Admission Standards for International Students

Standards for Freshman Admission You will be considered for admission on the basis of your secondary school transcript or marksheets and English language competency. Your secondary school grades must convert to a minimum U.S. GPA (grade-point average) of 2.0 and meet the preuniversity requirements of your home country. If the transcript or marksheets are not in English, you must submit the official documents in the native language along with translated copies that have been verified or attested by the school you attended. In addition, you must demonstrate your English language proficiency by meeting one of the criteria noted in the English Language Compency Requirement.

Standards for Transfer Admission If you have completed some course work or a degree at the college or university level, you will be considered for admission as a transfer student on the basis of your college or university transcripts or marksheets and English language competency. Your transcripts or marksheets must convert to a minimum U.S. GPA of 2.0. If the transcripts or marksheets are not in English, you must submit the official documents in the native language along with translated copies that have been verified or attested by the school you attended. You must provide transcripts or marksheets from each college or university you have attended, along with a syllabus or course description in English (for any courses taken outside the U.S.), in order to receive transfer credit.

Transcripts submitted for transfer credit from schools located outside the U.S. will be evaluated by World Education Services (WES), a recognized nonprofit organization. They prepare evaluation reports that identify the U.S. equivalent of education completed in other countries. Evaluation of foreign credits is an automatic process that occurs once you have been admitted as degree-seeking and have enrolled and paid for classes at Boise State. If you have completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree, your transcripts will not be evaluated. Transfer students must also demonstrate English language proficiency by meeting one of the criteria noted in the English Language Competency Requirement.

Along with the academic records and official English language requirement, all international students must submit the following:

International Student Application for Admission
Nonrefundable application fee of $85
Verification of financial resources to cover one full year of expenses

All application materials must be received in the International Student Admissions Office by the following priority deadlines:

Fall Semester 2009: June 1, 2009
Spring Semester 2010: October 15, 2009

You may submit your application materials at any time before the priority deadline. Early application is encouraged.

If you meet all admission requirements, the International Student Admissions Coordinator will issue an I-20 form, which you need to obtain an F-1 student visa. For more information, please contact the International Student Admissions Office, (208) 426-1757.

English Language Competency Requirement

International students at Boise State University must demonstrate English language proficiency as part of the admissions process. You can meet the English Language Competency Requirement by fulfilling any one of the following criteria. These options are only valid if met within two years* prior to application to Boise State University.

TOEFL score of 500 (paper-based) or 61 (internet-based) or better**
IELTS score of 5 or better**
Michigan Test score of 240 or better
SAT Critical Reading score of 450 or better
ACT English score of 18 or better
completion of ENGL 101 Intro to College Writing at Boise State or other U.S. regionally accredited institution with a grade of C- or better
a bachelor's or master's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution.
an application to Boise State through the Study Abroad Coordinator as an International Exchange student from an approved partner university

*If it has been more than two years, but you are living in a country where English is the dominate language, you may also meet the requirement. Please contact the International Student Admissions Coordinator for further information.

**With a TOEFL score of at least 450/46 or an IELTS score of 4.5, you may be eligible for conditional admission as an undergraduate student to Boise State University. To be granted conditional admission, you must first enroll in the Intensive English Program. Please refer to the Intensive English Program website at http://international.boisestate.edu/content.asp?cat=4&id=42 for information.

You may be exempt from this requirement if you are a native English speaker or if English is your first language. Examples of countries where students may be from include (but are not limited to): Australia, the British Caribbean, Canada (English speaking provinces only), Ireland, New Zealand, and United Kingdom. Please contact the International Student Admissions Coordinator for further information.

If you are currently enrolled in the Intensive English Program you may be granted permission by the program to apply as a nondegree-seeking student without meeting the English Language Competency Requirement. However, you will be required to meet the English Language Competency Requirement prior to admission as a degree-seeking student.

Health Insurance Coverage Full-time international students must be covered by the university's student health insurance policy. The cost of this policy is included in student fees. If you have your own health insurance policy, you may be able to have this requirement waived by providing evidence that your own policy is equivalent to Boise State's. This evidence must be submitted within the first 10 working days of the semester.