Public Higher Education

Reach for Higher Ground

The role of Idaho’s public higher education institutions is to provide a wide variety of educational, training, research, continuing education and service programs to meet the personal and professional needs of Idaho citizens and employers.

A senior in cap and gown holding a banner.
Higher Education - Public

Students have a variety of high quality public universities and colleges to choose from in Idaho.

The board encourages you to thoroughly utilize resources on the Next Steps Idaho website to prepare for and apply to college. Select resources are included below and in the sidebar for your convenience.

Institution Information and Applications

Idaho Residency for Tuition Purposes

Residency is determined at the time of application to an Idaho postsecondary institution and is based on information provided on the student’s application for admission. Applicants may apply either online via the institutions’ websites or through the common Application for Undergraduate Admission (see link below). The statutory and regulatory provisions relevant to residency determinations may be found at:

Pursuant to section 33-3713B, Idaho code, a student who is a member of an Idaho Native American Indian tribe, whose traditional and customary tribal boundaries included portions of the state of Idaho, or whose Indian tribe was granted reserved lands within the state of Idaho are eligible for resident tuition at public institutions of higher education in Idaho. The following tribes have been determined to have had traditional and/or customary tribal boundaries in whole or in part in the state Idaho, or have been granted reserved lands within the state of Idaho:

  • Coeur d’Alene Tribe
  • Eastern Shoshone Tribe
  • Kootenai Tribe
  • Nez Perce Tribe
  • Shoshone-Paiute Tribes
  • Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
  • Northwestern Shoshone

The worksheet should be used only if a student’s initial application for admission indicates non-resident status and additional information has been requested by the institution.

Tuition and Paying for College

Special Opportunities

Institution Roles and Missions

Institution Roles and Missions

The State Board of Education envisions an accessible, seamless public education system that results in a highly educated citizenry.

Public College & University Transfer Guides

Public College & University Transfer Guides

The SBOE recognizes the eligibility for transfer of credits from any institution whose regional or national accrediting agency is recognized by the USDE and CHEA.

Tuition Exchange Agreements

Tuition Exchange Agreements
The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) is comprised of 15 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Medical Specialty Programs

Medical Specialty Programs

In some specialized fields of study, Idaho has too few students to warrant the establishment of expensive programs. In order to provide Idahoans a full range of educational programs at a reasonable cost, the state has established programs in cooperation with other states in the areas of medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry.

Academic Program & Staff Development

Academic Program & Staff Development
Academic program and staff development aims to enhance and support excellence in academic practice at Idaho postsecondary institutions across leadership, professional skills, research and teaching.

Internal Audit and Advisory Services (IAAS)

Internal Audit and Advisory Services (IAAS)
Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes.