General Admission Questions

U.S. new freshman and transfer students with fewer than 24 semester/36 graded quarter hours applying to any CES school must complete and submit the following:

• Part 1: Student Information
• Part 2: School Selection/Scholarships
• Part 3: Ecclesiastical Endorsement
• Part 4: Seminary/Institute Evaluation
• Part 5: High School Information, including an Official Transcript
• Part 6: Extracurricular Activities
• Part 7: Student Essay & Other Information
• A $35 nonrefundable application fee per school
• American College Test (ACT) scores or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores (not required at LDSBC, except for home schooled applicants)
• Official transcripts from each college or university you are attending or have attended

U.S. transfer students applying with 24 semester/36 graded quarter hours or more of college or university credit completed after high school graduation must complete and submit the following:

• Part 1: Student Information
• Part 2: School Selection/Scholarships
• Part 3: Ecclesiastical Endorsement
• Part 4: Seminary/Institute Evaluation
• Part 7: Student Essay & Other Information
• A $35 nonrefundable application fee per school
• Official transcripts from each college or university that you are attending or have attended

High school students should enroll in college preparatory classes as freshmen and continue to take them through their senior year. Although BYU does not have specific high school course requirements, it is recommended that a student's class schedule include the following:

Recommended High School Classes:

• Four or more years of mathematics
• Four or more years of English or literature
• Two to three years of laboratory science
• Two years of history or government
• Two or more years of foreign language

Research shows that students who follow these recommendations consistently earn higher ACT and SAT scores. Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses will also help prepare students for the ACT and SAT and for university-level work. Additionally, choose elective classes that will help you develop your talents and appreciation for the arts and those that will teach useful skills like basic computer operations and word processing.

In addition, please consider the following recommendation to be competitive for admission consideration as a new freshman to CES schools:

• Be living in harmony with the CES Honor Code and the CES Dress and Grooming Standards.

The best time to apply is during October of your senior year in high school.

You do not need to wait to apply until you receive your first semester senior grades.

Each application is evaluated using the same criteria, whether you submit the application early or on the deadline date. However, we encourage all students to submit their applications well before the deadline. In the event that materials may be missing (transcripts, etc.), applying early will give you time to submit these items before the deadline.

Additionally, those students who complete their application by the priority deadline will receive extra consideration in the admissions process.

The admission criteria remain the same year round. Some will be admitted to other semesters or terms so that as many qualified students as possible can be admitted. Because more applicants want to start fall semester than there are spaces, other semesters or terms will be available to admit qualified applicants.

You may check to see which application parts have been received by going to the Be Smart home page and clicking the link for "Application & Admissions" and then by clicking on the "Application Status" link. You will then be required to log in to see your application status.

The nonrefundable, one-time application fee is $35 per CES institution. You may pay your fees by going to the Be Smart home page, clicking on "Application & Admissions" and then by clicking on the "Apply Online" link.

For BYU–Idaho, BYU–Hawaii, and LDSBC you should apply as a new freshman with college credit. For BYU you should apply as a new freshman.

The admissions criterion is different for each Church school. However, ecclesiastical endorsements, academic and spiritual preparation, national test scores, essays, volunteer service, leadership, and talent all bear major weight in the admissions decision. We recommend that you visit each institution's home page for its specific admission factors.

Please contact the individual Church school to learn of the specific admission requirements for home schooled students.

Most students attending Church schools are seminary graduates. Although seminary is not required for admission and scholarship consideration, it is strongly recommended.

If you attended seminary and have not yet graduated from high school, you must print the instruction sheet and give it to your seminary teacher.

If you did not attend seminary or you have already graduated from high school, you will have the option to fill out a self report.

No part of the application may be faxed.  Paper forms must be submitted by mail or in person. If mailed, each part of the application must be postmarked by the deadline. College transcripts need to be official and delivered to us in a sealed envelope.

CES Admissions Office Address

A-209 ASB
Provo, UT 84602

AP and IB courses are given extra consideration in the admissions process.

The last ACT test score that we accept for spring, summer, or fall admission should be taken in December.

(Please note that LDSBC does not require an ACT/SAT score. However, it is recommended.)

There is no minimum ACT/SAT score for admission.

(Please note that LDSBC does not require an ACT/SAT score. However, it is recommended.)

The average ACT scores of each of the church schools are the following:

• BYU: 28.1
• BYU–Hawaii: 24.1
• BYU–Idaho: 24.0
• LDSBC: 21.0

High school students whose graduating class has not graduated yet are required to take the ACT/SAT, regardless of how many college credits they have. High school students who have graduated but have not yet enrolled in college will also need to take the ACT/SAT. (Please note that LDSBC does not require an ACT/SAT score. However, it is recommended.)

We will accept both ACT and/or SAT scores. We will use the highest of all composite test scores for admission purposes.
(Please note that LDSBC does not require an ACT/SAT score. However, it is recommended.)

You should send in your new ACT score if we will receive it before the deadline of the semester or term that you are applying for. Your admission application will automatically be updated and reevaluated.
(Please note that LDSBC does not require an ACT/SAT score. However, it is recommended.)

The essays are read carefully and are a pertinent part of the application.

All parts of the application must be postmarked by the deadline.

Submit all parts of the application as soon after the deadline as possible. We will do the best that we can to accommodate you in the semester you have applied for. If you are admissible, you will most likely be admitted to the next available semester.
(Please note that LDSBC will accept all applications until the first day of the semester or term.)

Once your application is complete, BYU will email you no later than 4 weeks after your final application deadline. New freshmen applying for summer and fall will receive an admission decision no later than February 28.

BYU-Idaho will email you within six weeks from when you complete your application.

BYU-Hawaii will email you within four weeks after the application deadline for domestic students and as soon as possible for international students.

LDS Business College will email you within four weeks from when you complete your application.

The order in which you rank the school(s) to which you apply MAY BE a consideration in the acceptance process and may affect your chances for admission.

It depends on the number of applicants each semester. Normally, you can expect the following:

• LDSBC: around 95%
• BYU–Idaho: over 95%
• BYU: around 60%
• BYU–Hawaii: around 65%

Each CES institution makes admission decisions independently.  You will receive an e-mail notification from each school that you applied to.  Each school makes its own decision without regard to the other schools.

The application fee is nonrefundable.

Appeals are rarely granted. It is important to remember that only members of the Admissions Committee are in a position to view each application as a whole and in comparison with the entire applicant pool. Much time and energy was devoted to the comprehensive review of your application. Admission decisions should be considered final.

By submitting the CES application for admissions, you will be considered for basic scholarships. Please refer to each school's Web site to apply for more comprehensive scholarships.

Each school has a different process for registering for housing.  Please contact the housing office of each school for their specific housing information.

First semester deferments are reserved for missionaries leaving during the semester they were admitted. The only students who are able to defer the first semester they are admitted are students leaving on missions during that time.

We no longer publish paper applications. The entire application can be filled out online. If you are unable to fill out the online application, please call our admissions office at (801) 422-2507 for further instructions.

Admission is not determined by any type of quota, nor are there geographical allocations. The church schools work within the realities of their established ceilings of full-time day students, both graduate and undergraduate.

Special consideration is not given to relatives of Church school alumni.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strongly believes in education, and its commitment translates into a generous subsidy of the actual cost of tuition for all students attending the CES institutions. Still, a college education is an expensive investment that represents a significant challenge for many students and their families. Thousands of students, including freshmen, work part time on and off campus to meet some of the costs of attendance, which include tuition, room and board, health insurance, books, fees, and personal expenses.

Incidentally, research suggests that students' grades generally are not adversely affected by part-time employment. In addition to offering scholarships and part-time employment, the CES institutions participate in some federal financial aid programs.

To explore these funding sources and to develop cost-saving strategies, please contact an accredited financial counselor in the Financial Aid Office at (801) 422-4104.