Scholarship FAQs and Policies

Boise State gives priority to students that meet the February 15 deadline and all criteria, and awards scholarships on a space-available basis. Idaho students admitted after February 15 will not have priority consideration for resident scholarships. Scholarship recipients are notified through BroncoMail and their letter of admission. The award can be reviewed three weeks later in the Student Center.
Students are considered for the Presidential, Dean’s, or True Blue Promise Scholarships at the time they apply for admissions, there is no separate application. As the Presidential, Dean’s, and True Blue Promise scholarships are awarded based on the admissions materials, once a student begins enrollment at Boise State, they are no longer considered for these awards if they did not receive them during their first semester.

Boise State offers merit-based and need-based scholarships to our new incoming degree-seeking students. Please visit our Scholarships homepage to learn more about our non-resident awards.

Boise State gives priority to students that meet the deadline and all criteria, and awards scholarships on a space-available basis. Students admitted after December 15 will not be considered for nonresident scholarships. Scholarship recipients are notified through BroncoMail and the award can be viewed in the Student Center. Fall admits that meet the December 15 deadline and all criteria are notified by mid-January.

Students are considered for nonresident scholarships at the time they apply for admissions – there is no separate application. As nonresident scholarships are awarded based on the admissions materials, applicants are not again considered for nonresident scholarships once enrolled at Boise State.

Due to limited funding, scholarships are non-deferrable. Any scholarships you were awarded will be canceled upon the submission and review of the Boise State deferment form. You will then be re-evaluated for scholarships based on your new semester’s scholarship criteria, and the academic information we have on file for you by the scholarship deadline. Please note: scholarship criteria is updated for the upcoming academic year each summer.

Boise State University will defer a current student’s scholarship(s) if a student’s attendance at Boise State is interrupted for medical reasons, military deployment, church service, or other selected reasons, provided that a student meets certain criteria. For a student’s scholarship(s) to be deferred, the student must attend at least one full-time semester prior to their departure and meet the minimum criteria for renewal of their scholarship(s) during the semester(s) they attend prior to leaving. Enrollment at another college or university during the deferment period will result in an automatic cancellation of the scholarship.
To request a deferral, a student should submit an email to scholarships@boisestate.edu, prior to leaving Boise State. Our general policy is that scholarships can be held for up to two academic years and approval is dependent on the availability of remaining scholarship funds.

Yes! Please review the admission requirements for international students here. The priority deadline for Nonresident Scholarship Programs is December 15. However, deadlines for academic scholarships vary. Review the individual scholarships for more information.
For more information, new international students should contact International Admissions at (208) 426-1757 or interntl@boisestate.edu. Continuing international students should go to the International Programs web page.

The Merit-Based Gem, Dean’s Gem, and Western Regional Graduate Program scholarships cannot be deferred. Students who defer (delay) enrollment, are no longer eligible for the scholarship awarded.
Sixty days before a student’s new enrollment term begins, they can be considered for a Dean’s Gem. Students need to work directly with their Program Coordinator to secure a Dean’s Gem recommendation. The Graduate College will not issue a scholarship to students without the proper recommendation from their program.

Graduate students must be enrolled in at least nine graduate-level credits each semester. Undergraduate credits can be included if the course fulfills the graduate degree requirements. Such undergraduate courses are indicated with a “G” designation. Please note: repeated courses will not count toward meeting minimum credit requirements.
Renewal requirements for graduate students include maintaining a 3.0 cumulative GPA and the successful completion of 18 credits per academic year. Departments may also require recipients to remain in a specified major.

Unweighted high school GPA is used for all incoming applicants from regionally accredited high schools for both Boise State admission and scholarship awards. Homeschool students and students that completed their GED are considered based on their scores and an additional application may be required. All required admission and scholarship materials for new students must be received by Boise State Admissions by the indicated Application and Scholarship Deadlines. Scholarship award notifications will arrive within three weeks of a student’s admission to Boise State.

Homeschool students and students that completed their GED are considered based on their scores and an additional application may be required. All required admission and scholarship materials for new students must be received by Boise State Admissions by the indicated Application and Scholarship Deadlines. Scholarship award notifications will arrive within three weeks of a student’s admission to Boise State.

Non-degree seeking students are not considered for scholarships at Boise State. If a student switches from non-degree to degree-seeking after the scholarship deadline, they should contact the Scholarships Office to evaluate their situation.

Yes! Applications and information about study abroad scholarships are available here. Global Learning Opportunities staff are happy to consult with students about their applications for study abroad scholarships. Please contact Global Learning Opportunities for more information at (208) 426-2630.

If a student going on education abroad currently receives a scholarship from Boise State, the Scholarship Committee at Boise State will evaluate if the scholarship can be used towards their education abroad or if a deferment is required while they are away from Boise State campus.
Nonresident Scholarships such as the Gem, WUE, Treasure, Foothills, Ridgeline, and Summit Scholarships can only be applied towards the nonresident fees at Boise State – these are not cash awards. Boise State will automatically defer a nonresident scholarship for a student studying abroad. Students are required to maintain their cumulative GPA and eligible major while they are abroad.

