Beginning in Fall 2026, BYU-Idaho and the other Church Educational System schools will be limiting institute transfer credits to four credits, or two religion courses, with students required to complete all remaining religion requirements through university classes.

Jeff Chapman, the department chair of Religious Education at BYUI, said the change came from the leadership of the Church's board of education in Salt Lake City, which includes members of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and general officers of the Church.

"They wanted a more unified transfer credit policy that would permit students taking religion credits at any of the higher education institutions to be able to transfer easily between BYU, BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii," Chapman said. "Where before there's been a little bit of difficulty sometimes in what you would earn here at BYU-Idaho, and what could go down to Provo and Hawaii."

Chapman said faculty began announcing the policy update to their classes after consulting with those in charge of registration and administration. He added that students can use institute credits to fulfill any of the religion requirements, including the four cornerstone courses and the additional three electives that students get to choose.

Chapman noted that in some instances, students would take multiple or even all their religion credits in one semester, rather than spacing them out over time. Chapman and fellow religion department professor, Rex Butterfield, said that when implemented, the update will also help the university maintain its mission statement to build disciples of Christ over the course of students' education.

"I think the desire and design at a church institution is that you have an ongoing spiritual experience with religion courses that is strengthening you spiritually in your relationship with your Father in Heaven and with the Savior," Chapman said. "Those are the outcomes that we pursue as a department, which is strengthening you in your discipleship and helping you become disciple leaders at home in the Church and community."

Butterfield added that though institute can be a great way to learn gospel teachings and build testimony, there is an important element of educational rigor that university classes require that will benefit students and assist with the school's mission statement.

"BYU-Idaho religion credits are accredited university credits, and we have to have academic rigor that [institute] is not responsible for," Butterfield said. "Building testimony, and all those things, that's all important, that's the number one thing ... but they just don't have the same outcomes. ... Sometimes [students] expect it to be less academically rigorous, which it is, but that's not what the mission of BYU-Idaho is. There's supposed to be some academic rigor, and I don't think that the religion classes here are over the top."

Chapman said that students who have any questions or concerns regarding credits or financial issues are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor or the registrar's office.

"[Students] would need to work carefully with advising ... work with registration, and then if needed, we would work with them on replacing some things or getting some things done," Chapman said. "But everyone's going to be willing to work during this transition time to make sure that it's going to benefit what students have."