New Student Orientation
For Transfer and Non-Traditional students, New Student Orientation helps students prepare for their future at Boise State. Students will schedule their academic advising session based on their major. During the advising session, students will plan a viable first semester schedule at Boise State.
Transferring Course Credits to Boise State
After admission as a degree-seeking student, the Office of the Registrar evaluates your transcript(s) to determine transfer equivalencies to Boise State courses. It is important that you submit all final, official transcripts to ensure complete consideration for your previous coursework in the transfer equivalency process.
- If previous courses are determined to be equivalent, those credits will count toward graduation, just as if you had earned those credits at Boise State.
- If the courses are not equivalent, those credits will be converted to general elective credits.
- Know where you stand by reviewing information on receiving credit for prior learning
- Estimate how courses will transfer to Boise State using the Transfer Equivalency System
More detail about this process, including information on quarter system credit, GPA calculation, and general education requirements, can be found through Admissions and the Office of the Registrar.
Review admission standards for Obtaining a Second Bachelor’s Degree.
Understanding How Credits Transfer
Why Didn’t My Course Credit Transfer?
Boise State accepts all college-level credit granted by regionally accredited institutions. If you earn credits from an unaccredited institution, they may still transfer to Boise State pending evaluation by the Office of the Registrar and departmental approval.
Estimate how courses will transfer to Boise State using the Transfer Equivalency Tool.
In general, the only credits that Boise State does NOT readily accept are those that are specifically technical or sectarian-religious in nature. Exceptions to these standards are:
- Students who transfer with an associate of applied science degree (A.A.S.) from a technical program meeting Idaho standards for the A.A.S may be admitted into the Bachelor of Applied Science program and may count up to 40 of your technical credits toward a BAS degree.
- Additionally, as many as 8 credits of non-sectarian religion courses (e.g., The Bible as Literature), may count toward your undergraduate education. These courses must be taken at a regionally accredited institution and will count as general elective credit.
Why Did My Course Credit Transfer as an Elective Credit?
Initial transfer credit evaluation is dependent on several factors:
- Familiarity with the particular transfer institution
- A precedent for the particular course equivalency
- Departmental approval
- Availability of course information and identification
Sometimes Boise State does not have an equivalent course to the course at your previous institution. In those instances, your course may be transferred in as something close or a general elective course. For an example review the following table.
If courses transfer as general electives, look to see whether the course is equivalent or a substitute for another course at Boise State. If the course qualifies as either, complete an Academic Adjustment form with an academic advisor from your department.
If the course does not qualify for an academic adjustment, discuss with an academic advisor how the course may count towards your selected major.
Why Did I Lose Credits?
Quarter Conversion
If you are transferring to Boise State from a quarter system, you may perceive a loss in credits. Estimate how courses will transfer to Boise State using the Transfer Equivalency System.
A quarter is one type of term within an academic year. Each quarter is ~10 weeks in length, and there are usually three quarters (fall, winter, and spring) per academic year. A semester is the other type of term within an academic year. Each semester is 15 weeks in length, and there are two semesters (fall and spring) in an academic year. Boise State uses a semester system, so your quarter credit hours must be converted to a semester calendar.
- Divide your quarter hours by 1.5 to estimate your semester hours.
- Example: 45 quarter hours / 1.5 = 30 semester hours.
Equivalent courses do not need to be retaken because of credit hour differences. Although your Academic Advisement Report may state that the particular requirement is not satisfied, the Office of the Registrar will complete the adjustment prior to graduation. All students must still earn the minimum total hours required for graduation.
How Do I Fix My Transfer Credit Problems?
- Consult with your academic advisor to understand exactly how your transfer credits count toward degree and/or graduation requirements.
- If you completed a course at your previous institution that you believe should count towards major requirements but transferred as an elective, you might consider an academic adjustment. Research the Academic Adjustment process. Determine which kind of adjustment you need and discuss your options with your academic advisor.
- Find any supporting material such as old catalogs, course descriptions, and/or syllabi. The more documentation you can provide demonstrating how your previous course is equivalent to a Boise State course, the more likely your chances of getting your academic adjustment approved.
- Find the contact information of the department chair and dean of the college of major offering the course you want to be adjusted.
- Have the department chair and college dean sign your Academic Adjustment form and submit the form to the Office of the Registrar – Appeals.
Note
Any adjustment beyond a College/Major level requirement will also require University Appeals Committee Approval. See Academic Appeal form for more detail.