Graduate School FAQs
Idaho State University offers over 100 graduate programs. A full list of our graduate programs and graduate certificates can be found here.
Please review the Graduate Admissions page of the catalog for a full list of general admissions requirements.
Some of our programs require the GRE/GMAT for admission. Please review admission requirements for the program of study you are interested in attending
Some departments and doctoral programs have additional requirements and admission standards. Review individual departmental sections of the Graduate Catalog for additional requirements.
Graduate School Application: To apply to the Graduate School, you will initiate an application through our application portal.
Non-Degree seeking students must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution at the time they start classes. Students who are finishing their final semester of undergraduate coursework may also be admitted if they receive permission from the Dean of the Graduate School.
Students may enroll in professional development courses offered under the 5597 number without the necessity of being admitted to Graduate School. However, they must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution at the time they enter the class or receive special permission from the Dean of the Graduate School if they are last-semester seniors at Idaho State University.
Professional development courses are also offered by the Albion Center for Professional Development at Idaho State University, separate from the Graduate School, and require a different application process.
Yes. 3-year academic bachelor's degrees are evaluated individually and may be acceptable depending upon a review of the Graduate School and specific program admission requirements.
The cost of attending Graduate School varies by residency status (in-state or out-of-state), full- or part-time status, or whether courses are taken in-person or using online instruction. To estimate your cost, please visit the Graduate Tuition page for details. Some programs may also require professional fees in addition to base tuition. Review individual program requirements to determine if professional fees are required.
Yes, the Graduate School hosts a yearly orientation scheduled in August. Orientation is a combination of online and live/in-person events. The online portion is required, while in-person events are recommended. Students can attend in person at the Pocatello or Meridian campus as well as a Zoom option for online students. New incoming graduate students should contact their departments for questions about specific program orientation dates and times.
Campus tours can be scheduled here.
International Students
Yes. Please see our International Students page for additional requirements. International students transferring from a school within the United States must be in status with Immigration and Naturalization Services to be issued an I-20 form from Idaho State University.
International students who have not graduated from an accredited college or university in the United States and whose language is not English must achieve satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System test (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test.
To be eligible for admission, international students must have a total score of 80 with a score of 20 on each section on the TOEFL or satisfactory IELTS performance, which is a score of 6.5 or better. Satisfactory Duolingo performance for Classified admission includes scoring 110 or higher. Graduate assistants who teach courses must score 110 or above on the conversation sub-score.
ISU's Intensive English Institute (IEI) provides English language instruction for international students who wish to study in a comprehensive, academically rigorous program. All classes are taught by instructors with advanced degrees, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) credentials, and relevant experience.
The International Programs Office (IPO) serves to enhance international students' stay in the USA, and particularly at ISU, by providing quality academic and regulatory advising. In addition, the IPO seeks to provide international students with advice and documentation to maintain their legal status in the United States and help international students adapt to the American education system. You may contact their office at ipomail@isu.edu.
An I-20 form is an immigration form required for international students wishing to enter the United States for graduate study. To receive an I-20 form, please visit the International Programs Office Document Request page.
Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) and Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) positions may be available for qualifying international students. Aside from GTA and GRA positions, ISU also awards a limited number of non-resident tuition waivers (NRTWs) to select students based on academic merit. Your application to the Graduate School will be considered as your application for the NRTW. Graduate student NRTWs are non-renewable awards, so students must reapply each year.
Native Students
Native American students have access to ISU's Native American Student Services (NASS). Here, the staff assist students with admission procedures, financial assistance, professional development, and academic support. Contact NASS at (208) 282-3382 or via email at nass@isu.edu for more information.
Application Processing
After the application paperwork is processed in the Graduate School, it varies somewhat by department and time of year. Typically, applicants receive a decision 2 to 4 weeks after they submit their applications.
While some programs have earlier and/or specific application deadlines, priority deadlines for applications to be completed and returned to the Graduate School are:
- April 1 for summer semester enrollment,
- April 1 for fall semester enrollment
- November 15th for spring semester enrollment
If you have questions on your application deadline, contact the department you are applying to for additional information.
You can track your application online via your application portal.
All accepted and rejected applicants will receive a notification letter from the Graduate School via email. If you are accepted, you must formally accept that decision. Instructions for accepting your admission will be included in the email.
No. However, students are required to reapply and pay the application fee if they fail to enroll for over 2 years.
If admitted, students should select to defer when completing the admission decision form on the application portal to request to defer. This is a one-time request to defer their admission for up to six semesters (not including summers) after the semester they were offered admission.
Transcripts/GPA
Applicants applying as degree-seeking students must provide unofficial transcripts from EACH institution they have attended, this includes courses taken as part of dual enrollment, study abroad, or coursework that did not lead to a degree being awarded (i.e., any and all course work). If admitted, students are required to submit all official transcripts before they can be eligible to enroll in classes. NOTE: an official transcript must be delivered in a university-sealed envelope, or through a transcript delivery service via electronic transfer directly to the Graduate School. Idaho State University undergraduate transcripts are available to the Graduate School and need not be provided by the applicant.
Non-degree-seeking applicants must provide a transcript showing proof of degree. Please see additional requirements for degree-seeking, last semester seniors, and international students under those headings in the Graduate Catalog in the Graduate Admissions section.
GPA is calculated based on the last 60 credits (90 quarter credit hours), using complete semesters of undergraduate coursework.
Yes. The applicant will need to request current official transcripts from these universities to be sent to the Graduate School. Applicants do NOT need to request Idaho State University transcripts be sent to the Graduate School.
Supporting materials are held by the Graduate School until the application file is complete. Completed application files are forwarded to departments for evaluation.
Entrance Exam/Tests
The following is the general requirement for GRE/MAT/GMAT at Idaho State University Graduate School. Some departments and programs REQUIRE the GRE/MAT/GMAT for admission regardless of GPA. Idaho State University uses a sliding GPA/Test Score scale:
- 3.5+ No GRE required
- 3.0-3.499 40th percentile in at least one of the areas GRE (40th percentile MAT)
- 2.5-2.999 combined (Verbal/Quantitative) minimum score 300 (45 percentile MAT)
Some departments and doctoral programs have higher admission standards. Generally, students applying for admission to a doctoral program must hold a master's degree and must have achieved at least the 50th percentile in one of the aptitude sections (Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Writing) of the GRE. The GRE/MAT/GMAT scores are also used for other graduate purposes (e.g., NRTW awards, assistantships, etc.).
To register for the GRE/GMAT/MAT, contact the Idaho State University Counseling and Testing Center at (208) 282-2130. Use code 4355 to send your test scores. Specific departmental codes may vary and are available from the Counseling and Testing Center.
Yes, the Graduate School will accept the highest GRE/MAT/GMAT score submitted.
GRE, MAT, and GMAT scores are valid for five years.
Fees
Applicants must include a $65 non-refundable, non-transferable, application fee with each application form. Students who do not pay the required application fee will not be processed for admission. The application fee is collected in the application portal as the final step in submitting an application. Please note, some applications may require an additional program fee.
Housing
While there is no designated graduate housing, graduate students are given priority at all ISU on-campus apartments. Visit ISU's Housing for more information on campus housing. If you are not interested in living on campus, there are various off-campus housing options close to ISU's campus. We encourage you to search through Zillow, Truila, and other online listings. You may also learn about housing options by talking to other students, looking at bulletins, and searching the classified ads section in the Idaho State Journal.