Dec 10, 2024  
2023-2024 Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Admissions


Offered Degrees and Certificates

Associate of Arts Degree

An Associate of Arts (AA) Degree comprises sixty credit hours of instruction. Thirty-six of those credit hours must come from the general education requirements from the six “Ways of Knowing”(WOK) outlined by the State of Idaho. The remaining twenty-four (24) credit hours will be chosen from the pathway of the student’s choice. In the AA Degree, of those twenty-four credit hours, a greater emphasis will be put on social sciences and humanities. Students can earn the degree in approximately two years.

Associate of Science Degree

An Associate of Science (AS) Degree comprises sixty  credit hours of instruction. Thirty-six of those credit hours must come from the general education requirements from the six “Ways of Knowing” (WOK) outlined by the State of Idaho. The remaining twenty-four credit hours will be chosen from the pathway of the student’s choice. In the AS Degree, of those twenty-four credit hours, a greater emphasis will be put on science and mathematics. Students can earn the degree in approximately two years.

Associate of Arts in Business Degree

College of Eastern Idaho’s Associate of Arts in Business Degree comprises sixty credit hours of instruction.  Thirty-six of those credit hours must come from the general education requirements from the six “Ways of Knowing” (WOK) outlined by the State of Idaho.  The remaining twenty-four credits hours will be chosen from business elective classes. In the AA Degree, of those twenty-four credit hour, a greater emphasis will be put on business.  Students can earn the degree in approximately two years.  This degree is the first milestone to a 4-year business degree.

Associate of Applied Science Degree

The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree requires the successful completion of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and General Education coursework. The AAS degree requires students to complete at least sixty credit hours, which includes a minimum of fifteen General Education credits, and represents mastery of a defined set of competencies. This degree is designed primarily for students who plan to enter the workforce after graduation. Students can earn the degree in approximately two years.

Advanced Technical Certificate

The Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC) requires successful completion of at least fifty-two credits in an approved career-technical program and represents mastery of a defined set of competencies. The ATC contains a recognizable core of related instruction or general education with identified outcomes in the areas of communication, computation, and human relations. This certificate is designed primarily for students who plan to enter the workforce after graduation. The completion timeline for the ATC varies. Please see the specific program in the catalog for specific timelines.

Intermediate Technical Certificate

The Intermediate Technical Certificate (ITC) requires successful completion of at least thirty credits in an approved career-technical program and represents mastery of a defined set of competencies. The ITC contains a recognizable core of related instruction or general education with identified outcomes in the areas of communication, computation, and human relations. This certificate is designed primarily for students who plan to enter the workforce after graduation. The completion timeline for the ITC varies. Please see the specific program in the catalog for specific timelines.

Specialized Certificate

The Specialized Certificate (SC) is awarded upon successful completion of specific courses that have been industry-validated and sequenced for the purpose of developing and upgrading skills in an occupation.

Basic Technical Certificate

The Basic Technical Certificate (BTC) requires the successful completion at least eight credit hours of Career and Technical Education coursework and represents mastery of a defined set of competencies. This certificate is designed primarily for students who plan to enter the workforce after graduation. The BTC can be finished in approximately one year.

Educational Locations

Main Campus
1600 S 25th E
Idaho Falls, ID 83404

Outreach Campuses

  • Rexburg
  • Online

Educational Services

Academic Transfer coursework oriented toward transfer to four-year schools or universities.

Early College Credit courses for high school students.

Certificates and Degrees in Career and Technical Education programs that are designed to prepare students for the workforce.

We welcome all students. Undocumented students are encouraged to visit with Admissions to discuss options. At this time we are unable to support F-1 Visas.

Degree Seeking Requirements

  • Complete the application for admission available online at www.cei.edu/admissions.
  • Transcripts
    • High School or GED/HiSet Transcripts
      • Submit one of the following:
        • An official high school transcript showing graduation date
          • High school transcripts must come directly from the high school or from the district office representing the high school from which the student graduated.
        • An official GED/HiSet transcript with an overall pass score posted
          • GED/HiSet transcripts may not come from the institution in which the student tested for their GED/HiSet but instead through a third (3rd) party site such as Parchment and National Student Clearinghouse.
        • An official DD Form 214 showing high school graduation or equivalent
      • Applicants who transfer in 14 or more college level credits with accumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher earned after graduating high school will not need to submit a high school or GED/HiSet transcript.
      • CEI will accept foreign transcripts that are in English or have been translated by a NACES accredited translation organization. 
        • Foreign transcripts must provide documentation that the transcript is equivalent to or higher than US high school or GED/HiSet graduation standards.
      • Applicants who have completed a home school program will be required to submit an official transcript from their home school program signed by the school program principal.
    • College Transcripts
      • Submit official college transcript/s from each college the applicant has attended.
        • All transcripts must be submitted in English.
          • Transcripts not written in English will need to be translated by a NACES accredited translation organization.
        • Some institutions of higher learning may use a third (3rd ) party (e.g., National Student Clearinghouse, or Parchment) to send transcripts. CEI will accept transcripts from these sites or transcripts that have been sent through U.S. mail, email, or faxed directly from another institution’s records/registrar office.
    • Admissions accepts ONLY official transcripts. Transcripts that have been opened by anyone other than a designated Admissions official are considered unofficial and will not be accepted.

