Boise State University

About

Boise State University is a doctoral research university that has been nationally recognized for its trailblazing innovation. Often described as “Blue Turf Thinking” after our iconic football field, this mindset shapes the creative, and boundary-breaking character of both our academic enterprise and our athletic programs. Situated in the beautiful Rocky Mountain foothills and just blocks from the exciting cultural, political, and economic center of Idaho, we serve more than 24,000 students.

Boise State is proud to be a transformative public university that serves Idaho and prepares people and communities for a changing world. Integrating teaching, research, creativity, and service, the university provides an innovative and inclusive learning environment to advance social, economic, and cultural vitality for our students and the state.

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Quick Links & Contact Information

Information for prospective students:

Admissions Office
208-426-1156
admissions@boisestate.edu    

Office of the Registrar
(208) 426-4249
regmail@boisestate.edu

Financial Aid Office
(800) 824-7017
faquest@boisestate.edu

New Student and Family Orientation Programs
(208) 426-1679
orientationinfo@boisestate.edu

Information

FAQs

I want to talk to a real person, who can I email or call?     

Please contact Admissions at (208) 426-1156 or email admissions@boisestate.edu

Dual Credit Transcripts; I want to talk to a real person, who can I email or call? 

Office of the Registrar
Phone: 208-426-4249 email: regmail@boisestate.edu

Will a college entrance exam be required for the 2020-2021 incoming freshman applicants? If so, what exams will be accepted?     

While SAT or ACT scores are no longer used to make admission decisions, they are currently required for scholarship consideration for students under the age of 21. We know some applicants face challenges in providing SAT or ACT scores due to the cancelation of test dates. We are committed to Boise State being an option for you and recommend you check our scholarship page or contact our office to discuss your options for fall 2021.

What Grade Point Average (GPA) is required for admittance?     

Idaho high school seniors with a 2.80 or higher cumulative, unweighted high school GPA meet Boise State‚ automatic admission standards and will be admitted for Fall 2021 once an admission application and official high school transcript have been received and reviewed.

Students with a 2.50-2.79 cumulative, unweighted high school GPA are encouraged to apply, and will be invited to submit two additional pieces of information for a more holistic review. Those items are a seventh-semester transcript showing grades from the first semester or quarter of senior year, and a personal statement of 500 words or less, telling Admissions about the goals you’ve set for yourself as a student at Boise State University. In that statement, please also let us know about any challenges you’ve overcome, either personally or academically, that may have impacted your academic performance.

Find complete details here: https://www.boisestate.edu/admissions/apply/resident/#current-high-school-senior

How do I apply if I have a GED?       

Students who have earned a GED can learn more about applying to Boise State here: https://www.boisestate.edu/admissions/apply/resident/#gedhiset-students

What are the dates/deadlines to submit my application? 

The Fall 2021 Application and Scholarship Priority Deadline for Fall 2021 is February 15, 2021

Will I need to take any examinations for class placement? If so, how do I do that? How (and where) do I send my transcript to your school? 

New students are encouraged to take a math placement course as part of new student orientation, as well as a Write Class assessment, which gives you a sense which English course is best to select your first semester.

How (and where) do I send my transcript to your school?

Instructions for sending your high school transcripts to Boise State can be found here: https://www.boisestate.edu/admissions/appfee/official-transcripts/

What is the cost of each official transcript, and how do I pay for my transcript? 

Each transcript costs $10.00.

How will I know if I have been accepted?     

You’ll be notified of your admission decision via email to the address you included on your admission application. It will direct you to a portal with that information. If you’re admitted, you’ll get an admitted student packet soon thereafter with next steps information about scholarships and financial aid, new student orientation, etc.

Does your school require 6th- or 7th-semester high school transcripts?  If so, when do they need to be received?     

Not generally—the only case where Boise State would request a 7th-semester transcript would be for applicants who do not meet the automatic admission standard of a 2.80 cumulative, unweighted high school GPA. Students receiving this more holistic review are asked to submit a 7th-semester transcript to the BSU registrar’s office by February 15 in order for the student to receive an admission decision in early March. BSU will continue to welcome transcripts after mid-February, though students will continue to be reviewed for admissions on a rolling basis after that point.

When does your school require an official college transcript for classes taken as dual credit?    

If the dual credit was not earned at Boise State, then BSU will need an official college transcript so the credit can be transferred to BSU prior to the new student orientation program. Encourage students to send the college transcript once all dual courses are completed. This way BSU can ensure that when students meet their academic advisor, they’ve taken into account college credit already earned when planning the first-semester schedule. If the timing of this is difficult, BSU encourages students to bring an unofficial copy of the transcript for use in advising.

How do I request my dual credit transcript?

You need to access your my.boisestate account and in the student center area, choose “request an official transcript”.

I want to talk to a real person, who can I email or call?

Where is this information on your website?

BSU COVID-19 Response

I want to stay in the know. Where can I find your institution’s response regarding public health and safety on social media?

Instagram
Facebook

I want to talk to a real person, who can I email or call?

Our office is open for in-person and virtual business, in accordance with health and safety guidelines. Our team is fully staffed answering phone calls and emails. We would be happy to assist you with your account in person or through phone or email. Our phone number is 208-426-1664 and our email is financialaid@boisestate.edu. If documents have social security numbers on them, then they must be faxed to (208) 426-1305. We know that many families are living in uncertainty. We are here to help in any way possible.

