<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-03-035851
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031216
<FILING-DATE>20031218
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>UNIVERSAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE INC
<CIK>0001261654
<ASSIGNED-SIC>8200
<IRS-NUMBER>860226984
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0930
</COMPANY-DATA>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>10851 N BLACK CANYON HIGHWAY
<STREET2>STE 600
<CITY>PHOENIX
<STATE>AZ
<ZIP>85029
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HASLIP JENNIFER
<CIK>0001272477
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-31923
<FILM-NUMBER>031063547
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>20410 NORTH 19TH AVENUE
<CITY>PHOENIX
<STATE>AZ
<ZIP>85027
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>bpx68589_bpx1jh4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>MAIN DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-16</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001261654</issuerCik><issuerName>UNIVERSAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>uti</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001272477</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>HASLIP JENNIFER</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>20410 NORTH 19TH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>PHOENIX</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>AZ</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>85027</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>SVP, Sec'y/Treas/CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>common stock, par value $0.0001</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-12-18</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>12000.00</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>4.44</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12000.00</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>common stock, par value $0.0001 </value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-12-18</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>20.50</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13000.00</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>common stock, par value $0.0001</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-12-18</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>100</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>20.50</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>200</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>owned by spouse</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.44</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-12-18</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>12000.00</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>53280.00</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-04-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-03-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Ccommon Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>112337.00</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>112337.00</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The options become exerciseable in four equal annual installments</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Jennifer Haslip</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