Students found having attended colleges or universities that were not disclosed on the application, will be dropped from their current classes and will be deactivated as a student.  The student will not be able to be reactivated or re-register for classes until CEI receives the official transcripts.  Students who have been dropped from classes and deactivated may potentially lose spots in programs, and/or not be able to get back into the classes they were dropped from. 

  • Submit placement scores such as math, English, or digital literacy if required by the program. See an Admissions Counselor for this information.
    • CEI uses the ALEKS for math placement and the Accuplacer NEXT for English placement. These scores are valid for two years from testing date.
    • CEI will accept placement testing from other Idaho institutions if clear eligibility placement scores are included with the documentation the student provides.
    • Students may be exempt from placement testing with qualifying scores on the ACT and SAT, or with completed equivalent college level coursework that appears on an official college transcript.

Conditional Admissions

  • College Transcripts with In-progress Classes 

A conditional admission status occurs when a student has been admitted, but the transcript submitted is still in-progress. Upon submission, Admissions will review the student’s official transcript with final grades, and the student will be assigned a final admission status. Admission under conditional status may remain in effect for no longer than one semester. Students will not be able to register for subsequent semesters until they submit an official transcript showing graduation.

  • High School Transcripts Prior to Graduation

Current high school students will be conditionally accepted. Upon graduation from high school, official transcripts from all institutions will be required. These transcripts will be reviewed and transfer credits processed upon official admittance to CEI. Unofficial transcripts (in-progress) may be used for placement into English and math classes. Once a student is a high school graduate, official transcripts will be used for placement.

  • Non-accredited High Schools

Per Idaho State Board of Education policy, students who graduated from a non-accredited high school are eligible to attend CEI.  Students will need to submit an official high school transcript.  Students will be accepted as Conditional Admittance.  These students will have two semesters not counting summer term, to complete 14 credits with a passing grade (C- or higher).  Students who successfully complete 14 credits within the timeframe will have their Conditional status removed.  Students who fail to complete 14 credits will be dismissed from CEI.

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)

College of Eastern Idaho is a participant in the Western Undergraduate Exchange program (WUE). This program provides financial relief to out-of-state students attending CEI and enrolled in qualifying degrees. The WUE program allows qualifying out-of-state students to attend CEI at an adjusted rate. 

WUE participating states:

Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

WUE Tuition Rates:

Current Rate for WUE students is $210 per credit.

WUE Qualifications:

Students must complete all CEI application requirements and be non-residents for tuition purposes to qualify for WUE.  Applicants must live in a participating WUE state.  Students must be degree seeking in the General Education Associate of Arts, General Education Associate of Science, Associate of Arts in Business. 

While participating in the WUE program, students will not accrue time to qualify for state residency.

Students must have a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA.  The GPA score is used to determine if an applicant meets the minimum qualifications is as follows: 

  • Applicants cumulative high school GPA will be used if the applicant has attempted less than 14 credits from a post-secondary institution after graduating from high school. 
  • Applicants who have attempted 14 or more credits from post-secondary institutions after graduating high school will have their cumulative GPA from the most recent post-secondary institution attended used to determine participation in WUE.

Degree-seeking students are required to submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended regardless of credits earned.  Degree-seeking students are also required to submit official high school transcripts/GED/HiSet transcripts if less than 14 post-secondary credits have been earned from colleges/universities after graduating high school/GED/HiSet.  

Students attending CEI are required to maintain good academic standing. Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA to qualify for WUE.  Students placed on academic probation will not qualify for WUE while on probation. Students must notify CEI Admissions once they  successfully complete academic probation to have their WUE status reinstated.

CEI does not have a maximum semester cap for WUE students.

CEI does not have a minimum credit limit per semester for WUE students. CEI recommends that students using financial aid discuss their academic progress with a financial aid advisor to ensure they meet minimum finanical aid requirements.

Deadline:

WUE applicants are required to have completed the CEI application process at least two weeks (14 days) prior to the start of the semester in order to qualify.

