How to Apply to Chemistry at Boise State University: A BS in Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, with at Least One of Five Emphases (Two ACS-Certified), Admission by Unweighted High School GPA and No Test Scores, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Boise State University is in Boise, Idaho. Undergraduate chemistry is taught by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences; the college’s department page lists it as one of its departments. The BS in Biology, physics, mathematics, engineering and health-professions programs (nursing, pharmacy and so on) are not covered here. The sections below follow the university website and are split into domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students.

1. Degree and emphases

• Degree: Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. The pages read do not list a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry. The department home page says its research spans areas such as agricultural, medicinal and astrochemistry.
• Emphases: the department’s new-student FAQ says every student earns a degree in chemistry with at least one emphasis, from five: ACS Professional, ACS Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Forensics and Secondary Education. The wording differs slightly between pages: the FAQ writes “ACS Certified Biochemistry” and “ACS Certified Professional”, the advising page writes “ACS Biochemistry” and “ACS Professional”; they appear to be the same two tracks.
• Required chemistry courses (advising page, common to all emphases): General Chemistry I and II with labs (CHEM 111/L, 112/L); Analytical Chemistry and lab (CHEM 211, 212); Organic Chemistry I and II with labs (CHEM 307–310); Physical Chemistry I, II and lab (CHEM 321, 322, 324); Advanced Synthesis Lab (CHEM 323); Biochemistry I (CHEM 431); Undergraduate Chemistry Research (CHEM 495); Chemistry Seminar (CHEM 498). The page says required non-chemistry and prerequisite courses are in the department’s advising packet, which was not among the pages read; check the department website.
• ACS Professional: the website says this emphasis is certified by the American Chemical Society, covers all five subdisciplines in more depth, is the most well-rounded, and is most often chosen by students heading to graduate study or chemistry jobs. It adds Advanced Inorganic (CHEM 401), Advanced Analytical and lab (CHEM 411, 412) and CHEM 440/441 or 408 (spectral identification or synthetic organic).
• ACS Biochemistry: also ACS-certified, covering all five subdisciplines with a focus on biochemistry. It adds CHEM 401, 411, Biochemistry Lab (CHEM 432), Biochemistry II (CHEM 433), Genetics (BIOL 310) and Cell Biology (written “BIO 320” on the page).
• Biochemistry: all core chemistry courses plus extra biochemistry, with flexibility to take courses of interest. The site says most pre-health students choose it because it covers many prerequisites and exam-prep courses. It adds CHEM 432, 433, CHEM 440/441 or 408, BIOL 310 and BIOL 320.
• Forensics: chemistry combined with criminal-justice and forensic courses. It adds CHEM 432, 433, 440/441, BIOL 310, 320, CJ 101 (Intro to Law and Justice), CJ 375 (Law of Criminal Evidence) and BIOL 447 (Forensic Biology).
• Secondary Education: a chemistry degree together with a secondary teaching certificate, part of the IDoTeach program. The advising page says the emphasis moved into the College of Education’s Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies department effective July 1, 2023, and that students can still go to graduate school in chemistry or work in the field. It adds CHEM 401, 411, 412, ED-CIFS 201 and the STEM-ED program courses.
• Minor: the chemistry minor requires CHEM 111/L, 112/L, 211, 212, 307, 308, 309 and 310.
• Total credits and graduation requirements: the full requirements are in the university’s undergraduate catalog; the pages read do not give a credit total, so check the catalog.
• Undergraduate research: CHEM 495 Undergraduate Chemistry Research is required. The advisor’s introduction describes the department’s community-building as hands-on advising, saving seats in chemistry courses for majors, chemistry-specific scholarships and fellowships, career-relevant jobs, and “at least one year of an immersive research experience in a faculty member’s laboratory”. Fellowship applications are posted each spring on the Chemistry Majors Canvas site; applicants must be current chemistry majors working or planning to work in a research group.
• Support: the Chemistry Instructional Center offers free drop-in tutoring from General Chemistry through Biochemistry; many courses have learning assistants and course-specific study sessions; private tutoring through the department costs money. Permission numbers for chemistry courses are handled on a department page.
• Outcomes: the advising page says a chemistry degree can lead to careers in laboratories, medicine, agriculture, government service and more. That is a description, not employment statistics; no outcomes data was on the pages read.

