following chart illustrates the number of seats allocated to applicants by their legal state of residence as indicated on AMCAS. International students will be considered in the non-resident category.
Residency for Tuition Purposes
Residency status for tuition purposes will be determined at time of acceptance to the SFESOM. All residency information will be verified upon admittance to the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the School of Medicine Residency Policy. Guidelines are subject to change without notice.
Additional information regarding residency and institutional policy can be found here.
Applicants who meet the requirements for House Bill 144 or House Bill 118 non-resident tuition waivers or who qualify for military or American Indian exceptions may be eligible to receive in-state tuition.
If an accepted student believes they may meet the requirements for one of the tuition waivers or exceptions above, it is their responsibility to complete the appropriate certification form by the deadlines provided by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Information regarding residency exceptions and institutional policy can be found here.
Accepted students wishing to appeal their first-year residency status must request a status change with the Residency office. All reclassification requests and documentation must be submitted by the domiciliary tie establishment deadlines set by the Office of Graduate Admissions on this website. Change of status is not guaranteed, even with approval from the School of Medicine. More information about residency, reclassification, and institutional policy can be found here.
Click the state below that applies to you for additional information about tuition:
All applicants who list Utah as their legal state of residence on their AMCAS application may be eligible for an in-state residency classification if they meet all residency requirements as designated by the Residency Office. Failure to meet all requirements may result in an out-of-state residency classification.
The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah accepts 10 Idaho MD students each year through a partnership with the state of Idaho.
In order to qualify for one of the 10 designated seats, Idaho residents must complete Idaho State Certification. If the state certification is approved, the applicant will be considered an Idaho resident for all 4 years of medical school and will not be eligible to petition for Utah residency after the first year.
Upon acceptance, certified Idaho students are eligible for reduced tuition rates, with the state of Idaho providing funding for the difference between in-state and out-of-state costs.
Please note: MD-PhD/MSTP applicants from the state of Idaho are considered non-residents for seat allocation and are not required to complete the Idaho state certification. MD-PhD/MSTP students at SFESOM are fully funded by the MSTP program and are ineligible to receive Idaho state funding.
All MD applicants who list Montana as their legal state of residence on their AMCAS application will be considered a Montana resident for all 4 years of medical school and will not be eligible to petition to reclassify for in-state tuition after their first year.
Through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP), incoming Montana students who are certified residents of their home state may be eligible to attend the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah at reduced or resident tuition rates.
Montana applicants interested in applying for WICHE PSEP funding must apply for resident certification through the state of Montana certifying office. The last day to submit the resident certification through the state of Montana is October 15 of the year of application.
If the state certification is approved and PSEP funding is awarded, that funding will cover the majority of the difference in cost between resident and non-resident tuition.
Montana residents who are not awarded PSEP funding will pay non-resident tuition rates for the entirety of their medical school experience and will not be eligible to petition for Utah residency after the first year.
Please note: MD-PhD/MSTP applicants from the state of Montana are considered non-residents for seat allocation and will be eligible to reclassify for in-state tuition after the first year. MD-PhD/MSTP students at SFESOM are fully funded by the MSTP program and are ineligible to receive WICHE PSEP funding.
All MD applicants who list Wyoming as their legal state of residence on their AMCAS application will be considered a Wyoming resident for all 4 years of medical school and will not be eligible to petition to reclassify for in-state tuition after their first year.
Through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP), incoming Wyoming students who are certified by their home state may be eligible to attend the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah at reduced tuition rates. Currently, the state of Wyoming is offering very limited WICHE PSEP funding for all MD allopathic medical students. Interested applicants should refer to the PSEP Application by State information for their state for more details.
Any questions regarding the Wyoming WICHE PSEP policy or application process can be directed to certoff@wyo.edu.
Click here for more information about SFESOM application requirements for Wyoming residents.
Please note: MD-PhD/MSTP applicants from the state of Wyoming are considered non-residents for seat allocation and will be eligible to reclassify for in-state tuition after the first year. MD-PhD/MSTP students at SFESOM are fully funded by the MSTP program and are ineligible to receive WICHE PSEP funding.
Non-resident applicants will be initially classified as non-residents for tuition purposes upon acceptance. This status cannot be changed for at least the first year of enrollment, except in situations where the applicant qualifies for military or American Indian exceptions. If an accepted student believes they may meet the requirements for one of these exceptions, it is their responsibility to complete the appropriate certification form by domiciliary tie establishment deadlines set by the Office of Graduate Admissions on this website. Information regarding residency exceptions and institutional policy can be found here.
Beginning Fall Semester 2021 or later, non-resident students (except those who indicated on their AMCAS application that their states of residence include Idaho, Montana, or Wyoming) are eligible for residency reclassification one year after their medical school studies commence. Students interested in reclassifying must meet the criteria outlined in the School of Medicine Residency Policy and submit all requested documentation by the specified deadlines. Information regarding reclassifying residency can be found here.
