Utah Student Loans And Financial Aid Programs

Utah has several private student loan and financial aid programs that can help you pay for college. If you're going to be attending college in Utah, you need to be looking to take advantage of these programs.

These programs are designed to help make college more affordable - so that you can get the education you need. These programs can include scholarships, grants, and student loans.

Don't forget that there are Federal student loan programs available as well. You can find out more on how to get a Federal student loan here.

There is also a specific order of operations to pay for college that we recommend students follow. These programs specific to the State of Utah can help you to avoid borrowing more money than you need to. 

Utah Student Loan Programs

Utah doesn't have any unique student loan programs to help it's students pay for college. However, there are still Federal student loans available to students who attend college in Utah. 

If you're just looking for private student loan options, we recommend:

• Credible - Like the Kayak of student loans, they help you shop around and compare options. Try Credible here.
• College Ave - One of the best private student loan lenders. Get A Quote At College Ave Here.

Check out our complete guide to finding the best student loans here.

Utah Scholarship Programs

Utah has several scholarships available to students who want to attend school in the state.

President's Scholarship

The President's Scholarship recipients will be chosen from the pool of resident high school seniors. Selection is based on academic excellence.

The value of the President's Scholarship will total approximately $12,000 per academic year (which includes a resident tuition waiver, mandatory fees, plus the choice of an on-campus housing award or a cash award), for a maximum of 8 semesters or until the student receives a baccalaureate degree, whichever comes first. Tuition and mandatory fees up to and including 18 hours per semester are covered. Recipients are required to enroll for a minimum of 12 hours per semester.

Learn more about the President's Scholarship here.

Utah Flagship Scholarship

A scholarship for seniors of an accredited Utah high school, public or private, who will be entering freshmen. Recipients are chosen by University committee from a pool of applicants, who qualify under an index that gives two-thirds consideration to GPA and one-third to ACT/SAT score. The University considers the GPA from grades 9 through 11, and test results from the ACT or SAT, taken in either the junior or senior year by the October test date.

Value: a sum of $7,000 is awarded toward the cost of tuition each academic year, for a maximum of 8 semesters or until the student achieves a baccalaureate degree, whichever comes first.

Learn more about the Utah Flagship Scholarship.

Utah Academic Scholarship

A scholarship for seniors of an accredited Utah high school, public or private, who will be entering freshmen. Recipients are chosen by University committee from a pool of applicants, who qualify under an index that gives two-thirds consideration to GPA and one-third to ACT/SAT score. The University considers the GPA from grades 9 through 11, and test results from the ACT or SAT, taken in either the junior or senior year by the October test date. Value: a sum of $5,000 is awarded toward the cost of tuition annually ($2,500 per semester), for a maximum of 8 semesters or until the student achieves a baccalaureate degree, whichever comes first.

Learn more about the Utah Academic Scholarship.

Utah Academic Recognition Award

A scholarship for seniors of an accredited Utah high school, public or private, who will be entering freshmen. Recipients are chosen by University committee from a pool of applicants, who qualify under an index that gives two-thirds consideration to GPA and one-third to ACT/SAT score. The University considers the GPA from grades 9 through 11, and test results from the ACT or SAT, taken in either the junior or senior year by the October test date.

Value: a sum of $1,500 is awarded toward the cost of tuition annually, for a maximum of 4 semesters.

Learn more about the Utah Academic Recognition Award.

Utah Grant Programs

Utah also has a grant program to provide need based financial aid to Utah residents.

Grants are one of the best forms of financial aid because, in most circumstances, you don't have to pay the money back.

Utah Education Fund Grant

The Utah Education Fund Grant is available to Utah resident undergraduates who demonstrate exceptional economic need and who are educationally disadvantaged. You must be enrolled for at least 6 hours (half-time status) to receive the UEF Grant. A UEF Grant does not have to be paid back, as long as you maintain eligibility for the funds you received.  

Awards amount vary depending on funding 2024-2025 allowed for awards of $500 per term.

You can learn more about the Utah Education Fund Grant.

Other Options

If you already have student loans and are looking for options as a Utah resident, check out our Utah Student Loan Forgiveness Program page. That page has all the different options available to Utah residents to potentially get some of your student loan debt forgiven.

You might also look at refinancing your student loans and saving money in interest while also potentially lowering your payment. Check out our guide on the Best Places To Refinance Your Student Loans.

If you're looking to save for college in Utah, check out the Utah 529 Plan and College Savings Guide.

Finally, check out the other student loan and financial aid programs by state.