2. How admission works: the university first; a chemistry-specific route is not described

• Apply to the university: the admissions pages review the cumulative unweighted high school GPA, with no distinction between colleges and no chemistry-specific GPA threshold on the pages read. Whether you indicate a major on the application, whether chemistry admits by major and whether seats are capped are not stated; ask the department (chemistry@boisestate.edu, +1 208-426-3000).
• Declaring the major and emphasis: the department FAQ says that after admission you declare your major on your myBoiseState student page, and change your major or add an emphasis in the same place. No timing, GPA, prerequisite-grade or capacity condition is stated.
• Advising: the department has an undergraduate advisor (Student Support Manager) offering hands-on advising. A required-advising (RAD) hold is placed on every student account after the first semester and is lifted by meeting an advisor.
• Enrolment: the department says it saves seats in chemistry courses for majors; permission numbers can be requested for enrolment problems, but prerequisites are overridden only in extenuating circumstances.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school courses: the admissions and department pages read list no required high school courses and no prerequisite in chemistry, mathematics or physics.
• Math or chemistry placement: not stated on the pages read.
• AP Chemistry (Registrar page; send scores to college code 4018; credit posts after the 10th day of the first semester): a 3 gives CHEM 101 plus CHEM 100XF (4 credits total), with the note that a 3 on exams taken before January 1, 2018 earns no credit; a 4 gives CHEM 111 plus CHEM 100XF (4 credits). Lab credit (CHEM 101L, 111L) requires showing a lab notebook or syllabus to the chemistry department. AP Calculus AB 3 gives MATH 170 (4 credits); Calculus BC 3 gives MATH 170 and 175 (8 credits).
• IB: Chemistry HL 4 gives CHEM 111 and 111L (4 credits); Mathematics Analysis and Approaches HL 4 gives MATH 170 and 175 (8 credits), SL 4 gives MATH 170 (4 credits). No IB Chemistry SL entry was on the page. The website is not fully consistent: the department FAQ says all labs count as CHEM 100XF credit until the department evaluates a syllabus or lab notebook, while the Registrar’s IB table lists CHEM 111L directly. Confirm with the Registrar and the department.
• Other credit: the department says credit from another school’s concurrent-enrollment courses is evaluated like transfer credit and may not transfer as the same credits (check the Transfer Equivalency System); Boise State also offers concurrent-enrollment courses, including chemistry.
• Cap: credit for prior learning can supply up to one-third of the credits needed to graduate. Whether it can replace required chemistry courses such as CHEM 111 and 112 is not stated on the pages read; confirm with the catalog and the department.
• Honors: the department notes that students admitted to the Honors College can choose honors lecture and lab sections; the pages read do not give Honors College admission criteria.
• Competitions: the pages read do not say how chemistry olympiads or similar contests are viewed in admission.

