Idaho: school, college and career rules
Idaho requires 46 credits (29 in core subjects, 30 with digital literacy from 2028) plus a senior project or, from the class of 2028, a Future Readiness Project, tests with the ISAT, gives resident tuition after 12 months of domicile or to Idaho high school graduates, and funds the Idaho LAUNCH grant and the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship.
Linked from the State Population Totals 2020-2025 page (census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html); population and rank copied from the POPESTIMATE2025 and NRANK_POPEST2025 columns.Census
High school diploma
IDAPA 08.02.03.105 (State Board of Education): the state minimum is 46 credits, including 29 credits in core subjects; one credit equals 60 hours of instruction, and districts may add requirements. IDAPA
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| Subject | State minimum |
|---|---|
| Language arts and communication | 9 credits: 8 of language arts and 1 of communications (speech, debate or equivalent) |
| Mathematics | 6 credits: 2 of Algebra I, 2 of Geometry and 2 of the student's choice |
| Science | 6 credits: 4 from at least two of physics, chemistry, earth and space or life science, plus 2 more |
| Social studies | 5 credits: government 2, U.S. history 2, economics and financial literacy 1 |
| Fine arts or world languages | 2 credits |
| Health/wellness | 1 credit, including CPR and AED training |
| Digital literacy | 1 credit, for students graduating after 1 January 2028 |
46 credits, 29 in core subjects (30 with digital literacy).
State tests for the diploma
No exit exam. Students must meet the state civics and government standards, through the civics test or a district's alternate path (Idaho Code § 33-1602), noted on the transcript. IDAPA
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Also good to know
- Every student completes a senior project (research, a thesis and a presentation) by the end of grade 12; from the class of 2028 it is replaced by a Future Readiness Project with a work-based, service-based, research-based or portfolio component.
IDAPA
IDAPA 08.02.03, Rules Governing Thoroughness (105 High School Graduation Requirements; 111 Assessment in the Public Schools)Idaho State Board of Education (Idaho Administrative Code)- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
- Districts must offer at least one advanced opportunity, such as dual credit or Advanced Placement; Idaho also offers a STEM diploma and a Workforce Readiness and CTE diploma.
Idaho SDE
High School Graduation RequirementsIdaho Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
State test: ISAT
Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT). IDAPA 08.02.03.111 sets Idaho's comprehensive assessment program: ISAT tests in English language usage and mathematics in grades 3 to 8 and 11, and science in grades 5, 8 and 11, given each spring. IDAPA
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| Test | Subjects | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| ISAT | English language usage and mathematics | Grades 3–8 and 11 |
| ISAT | Science | Grades 5, 8 and 11 |
| High school ISAT | Optional, at the district's choice | Grades 9 and 10 |
| College entrance exam | Optional, at the parent's discretion | Grades 11 and 12 |
Source: IDAPA
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What the scores are used for
- SAT scores above 750 in math and English or ACT math above 33 and English above 70 (among other conditions, such as a 3.5 GPA) let a student take a flexible schedule or graduate early.
Idaho SDE
High School Graduation RequirementsIdaho Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
National tests (SAT, ACT, AP, NAEP) are on the Exams hub.
Public colleges and universities
The state's public university system(s) and community colleges, from their own pages.
- University of IdahoUniversity system · Idaho's land-grant university and top public research university, with centers in Boise, Coeur d'Alene and Idaho Falls and statewide Extension.
- College of Western Idaho (CWI)Community colleges · Community college for the Boise area, created in 2007 when Ada and Canyon county voters formed a community college district, Boise having been the last US metropolitan area without one; Boise State's professional-technical programs moved to CWI.
Sources: University of Idaho
View sourceCWI
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Every school in Idaho, public and private, with cost and completion: 37 colleges, community colleges and trade schools, with 5 city pages.
In-state tuition: the residency rule
Public colleges charge less to state residents. Who counts as a resident is set by state law or the college system, not by where you went to school alone.
- Idaho Code § 33-3717B: a student who gets less than half their support from parents is a resident after continuously living in Idaho, with a bona fide domicile mainly for non-educational purposes, for 12 months before the term starts.
Idaho Code
Idaho Code § 33-3717B, Residency requirementsIdaho Legislature- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
legislature.idaho.gov times out from India; read from the Internet Archive capture of 2026-03-07 (20260307090027).
View source - Students whose parents or guardians are domiciled in Idaho and give at least 50% of their support are residents, as are graduates of an accredited Idaho high school who are domiciled in Idaho and enroll within eight years of graduating.
Idaho Code
Idaho Code § 33-3717B, Residency requirementsIdaho Legislature- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
legislature.idaho.gov times out from India; read from the Internet Archive capture of 2026-03-07 (20260307090027).
View source - Undergraduates enrolled full time in the prior 12 months are presumed to be in Idaho for education unless they show 12 months of full-time Idaho employment and an Idaho resident income tax return. Military members stationed in Idaho and members of Idaho tribes also qualify.