Where can I find more information about financial aid at this school, including scholarships and how to apply?

You can read all about our scholarships for Idaho high school students here: https://www.boisestate.edu/scholarships/scholarships/idahostudent/

Check out these Frequently Asked Questions about scholarships: https://www.boisestate.edu/scholarships/scholarships/frequently-asked-questions/

After reviewing the FAQ’s, if you’d like to chat with a Financial Aid counselor, you can get in touch either in person or virtually at https://www.boisestate.edu/financialaid/

What are your institution’s scholarship deadlines and award dates?     

The Fall 2021 Application and Scholarship Priority Deadline for Fall 2021 is February 15, 2021. This is also the priority deadline to submit your FAFSA for Fall 2021, for need-based aid. Students who meet this deadline can expect to have a good sense of both merit- and need-based aid Boise State is offering by mid-March. You CAN submit your FAFSA after February 15th! Financial aid notifications will be made through summer 2021, but having it done by Feb. 15 allows you to be considered for the most awards possible.

Am I eligible for scholarships if I miss the priority deadline?

The Fall 2021 Application and Scholarship Priority Deadline for Fall 2021 is February 15, 2021. This is also the priority deadline to submit your FAFSA for Fall 2021, for need-based aid. Students who meet this deadline can expect to have a good sense of both merit- and need-based aid Boise State is offering by mid-March. You CAN submit your FAFSA after February 15th! Financial aid notifications will be made through summer 2021, but having it done by Feb. 15 allows you to be considered for the most awards possible.

Am I eligible for scholarships if I do not complete the FAFSA application before your priority deadline?  

For the Presidential and Dean’s Scholarships, the answer is yes (there is no need component to these awards). For the True Blue, the answer is no; you must submit the FAFSA before the priority deadline to be guaranteed consideration for True Blue Promise. See more details here https://www.boisestate.edu/scholarships/scholarships/idahostudent/

Is an official high school transcript required to apply for your institutional scholarships?  

For students who use Apply Idaho and meet BSU’s automatic admission standard of 2.80 GPA or higher, a high school transcript is not required to make a scholarship or admission decision. BSU uses the data provided by SBOE to make these decisions. However, students who use the Boise State institutional application would need to send a high school transcript in order to receive decisions on scholarships.

I want to talk to a real person, who can I email or call?

We’re offering small-group, in-person campus tours and a host of great virtual visit options! Visit To learn more about our options and to sign up, visit https://www.boisestate.edu/admissions/visit/. We can also be reached at admissions@boisestate.edu or (208) 426-1156

Are you holding any virtual tours or events for incoming students? Where can I find that information?

Yes! You can read more about all the options and sign up here: https://www.boisestate.edu/admissions/visit/

Where can students explore your curriculum and course offerings?

Major Finder is a great resource: https://majors.boisestate.edu/

You can see a full list of course offerings in our catalog: https://www.boisestate.edu/registrar-catalog/

I want to learn more. Where can I find your institution on social media?

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook

Can I visit your campus in person?

Yes.

I want to talk to a real person, who can I email or call?

If you’ve been admitted to Boise State for Fall 2020 and need help registering for fall classes, contact the Advising and Academic Support Center at https://www.boisestate.edu/aasc/find-advisor/aasc-advising/ If you are looking for information about new student orientation for Spring 2021 or beyond, contact New Student Programs at https://www.boisestate.edu/nsp/

Is student orientation required? If so, what are the details?

New student orientation is required of any first-time Boise State student. The format (virtual, in-person, etc.) has not been determined whether orientation programs for Spring 2021 (held in December) or Fall 2021 (held June – August 2021).

How do I register for classes?

You can read about the steps to register for Boise State classes here: https://www.boisestate.edu/registrar-help/register-classes/

If my plans change does your institution allow enrollment deferments?

Yes! Learn more about how to request a deferment of your admission here: https://www.boisestate.edu/admissions/defer/

If I qualify for a scholarship, can that scholarship be deferred and awarded when I enroll at a later date?

Yes. If you were awarded a scholarship for Fall 2020 and you’d like to enroll for a future semester, instead, your scholarship will “roll” forward with you as late as Fall 2021, as long as you have requested a deferral. Read about how to do that here: https://www.boisestate.edu/admissions/defer/

I want to talk to a real person, who can I email or call?     

Deadlines have passed to join on-campus housing for Fall 2020. If you are interested in housing or meal plan information for Spring 2021 semester and beyond, get in touch with Housing and Residence Life at https://www.boisestate.edu/housing/

What are the housing application deadlines for the Winter and Spring 2020-2021 semesters; as well as all deadlines attached to the 2021-2022 academic year?       

Applications for on-campus housing starting Fall 2021 will open in mid-March 2021. If you are interested in applying for on-campus housing starting in January 2021, please contact Housing and Residence Life at https://www.boisestate.edu/housing/housing-residence-life-contact-information-and-hours-of-operation/

When do I need to select a food plan?       

You’ll have until the tenth day of classes to select the meal plan that’s right for you.

Where can I learn more about fraternity and sorority groups associated with your institution’s student body?

https://www.boisestate.edu/getinvolved/fraternities-and-sororities/ 

How does housing on your campus look different, at least short term, given heightened health concerns and mandates?

Current, specific safety protocols we’ve implemented to keep residents and our community safe detailed on the coronavirus response page, here: https://www.boisestate.edu/coronavirus-response/campus-reintegration-guide/#