FAQs

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 1st.

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

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

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), the results of your FAFSA (if applicable), and other admission information to award scholarships.

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

Students are considered for the nonresident scholarships at the time they apply for admissions, there is no separate application. As the nonresident scholarships are awarded based on the admissions materials, once a student begins enrollment at Boise State, they are no longer considered for the nonresident scholarships if they did not receive them during their first semester.

Boise State gives priority to students that have met the deadline and met all criteria and awards scholarships on a space-available basis. Idaho students admitted after February 15th will not have priority consideration for resident scholarships. Scholarship recipients are notified through BroncoMail and the award can be viewed in Student Center. Scholarship recipients are notified through their admission letter. Scholarships will be made visible in the Student Center three weeks after an admissions decision has been reached.

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.

Most scholarships through the Boise State Scholarship Application close on February 15th, however, there are some opportunities that have different deadlines. This form is only used for academic scholarship selections. If you miss the deadline, you will not be eligible for these particular scholarships.

For additional scholarship opportunities, we also encourage you to review the Private Scholarships page.

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 as the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office uses this information to provide academic departments with a list of eligible students.

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

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. 

Students seeking to defer their admission can do so by submitting the Boise State Admission deferment request form. If eligible, deferring allows you to delay your admission to a later starting semester than the one you were originally admitted for.

Due to limited funding, scholarships are nondeferrable. Unlike your admission, scholarships cannot be deferred to a new semester. 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.

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.

Yes! Please review the admission requirements for international students here. The priority deadline for Nonresident Scholarship Programs is December 15th; 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.

Yes! Applications and information about education 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.

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

Unweighted high school GPA is used for all incoming applicants from regionally accredited high schools for both Boise State admission and scholarship awards. Home School 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.

Unweighted high school GPA is used for all incoming applicants from regionally accredited high schools for both Boise State admission and scholarship awards. Home School 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.

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 money back to the University.

Scholarship decisions are based on unweighted cumulative GPA.

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 will move to accepted in your Student Center. For awards that do not require a thank letter the award will move to accepted overnight once the student accepts the award.

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