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To Apply as a Nondegree-Seeking Student

Individuals who submit an application but do not specify a degree or certificate program are said to be applying as nondegree-seeking students. Applications from nondegree-seeking students are accepted at any time, but prospective students are advised to submit all application materials well in advance of the desired semester or summer session.

Applicants may apply for admission as a nondegree-seeking student if they have earned a baccalaureate degree or a higher degree from a regionally accredited institution. Students who subsequently decide to apply to a degree or certificate program student will be required to meet the GPA and all other requirements of the program to which they apply. To apply for admission as a nondegree-seeking student, complete the following steps before the deadline specified in the current academic calendar:

  1. Submit an online application for admission to the Graduate College, along with the nonrefundable application fee.
  2. Request official transcripts from each educational institution (excluding Boise State) attended beyond high school. Transcripts should be sent directly from the institution to the Graduate College and can be sent electronically, mailed or faxed using the following information:
  • Mailing address:
    • ​Graduate College
      Boise State University
      Riverfront Hall, Rm. 307
      1910 University Dr.
      Boise, ID
      83725-1110​
  • Email address: gradcoll@boisestate.edu.
  • Fax number: (208) 426-2789.

Admission Status for Non-Degree Seeking Students

Students who are admitted to the Graduate College as nondegree-seeking students may register for courses of interest for which they are eligible as long as they have met the necessary prerequisites and the courses are not restricted. However, they may not work toward a graduate degree or certificate and are not eligible for federal financial aid. When a nondegree-seeking student has completed nine (9) credits at Boise State University, they will be discontinued in the enrollment management system, and must apply and be accepted into a degree or certificate program before they are eligible to enroll in additional courses. If a student completes courses as a nondegree-seeking student and later applies and is admitted to a graduate program, the program may recommend to the Graduate College that up to nine (9) credits completed while in non-degree status be applied to the credit requirements of the program. The graduate program may define a maximum number of applicable credits of this type, but the maximum cannot exceed nine (9) credits, and students must apply and be accepted into a Graduate degree or certificate program before they have completed the requirements for the degree or certificate – no retroactive degrees or certificates will be conferred. All decisions regarding the applicability of such credit rest with the Graduate Dean.