Community college transfer requirements to Boise State University
Boise State University is a major receiving institution for community college transfer students in Idaho. This page summarizes the published minimum GPA, application deadline, credit cap, and articulation framework you need to plan the transfer.
Transfer-admission profile
Boise State University publishes a transfer-admission policy distinct from its freshman policy. The minimum cumulative community college GPA for transfer applicants is approximately 2.5; competitive majors — particularly engineering, nursing, computer science, and the business school — typically require a higher GPA, often 3.2 or above, plus specific grades in named lower-division prerequisite courses. The university accepts up to 70 semester hours of community college credit toward the bachelor's; anything earned beyond that cap will appear on the transcript but will not reduce the credits required for graduation.
The application window is Aug 1 (fall), and applicants should plan to have an official transcript from every previously attended college, the FAFSA submitted by the priority deadline, and (where required) a brief transfer essay or major-specific supplement. Some Boise State University programs admit only for the fall term; others admit for both fall and spring. Confirm with the receiving department before you commit to a transfer term.
Step-by-step transfer plan
- Decide your target major. Read the Boise State University department's transfer guide for that major, which lists every required and recommended lower-division course.
- Pick a feeder community college in Idaho that offers the matching transfer-track associate degree (AA, AS, or the state's transfer-associate variant).
- Map every semester against the Boise State University articulation table. Confirm with both your community college advisor and the receiving department that the courses you plan to take will count.
- Maintain a cumulative GPA above 2.5 — and well above for the competitive majors. Aim for at least 3.2 if you're targeting an oversubscribed program.
- File the FAFSA before the priority deadline, request an official transcript from every prior college, and submit your application before Aug 1 (fall).
- After admission, attend the transfer orientation, lock in your major declaration with the receiving department, and request a final credit evaluation in writing.
Common feeder community colleges
The community colleges below are the largest in Idaho by enrollment, and they each maintain established transfer pipelines into Boise State University. Each profile lists the college's transfer rate, costs, and program offerings:
Popular majors for transfer-in
Each program-area page below outlines the typical two-year coursework, prerequisites, and recommended sequence for transferring into the corresponding bachelor's program at Boise State University:
- Business Administration at Boise State University
- Nursing (RN) at Boise State University
- Computer Science at Boise State University
- Information Technology at Boise State University
- Engineering Transfer at Boise State University
- Early Childhood Education at Boise State University
- Criminal Justice at Boise State University
- Psychology at Boise State University
- Biology / Pre-Health at Boise State University
- Communications & Media at Boise State University
- Liberal Arts (General Studies) at Boise State University
- Hospitality & Culinary at Boise State University