To be eligible for admission, applicants must:
- Hold a United States permanent resident card, or
- Be a refugee/asylee and hold permanent status in the United States, or
- Be a visa holder who qualifies for the Utah House Bill 118 non-resident tuition waiver, or
- Be a visa holder who graduated from a Utah college or university*
AND
- Complete a bachelor’s or doctoral level degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or Canada prior to matriculation
- Complete all SFESOM admissions requirements
*Visa holders who graduated from a Utah college or university but not a Utah High School are ineligible for the Utah House Bill 118 non-resident tuition waiver at this time.
*Visa holders who do not meet Utah House Bill 118 requirements may or may not be eligible to apply for Title IV federal and state financial aid, as eligibility varies by status.
See the “Eligible Visa Holders” tab on the Residency & Non-Residency page for more information.
Permanent Residents and Refugees/Asylees:
Permanent Residents or refugees/asylees who list Utah as their state of residence on AMCAS may be eligible to receive in-state tuition rates.
Permanent Residents or refugees/asylees who do not list Utah as their state of residence on AMCAS may be eligible to reclassify for in-state tuition after the first year of medical school. Refugees/asylees may be eligible to have the non-resident portion of their tuition waived if they qualify for House Bill 144.
Eligible Visa Holders
In order to be eligible to apply for admission to the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, eligible visa holders are those that hold a visa and meet the requirements for Utah House Bill 118 or graduated from a Utah college or university. An applicant’s visa type and/or the state of their college or university as indicated on AMCAS at the time of primary application will be used to determine admission eligibility.
Eligible visa holders who meet the requirements for Utah House Bill 118 may qualify for reduced tuition through a non-resident tuition waiver if they attended a Utah high school for three or more years and graduated or will graduate from a Utah high school or attained the equivalent of a high school diploma (GED) in Utah. For more information about the House Bill 118 non-resident tuition waiver, please visit the University of Utah Non-Resident Tuition Waiver website.
Eligible visa holders may or may not be eligible to apply for Title IV federal and state financial aid, as eligibility varies by status. Click here to check your eligibility requirements. FAFSA submission is required to be eligible for University of Utah institutional scholarships. Many students apply for private loans to cover their cost of attendance.
Eligible visa holders may be required to provide proof of funding to the University of Utah for tuition costs upon acceptance. For more information about the cost of attendance and international graduate program requirements at the University of Utah, please visit the websites below. Note that policies and annual cost estimates are subject to change.
University of Utah International Graduate Admissions & Graduate Costs
- To be eligible for admission, DACA and undocumented applicants must qualify for Utah House Bill 144 or have graduated from a Utah College or University and complete all SFESOM admissions requirements.
- Students with DACA or undocumented status are not eligible for Title IV federal and state financial aid, however, they may be eligible to apply for University of Utah institutional scholarships. Many students apply for private loans to cover their cost of attendance.
- Upon acceptance, DACA or undocumented students may qualify for reduced tuition through a non-resident tuition waiver if they meet the eligibility requirements for Utah House Bill 144.
- For more information on House Bill 144 and non-resident tuition waivers, please visit the U of U Non-Resident Tuition Waiver website.
University of Utah Informational Resources
University of Utah Dream Center
Office of Academic Culture and Community
University of Utah Graduate School Resources for Undocumented Students
University of Utah International Admissions Scholarships for International Students
Edúcate Utah A Guide to Higher Education
National Informational Resources
AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP)
Applicants may be eligible for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program if - prior to completing the FAP application - they are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident (LPR) of the United States (also known as a green card holder), granted refugee or asylee status by the U.S. government, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, or person awaiting refugee or asylee status approval by the U.S. government and have a U.S. Employment Authorization Document (EAD card).
The benefits of the Fee Assistance Program include: discounted fees, complimentary access to the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) online database, free MCAT Official Prep products and more.
Visit the main Fee Assistance Program webpage to learn more about the program benefits, what you need to apply, and to access the Fee Assistance Program FAQs.
Immigrants Rising - Transforming Lives Through Education
Immigrants Rising provides resources and support to undocumented young people to help them get an education, pursue careers, and build a brighter future for themselves and their community. Their website features comprehensive information on available scholarships for students. Some scholarships include: Undergraduate scholarships, Undergraduate fellowships, Graduate scholarships, Graduate fellowships
The Pre-Health Dreamers community is a network of over 1000 health career focused undocumented students. Among other resources, they have developed a consolidated list of health professions-specific opportunities for students.
The Latino Medical Student Association
The Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) exists to unite and empower current and future physicians through service, mentorship, and education to advocate for the improved health of the Hispanic & Latina/o/x community in the United States.
The Latino Medical Student Association West
LMSA West continues to serve a growing number of medical students and physicians as participating medical schools continue to form their own LMSA chapters. The LMSA West Region encompasses medical schools from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Hawaii.
This tip sheet features general information as well as links to scholarship resources and eligibility information.