Underage Admissions Requirements (High School Graduates/GED/HiSet Completors)

  • Students must be 16 years old at the time classes begin
  • Submit:
    • An official final high school or home-school transcript OR
    • Official GED/HiSet transcripts with an overall Pass posted

Students under sixteen(16) years of age that have completed high school early will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis by the Dean of Student Affairs. In addition to the requirements above, students must submit a letter from a parent or guardian describing the request for an exception to admission requirements and complete the Petition for Underage Admission.

Deferment

College of Eastern Idaho is an open access community college.  Students applying to get accepted to CEI do not need to defer admissions. Active applications are good for two years from submission date.  After two years, a student will need to reapply to the college.  Students offered spots in selective or waitlisted technical programs will need to refer to the program’s deferment policy. 

Non-Degree Seeking Students

Students not interested in pursuing a degree at CEI may be admitted as a non-degree seeking student by completing the following steps:

  • Complete the Application for Admission available online at www.cei.edu/admissions.
  • Unofficial transcripts are required if a student wishes to take general education courses that require prerequisites (official transcripts are not required to be accepted as a non-degree seeking student).

Additional Information:

  • Non-degree seeking students may register for ten credits for the fall, spring, or summer terms.
    • If students wish to take more credits a General Petition must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office for approval.
  • Non-degree seeking students are not admitted to an academic program.
  • Non-degree seeking students are expected to adhere to CEI’s student policies .
  • Non-degree seeking students must apply as a degree-seeking student if they wish to pursue a degree or certificate.
    • Upon acceptance, credits earned during non-degree seeking enrollment will be evaluated for program applicability .
  • Non-degree seeking students are not eligible to receive financial aid.
    • If a student fails courses as a non-degree seeking student, their future financial aid eligibility may be impacted if they decide to enroll as a degree-seeking student.

Acceptance into Health Professions and Career Technical Programs (CTE)

Students can contact CEI Admission Counselors or visit cei.edu/admissions for more information on admission requirements. Students may also refer to the program description section of the catalog for information regarding program specific entry requirements. Students who are admitted to CEI to complete prerequisites required for their selected program may have to complete an additional application process to be admitted into program-specific courses. Information will be communicated to applicants regarding their acceptance status into their selected program and any additional steps they must take. Limited enrollment programs may include special admission criteria.

Competitive Admissions for Health Professions and Career Technical Education CEI Programs

  • Career Technical Education programs have limited seating.  Students who apply to these programs will undergo a competitive admissions process. The competitive admissions process is determined by the head of each program.  These criteria must be met in order to be eligible for selection. For questions about a program’s admissions process, contact the Admissions Office.

Waitlisted Health Professions and Career Technical Education CEI Programs

  • Programs falling under the Career Technical Education division have limited seating. Students who apply to these programs are put on a waitlist. Admissions for waitlisted programs are based on first-come-first-served system unless otherwise established by the head of each program. Students may be allowed to defer admission into a program for one academic semester. Students not matriculating will be removed from the waitlist. For questions about a program’s admissions process, contact the Admissions Office.

Applicants cannot be assured admission until:

  • Admission requirements are met.
  • Student receives a letter of acceptance from the appropriate program.

Re-Admission of Former Students

  • If the student returns to College of Eastern Idaho after an absence of two full years, they must re-apply for admission. Check with an admissions counselor to determine if a new placement test is required.
  • If the student has applied within the past year but did not attend, they will need to call the Admissions Office to update their application.
  • If the student does not maintain continuous enrollment, excluding the Summer term, they will lose the right to graduate under the original catalog program requirements and must use the current school year’s catalog at the time of re-enrollment.

Returning to Program after Dismissal

Students who have been dismissed from a program due to failure to make satisfactory academic progress, conduct concerns, or other issues will need to meet the readmission requirements of the program.  Students should review the policy for their specific program as each programs policy may vary. 

International Students

Applicants on student visas are not eligible for admission to some programs. To review a program’s admission policy for international students, refer to the program requirements, or contact the admissions office. International students can be accepted to CEI, and are allowed to take courses as non-degree seeking students. International students will be charged the out-of-state tuition rate. Applicants with other types of visas will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

English Language

Classes at the College of Eastern Idaho are taught in English.  In order to provide all students with the best chance for success, students are required to proficiently speak, read, and write in English.

Potential students who meet the following criteria are required to complete an English Proficiency Test:

  • Completed high school in a country where English was not the language of instruction.
  • Less than the last three years of educational instruction was in English.

Acceptable placement tests or exceptions to satisfy the English Proficiency requirement include the following:

  • TOEFL-IBT of 61 or above
  • SAT- critical reading 450 or above
  • Written recommendation letter from CCR staff after completing ESL program
  • If you transfer in more than 14 credits from another U.S. college or university.