Academic Information for exchange students

All undergraduate areas (except Nursing and Kinesiology) are open to exchange students. Business courses require proof of prerequisites for upper-division courses. Mechanical Engineering requires pre-approval by the Center for Global Engagement. Art requires program admission and a portfolio. You can read more about course registration here.

The fall semester typically runs from late August to mid-December. The spring semester typically runs from mid-January to early May. The complete academic calendar can be found here.

How to Register

You will register for courses in your Student Account in your myBoiseState account. You will be sent instructions to log into your myBoiseState account when you are officially accepted into Boise State. Once you log into your Student Account, you will be able to search for classes and enroll as well. You can find instructions on how to register for classes here.

If you are enrolling in a course that has prerequisites, you must obtain a permission number from the instructor in order to register. To do this, please fill out the Exchange Student Course Worksheet and email it to International Student Services, internationalinfo@boisestate.edu

It is very important that you register for classes as soon as possible. Classes fill up and once a class is full, you cannot add the class.  This may be different from your home country.

How to Read a Course Description

The course description will give you important information as you decide which classes to take. The course description will indicate the term in which a course is typically offered as well as the prerequisites that you need to meet in order to take the course. Please note that the course catalog does not guarantee that the course will be offered in the desired term as it is subject to change.

Course Load Requirements

International students must take a minimum of 12 credits. This typically equates to four classes worth three credits each. Other exchange students have felt this course load kept them very busy while studying here. You may not take fewer than 12 credits, but you can take up to 15 credits without paying additional fees.

For details, see J1 Exchange Student Visa Information.