4. Rounds, materials and fees (fall 2027 entry)

• Deadlines (resident and nonresident pages; no year is printed, so confirm they are for fall 2027): for fall/summer entry, the nonresident application and scholarship priority deadline is December 15, the resident one is February 15, and the standard application deadline is May 1. Spring entry: priority October 1, standard December 1. The pages say all materials must arrive by the priority deadline to be considered for automatic scholarships.
• Application fee: nonresident and fully online students pay a nonrefundable fee or have an approved waiver: $50 for a nonresident undergraduate application, $85 for an international undergraduate application. Waivers need documented economic need and are not available to international students. The Idaho resident page lists no fee.
• Materials: Boise State’s own application (Idaho residents may instead use the state’s Apply Idaho application, in which case a high school transcript is not needed unless requested) and an official high school transcript; nonresidents also pay the fee or have a waiver. International Admissions states that it does not accept the Common Application.
• Essay and recommendations: applicants who meet the automatic standard are not asked for an essay on the pages read. Those with lower GPAs go to holistic review with a 500–650-word personal statement (and, in some cases, a seventh-semester transcript), plus up to two optional recommendation letters from people who can speak to academic ability and motivation. The website does not say that chemistry needs a science-teacher recommendation.
• Test scores: the resident and nonresident pages say test scores are not required and not used in the review; the international page says SAT/ACT are not required and will be considered if sent. The website does not state any separate test requirement for chemistry.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Idaho residents (accredited high school seniors): a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.00–4.00, or ISAT scores of at least 3 in both ELA and math, meets the automatic standard; 2.80–2.99 is “highly considered” with nothing more needed; 2.60–2.79 goes to holistic review with a seventh-semester transcript and personal statement (decisions in early March if complete by February 15); below 2.60 does not qualify, and the site suggests starting at a community college. Graduates: 2.80–4.00 automatic, 2.00–2.79 holistic review, below 2.00 not qualified.
• Nonresidents (accredited high school seniors): 3.00–4.00 automatic; 2.80–2.99 highly considered; 2.60–2.79 holistic review; below 2.60 not qualified. Graduates: 3.00–4.00 admitted, 2.80–2.99 highly considered, 2.00–2.79 holistic review, below 2.00 not qualified. GED holders who passed after 2014 with 160 or higher on each section are admitted automatically; others get holistic review.
• Tuition: the pages read do not give resident or nonresident tuition amounts; check the university tuition page. The scholarship page says the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) award covers 150% of resident tuition, a saving of about $16,339 a year.
• Resident scholarships (new-to-college page, no academic year printed; materials due by the February 15 priority deadline): True Blue Promise (unweighted high school GPA 3.20–3.69, Pell-eligible, FAFSA required) $2,000 a year; Dean’s (3.70–3.89) $2,500; Presidential (3.90–4.00) $3,000. All run four years (eight semesters); renewal needs 24 credits a year and a cumulative GPA of 2.50 (True Blue Promise) or 3.00.
• Nonresident scholarships (December 15 deadline): Ridgeline (GPA 3.10–3.29) $5,000 a year; Summit (3.30–4.00) $10,000; WUE (3.50–4.00, U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a permanent address in a listed western state or territory) about $16,339. All require an eligible major. The ineligible majors printed are Construction Management, Nursing, Pre-Nursing, Radiological Science, Pre-Radiological Science, self-supported programs and fully online programs; chemistry is not on the list.
• Department scholarships: the current-student FAQ says Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry scholarships are applied for through the university scholarships page (names and amounts are not listed on the pages read); see the fellowship note above.
• Guaranteed or priority admission for state residents: residents with a GPA of 3.00 or higher are automatically admitted (above); the website states no guaranteed seat or quota for chemistry.

6. International applicants

• Who counts: non-U.S. citizens who need a visa to study in the U.S. Permanent residents, refugees, asylees and DACA recipients do not; dual citizens holding U.S. citizenship are treated as domestic.
• Materials: online application; $85 nonrefundable fee (no waivers); high school transcripts or marksheets; proof of English proficiency; a copy of the passport name page. The site says applications are considered primarily on past academic achievement; recommendations and essays are welcome but not required. No minimum GPA for international applicants is stated. Decisions typically come within two weeks of a complete file; students still in school can apply with in-progress transcripts and send final ones before enrolling.
• English: IELTS 6.0; TOEFL iBT, the page prints 4 for tests taken on or after January 26, 2026 (no scale is shown) and 68 for earlier tests; ACT English 18; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 450; Duolingo 100; PTE Academic 50; Cambridge English Scale 169; also IB (Diploma completed within two years, or IB English A Language and Literature 4), AP English 3, IGCSE/O Level English C and others. Exemption: three or more years of secondary education in English in one of the listed countries (including the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada excluding Quebec, and the U.S.). Applicants below the minimum may be offered the Pathway Program (1–3 semesters) before entering a degree program.
• Transcripts: unofficial transcripts are accepted for review if legible and in English or with a certified word-for-word translation; official ones are due at the start of the first semester and must arrive before registering for the second. Official transcripts come sealed and stamped from the school, or directly from the country’s Ministry of Education; no email or fax. No external credential evaluation is required.
• Deadlines: the international first-year page gives a fall scholarship deadline of December 15 and fall priority deadline of April 1; spring scholarship and priority October 1 (no year printed). The scholarship page prints “Fall 2027 Deadline: December 15, 2026” and “Spring 2027 Deadline: October 1, 2026”.
• After admission: F-1 or J-1 applicants submit a financial documentation form and proof of funds. The 2026–2027 undergraduate estimate: tuition and fees $29,477, room and board $16,894, books and supplies $800, health insurance $2,175, personal expenses $2,203; the page’s total is $51,549, described as the funding needed for a student visa.
• International scholarships: international undergraduate applicants are automatically considered for $5,000–$17,000 a year, made up of the nonresident Ridgeline and Summit awards plus the international-only Global Scholarship. By cumulative GPA: 3.100–3.299 total $5,000; 3.300–3.499 $10,000; 3.500–3.749 $15,000; 3.750–3.999 $16,000; 4.000+ $17,000. Conditions: complete materials by the deadline; an eligible major; first-time Boise State undergraduate; an unweighted GPA of at least 3.100 as calculated by International Admissions or a NACES-member evaluator; Idaho nonresident for tuition. Global Scholarships depend on available funds and are prioritized by file-completion date. First-year awards renew for up to four years, transfer awards for two. The site says no fully funded scholarships are offered.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international first-year page read does not mention the gaokao, and no China country page was read. How gaokao results are used is not published in the pages read; ask International Admissions (interntl@boisestate.edu).
• Secondary transcripts: the international first-year page says most countries send sealed, stamped transcripts from the school, or directly from the Ministry of Education; a transcript not in English needs a certified word-for-word English translation (with the original sent too).
• Chinese university transcripts (the international transfer page’s country-specific section): Chinese university transcripts and degree certificates must be verified through the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD); submit the Online Verification Report of Student Record and the Online Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate. No China-specific note for high school applicants was read.
• Tests and English: SAT/ACT are not required; see the English requirements above.
• International curricula: AP and IB results can earn credit; see section 3.