Incoming students are considered for the Presidential, Dean’s, or True Blue Promise Scholarships at the time they apply for admissions, there is no separate application. As the Presidential, Dean’s, and True Blue Promise scholarships are awarded based on the admissions materials, once a student begins enrollment at Boise State, they are no longer considered for these awards if they did not receive them during their first semester.
Eligibility for academic scholarships is contingent upon your admission as a degree-seeking student to Boise State University. To be considered for academic scholarships, please complete the Boise State Scholarship Application. Some scholarships are need-based and will require you to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Recipients are notified through BroncoMail and all awards will be made by May 1.

The Boise State Scholarship Application opens mid-November and most scholarship opportunities close on February 15.

Please visit Boise State’s Financial Aid site for other resources and options to finance your education.

If the student’s fees are refunded or waived through a fee appeal or academic appeal, the scholarship(s) will be canceled and the student will not be allowed a refund from the scholarship funds. If this results in a balance owing to Boise State, the student is required to pay that balance back to the University.

Scholarship decisions are made based on the data available by the deadline. Unfortunately, a scholarship cannot be changed or upgraded based on your academic performance at Boise State.

Guaranteed (admission) scholarship decisions are made based on the data available by the scholarship deadline. Should a student’s residency change after the scholarship has disbursed, the award will not be replaced with a resident award. We will automatically review residency changes and consider students for resident awards IF the residency changes prior to the scholarship disbursement.

Most scholarships through the Boise State Scholarship Application close on February 15. However, there are some opportunities that have different deadlines. This application is only used for academic scholarship selections. If you miss the deadline, you will not be eligible for these scholarships.
For additional scholarship opportunities, we encourage you to review the Private Scholarships page.

All automatic scholarship offers must be accepted by May 1. If an offer is not accepted by this deadline, the award will be canceled. To accept the award, log into myBoiseState, then select the Financial Aid tile, the appropriate Aid Year, scroll to the bottom and click “Accept/Decline Awards.” Follow the instructions listed.
Academic Scholarships offered via the Boise State Scholarship Application must be accepted within 30 days of the offer; if not accepted within 30 days, the offer may be reassigned to another student.

Boise State has more qualified individuals than scholarship awards, so the selection is a competitive process. Our Boise State Scholarship Committee uses a combination of GPA, test scores (ACT/SAT) (if applicable), the results of your FAFSA (if applicable) and other admission information to award scholarships.

Scholarship decisions are based on unweighted cumulative GPA.

Many scholarships have a one-year term and students need to re-apply to be considered for the scholarship again. Students are encouraged to complete the Boise State Scholarship Application every year to learn about the different scholarship options available.
For departmental scholarships, please be sure to declare your major with the Registrar’s Office. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office uses this information to provide academic departments with a list of eligible students.

Renewal status varies with each scholarship and this information can be found in your scholarship award letter and/or your Student Center by clicking on the name of the scholarship.

The earliest date that your financial aid is released is ten days prior to the start of the semester. Review our Dates and Deadlines page to determine when you should start receiving financial aid.
Disbursement occurs two to three times per week for eligible students throughout the semester.
There are several reasons your aid may be delayed. You can view your disbursement status here.

Departmental awards are awarded via the Boise State Scholarship Application. You must first accept your award(s) there and then complete the thank you letter (if applicable). Donor Relations will approve the thank you letter (generally within two business days) and then the award status will change to “accepted” in your Student Center. For awards that do not require a thank you letter, the award status will update overnight once the student accepts the award.

All educational-related funding is required to be sent to the financial aid office for processing.
Mail the check to the following address:
Boise State University
Attn: Scholarships Department
1910 University Drive
Boise, ID 83725-1315

Please note: Make checks payable to (if the check is not made payable to one of the two names we will not be able to process the award):
“Boise State” or “Boise State University”
Please include a copy of the award letter outlining the scholarship enrollment requirements and the term for which the scholarship is intended for. Make sure the student ID number is on the check and/or the letter.
If the check amount is greater than $1,000.00 our office will automatically split the funds between the fall and spring semesters unless otherwise specified in the award letter.

While our goal is to process checks within 24 hours of receipt, it can take up to two weeks during high-volume periods. Once we have posted the check to your financial aid package we will send an email to your Bronco Mail.

Students can get a copy of their account invoice by following the directions listed on the View Term Summary Report website.

Students can request an enrollment verification letter by following the steps listed on the Enrollment Verification request webpage.

Students can get a copy of their account invoice by following the directions listed on the View Term Summary Report website.

First, you have to submit an Educational Expense form. Please contact the AmeriCorps National Service Hotline at 1-800-942-2677 or online at National Service Questions Hotline if you have questions on how to do this. We are only able to certify requests for one semester per request.

We will review your certification and approve the amount you are eligible for. AmeriCorps is required to split the amount into two equal payments, with the second payment arriving around the midpoint of the enrollment period. You are still responsible for meeting the fee payment deadline for the semester/term, which is typically the Saturday prior to the start of classes. If you are unable to pay the fees in full, you may want to enroll in a payment plan to avoid late fees.

If you’ve received a scholarship from an outside entity, they may request a W-9. If one has been requested please click “Download W-9”, print the form, and bring it to the Financial Aid Office located in the Administration Building, Room 124 to obtain a signature.

Download W-9 (pdf)

The information collected in the W-9 is used to prepare 1099-MISC forms at the end of the year. The 1099-MISC form reports the total amount of payments you receive from a single person or entity during the year. Some scholarships, fellowship grants and other grants are taxable.
For more information please see the IRS topic on Scholarships, Fellowship Grants, and Other Grants or consult your tax advisor.