High School Programs
Programs that offer a full and accredited high school education experience
The BYU Independent Study High School Program is designed to help students who are interested in completing their high school studies through our structured online program. If you are only in need of a few courses to meet your high school graduation requirements, go to our course catalog for a list of courses.
BYU Independent Study offers three different four-year high school programs: the Standard Program, the Advanced Program, and the Adult Diploma Program.
The Standard and Advanced Programs are designed for high-school-age students preparing for college or the job market. Upon completion of the program, students are issued an official transcript. This official transcript can be used to apply to colleges and universities or may be used as proof of high school completion for potential employers. Students in the Standard and Advanced programs do not receive a diploma.
It is recommended that students be at least 14 years old when applying to either program. Applicants may contact the High School Programs Administrator, Joseph Roberson, at joseph.roberson@byu.edu to discuss a possible exception. If a student applying to one of the programs has already earned high school credits with an accredited institution, past transcripts must be submitted with the application. Those credits will be evaluated to determine if they can be used to help fulfill program requirements.
The Adult Diploma Program is designed for students who are 19 years of age or older and who are United States citizens or United States permanent residents. This program also helps students prepare for college or the job market. In addition to receiving an official transcript, students who successfully complete the program requirements will receive a high school diploma from the Provo (Utah) School District.
Students should not apply to the high school programs if they:
- Need only a few courses to meet the local high school’s graduation requirements
- Are seeking NCAA, NJCAA, NAIA, etc., eligibility (or may do so in the future)
BYU Independent Study courses are secular in nature, therefore a student’s religious affiliation does not affect an applicant’s eligibility to participate in the program.
Due to the nature of distance education learning, BYU Independent Study cannot designate a student’s status as part time or full time. A student who needs to earn recovery credits in order to remain in his or her local school and graduate on time should not apply to the high school programs. He or she should plan to enroll only in individual BYU Independent Study course(s) after consulting with an academic advisor. Courses may be ordered online or over the phone.
Note: You do not have to be enrolled in a high school program to sign up for Independent Study courses.
How to Apply
To apply, students must fill out the online application, found here for the Standard and Advanced Programs, and here for the Adult Diploma Program.
Applicants will need to mail or fax the application, with the $40 fee, to the address listed below:
BYU Independent Study
120 MORC
Provo, UT 84602
If an applicant has previously attended accredited institutions, the student must contact them and request that they send his or her transcripts, with seal and signature, to the same address. Faxed transcripts will not be accepted.
If a student is accepted into one program and later decides to switch to another, (from Standard to Advanced, for example) the student must resubmit the first two pages of the application along with a $20 transfer fee.
Note: The student biographical section of the application is there to allow applicants to communicate any specific goals, concerns, problems, requests, etc. This information will assist the High School Program Department in assessing how to best meet the needs of the student.
How to Get Started
When the High School Programs Department has received the application, the $40 fee, and transcripts, it will take a minimum of three weeks (depending on the volume of applicants) to process the student's application.
When accepted to a program, the student will receive a welcome letter and a student progress record (SPR). The student progress record shows all credits the student has earned both from former schools and from BYU Independent Study, as well as any credits needed in order to meet the program requirements. If a student wishes to know which courses to take, each program has a chart which lists the program requirements and the options for fulfilling them. Those charts can be found by clicking the links below:
Students who have been accepted into a program should plan to continue their high school education exclusively through BYU Independent Study. If there is a course that BYU Independent Study does not offer but that the student wishes to take (band or choir, for example), the student may submit a request to take that specific course at another school. Requests should be submitted to the High School Programs Administrator at joseph.roberson@byu.edu. Students should wait for approval before registering for courses at other schools. These courses must be approved individually.
How to Register for Courses
Students may register for courses online or by phone at 1-800-914-8931. Some courses require text books, which are not included in the price of the course. Registration for courses is the same whether a student is enrolled in one of the programs or not, however, the act of registering for a BYU Independent Study course does not constitute enrollment in a high school program. Those who wish to participate in the full program need to apply via the process described above.
Completion of a Course
Upon completion of each course, students will receive a notice of completion stating the grade and the amount of credit received for that course.
Completion of the Program
When finished with the requirements for the high school program, students will receive an official transcript along with a letter of congratulation. If the student is enrolled in the Adult Diploma Program, a diploma will also be issued by the Provo, Utah School District.