8. Transfer students

• Who counts (admissions transfer page): at least one transferable academic GPA credit after high school or a GED. With fewer than 14 transferable semester credits (21 quarter credits) you also send a final high school transcript and must meet first-year standards. AP, CLEP, credit for prior learning and dual/concurrent enrollment credit do not count toward the 14.
• Standard: cumulative transfer GPA 2.25 in good standing meets the standard; 2.00–2.24 with an AA, AS or AAS degree is admissible; 2.00–2.24 without one gets additional review (a personal statement of up to 500 words is encouraged); 0–1.99 is not eligible for degree-seeking admission.
• Chemistry: the admissions transfer page and the department pages read give no GPA or chemistry/mathematics sequence requirement for transferring into chemistry. The department FAQ says transfer credit can be looked up in the Transfer Equivalency System (TES) and that the Registrar evaluates courses not yet listed; the department’s advising page links to the college’s transfer-student advising page, which was not read. Confirm with the department or the college.
• Deadlines (no year printed): fall December 15 (nonresident application and scholarship priority), February 15 (resident priority), August 1 (standard); spring October 1 priority and December 1 standard. International transfer applicants have the same fall dates as international first-year applicants: December 15 for scholarships and April 1 priority.
• International transfer: $85 fee; transcripts from every post-secondary school; applicants with fewer than 14 post-secondary credits also send secondary transcripts; credit from non-U.S. institutions may need an external credential evaluation before the Registrar can post it. Decisions typically come within three weeks of a complete file.

Checklist

Domestic applicants:

• Have your unweighted high school GPA ready; apply by February 15 (residents) or December 15 (nonresidents), no year printed so confirm; no SAT/ACT needed
• Ask the department how the chemistry major is declared; after admission declare the major on myBoiseState and choose an emphasis (ACS Professional, ACS Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Forensics, Secondary Education)
• Watch the scholarship priority deadlines

International applicants (including China):

• Online application, $85 fee, secondary transcripts (with a certified English translation), proof of English and a passport copy
• Apply by December 15 to be considered for scholarships ($5,000–$17,000 a year); fall priority deadline April 1
• Ask International Admissions whether gaokao results can be used; prepare proof of funds for the visa

Transfer students:

• Cumulative transfer GPA 2.25 (2.00–2.24 needs an AA/AS/AAS degree or additional review); ask the department about transfer into chemistry

Sources: Boise State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Undergraduate; Undergraduate advising (emphases and required chemistry courses); New student FAQ; Current student FAQ; College of Arts and Sciences departments; Idaho resident first-year; Nonresident first-year; Transfer; Application fee; New-to-college scholarships; International first-year; International transfer; International cost; International scholarships; AP credit; IB credit. The resident, nonresident and transfer pages print no year for their deadlines, so confirm they are for fall 2027 entry; the international scholarship page prints “Fall 2027 Deadline: December 15, 2026”.