According to the U.S. Department of Education, “The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accrediting agencies, which are private educational associations of regional or national scope, develop evaluation criteria and conduct peer evaluations to assess whether or not those criteria are met. Institutions and/or programs that request an agency’s evaluation and that meet an agency’s criteria are then “accredited” by that agency.
For more information on accreditation in the United States, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s accreditation website.
Boise State University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
The most recent affirmation of accreditation, based on a full review, occurred in spring of 2019. View the 2019 reaffirmation of Accreditation letter. In Spring of 2019 Boise State submitted the Mission Fulfillment and Sustainability Self Study and underwent a full review including an external evaluation visit.
In spring 2022, the university successfully completed the Mid-Cycle Review by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The mid-cycle review is a part of the regular accreditation cycle, and it occurs three years after the last full accreditation review, and four years before the next one. A Mid-Cycle Review Report was submitted as part of our evaluation process. Evaluators commended the clear buy-in, support, and enthusiasm for the Blueprint for Success, 2021-2026 strategic plan and complimented the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, the University Strategic Planning Council, and university leadership for fostering a collaborative, engaging planning process. Most importantly, the evaluators found significant evidence that Boise State is well-situated for its Spring 2026 Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness report and visit. View the 2022 NWCCU commission letter regarding the spring 2022 Mid-Cycle Review. The letter summarizes the NWCCU’s decision to accept our report to fulfill our requirements, and it provides an update on our recommendations from the self-study and full accreditation review in 2019.
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution. Inquiries regarding an institution’s accredited status by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution.
Individuals may also contact:
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
8060 165th Avenue N.E., Suite 100
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 558-4224
www.nwccu.org
Boise State University is a public institution of higher education established in accordance with Idaho Code Section 33-4001. The general supervision, government and control of the university is vested in the Idaho State Board of Education which acts as the board of trustees of the university (See Idaho Code Section 33-4002).