Idaho Code
Idaho Code § 33-3717B, Residency requirementsIdaho Legislature- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
legislature.idaho.gov times out from India; read from the Internet Archive capture of 2026-03-07 (20260307090027).
View source
The college's residency office makes the final decision. More on costs: What college costs.
State financial aid
Run by the Idaho State Board of Education (Next Steps Idaho / Scholarship Idaho). Federal aid (Pell Grants, loans) starts with the FAFSA: FAFSA, grants and loans.
Idaho LAUNCH
Grant for current Idaho high school graduates (public, charter, private, home school or GED, under 21) who enroll by the fall after graduation in an approved in-demand training, two-year or four-year program in Idaho: 80% of tuition and fees up to $8,000, with at most $4,000 in the first year for longer programs. Apply 1 October to 15 April and complete a Career Pathway Plan. Next Steps Idaho
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Idaho Opportunity Scholarship
Up to $3,500 a year, renewable for up to four years, for Idaho high school (or Idaho GED) graduates with an unweighted 2.7 GPA who file the FAFSA by 1 March and pursue a first certificate, associate or bachelor's degree. Next Steps Idaho
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Licensing boards
Lawyers, doctors, CPAs and nurses need a Idaho license from a state board, even after passing a national exam. These are the boards that grant it.
| License | Idaho board | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer How bar admission works | Idaho State Bar | NextGen UBE. MPRE required (passing score 85). NCBEIdaho: bar admission informationNational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Bar admission agency, the NCBE exams the jurisdiction requires, MPRE passing score and NextGen UBE plans. NCBE advises checking the agency itself for the latest rules. View source |
| Physician How a medical license works | Idaho Board of Medicine | USMLE (M.D.) or COMLEX-USA (D.O.) FSMBContact a State Medical BoardFederation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
Directory of every state's medical (and separate osteopathic) board. fsmb.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 14 Sep 2026; each board link was then opened on 22 Oct 2026, through the board's site or, where it blocks reads from India, its latest archive capture. View source |
| CPA How the CPA license works | Idaho State Board of Accountancy | Uniform CPA Examination NASBAState Boards of AccountancyNational Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
Directory of the 55 boards of accountancy. nasba.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 15 Oct 2026; board links that had moved were replaced with the board's current page, opened on 22 Oct 2026. View source |
| Registered nurse How the RN license works | Idaho Board of Nursing | NCLEX-RN · Nurse Licensure Compact member since Jan. 19, 2018 NCSBNContact Idaho Board of NursingNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
NCSBN / NLCNLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact)
|
Engineering, teaching, real estate, cosmetology and the trades have their own boards: all professional licenses · trades and apprenticeships.
State and city government jobs
Federal jobs are on USAJOBS; state and city governments hire through their own systems.
State of Idaho careers (Luma)
Idaho Division of Human Resources (DHR)
- Agencies post job announcements at statecareers.idaho.gov with the hiring agency, location, salary, duties, minimum qualifications and how to apply.
- Apply online from the announcement; some jobs include an examination taken in the same application system under Idaho's merit system.
Source: Idaho DHR
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Police, fire and other public-safety routes: Public Service & Safety hub.
Registered apprenticeship
Idaho has no State Apprenticeship Agency: the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers programs here. California is listed under both OA and SAA.Apprenticeship.gov
- Idaho Apprenticeship Office (U.S. Department of Labor)Idaho has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency: the U.S. Department of Labor's Idaho Apprenticeship Office registers and oversees programs.
- Trades and apprenticeshipsElectrician, plumber, HVAC and other trade routes on this site
Source: Apprenticeship.gov
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Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (NST-EST2025-POPCHG2020-2025, CSV) · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025) checked 2026-10-21
- Idaho: bar admission information · National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact a State Medical Board · Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) checked 2026-10-22
- State Boards of Accountancy · National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact Idaho Board of Nursing · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) checked 2026-10-22
- NLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF) · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact) checked 2026-10-07
- IDAPA 08.02.03, Rules Governing Thoroughness (105 High School Graduation Requirements; 111 Assessment in the Public Schools) · Idaho State Board of Education (Idaho Administrative Code) checked 2026-10-22
- High School Graduation Requirements · Idaho Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- About University of Idaho · University of Idaho checked 2026-10-22
- History · College of Western Idaho checked 2026-10-22
- Idaho Code § 33-3717B, Residency requirements · Idaho Legislature checked 2026-10-22
- Idaho LAUNCH · Idaho State Board of Education (Next Steps Idaho) checked 2026-10-22
- Idaho Opportunity Scholarship · Idaho State Board of Education (Next Steps Idaho) checked 2026-10-22
- Information About State Careers · Idaho Division of Human Resources checked 2026-10-22
- State Offices: Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agency contacts by state · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21
- The Apprenticeship System: Office of Apprenticeship (OA) and recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) states · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21