Utah Kindergarten Age Cutoff — Plus Preschool & TK (2026–2027)
In Utah, a child must turn 5 by September 1 to start kindergarten that fall. Utah does not have a statewide Transitional Kindergarten grade; children go from preschool/pre-K to kindergarten. Utah's public pre-K program, Utah High Quality School Readiness + UPSTART (home-based), is available to eligible families (no statewide universal pre-K; targeted grants for at-risk 4-year-olds; UPSTART is free but home-based/digital).
| Kindergarten cutoff | Turn 5 by September 1 |
|---|---|
| Transitional Kindergarten | Not offered statewide |
| Public pre-K | Utah High Quality School Readiness + UPSTART (home-based) — eligibility-based |
| Compulsory school age | 6 |
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Utah age cutoffs — the details
Kindergarten and TK cutoffs are set by state law; preschool has no legal age cutoff because it is private. Statute phrases it as 'five before September 2' — effectively a September 1 cutoff. Cutoff verified from the official Utah source. Always confirm the current date with your school or district — rules can change year to year.