First Semester FAQ

Common questions for first-semester students

These are questions students ask when starting school, and all the answers you need for your first semester at BYU-Idaho! 

Do International Students have to do anything special when coming to campus?

• International students should check into the Government System either online through the link provided in emails sent to new F-1 and J-1 VISA holders or at the International Services Office before the first day of class. They must bring the following items to check in:
  • Passport
  • VISA
  • VISA Stamp (if VISA was stamped at the border)
  • i20
  • i94 (if they have it)
• The International Services Office is open during New Student Orientation. 

Where can I get my Course Kits?

• Course Kits are available on the University Store website. Check with your instructor, syllabus, and/or booklist to verify the kit or item(s) that you will need. 

How can I change my official BYU-I profile picture?

• If you want to change your profile picture, you will need to order a new I-Card.

Can I buy a MacBook, ear buds, and other accessories on campus?

• These items are available for purchase at the University Store. You can buy them in-store or on the store's website under Electronics. 

Is long hair on males acceptable if it is in a neat man bun and/or slicked back in a proper fashion? 

• In accordance with the BYU-Idaho Dress and Grooming Principles and Expectations, men and women should be neat and clean and avoid being extreme or inappropriately casual in clothing, hairstyle, and behavior. For more details, see Dress and Grooming Expectations. 
• You can also contact the Student Honor Office for additional help. 

How do I access my GPA/my grades?

• To view your GPA, see Accessing Your GPA. 
• To view your grades, see Accessing Your Grades. 

Do I get a BYU-Idaho student email? 

• Yes! All students will get a BYU-Idaho email. This is where you will receive official correspondence from the University. 
  • Your email will typically be the first three letters of your last name, followed by some numbers, and end with @byui.edu 
• You can access your student email by logging in to https://my.byui.edu/ and finding the widget on your dashboard. 

Can I forward BYU-Idaho emails to my personal email account so I can check them more easily? 

• Yes, you can forward your emails by following the steps in this article.

 

Textbook Reservations  

How do I reserve my books? 

• Log in to the University Store website. 
• Hover over the “Course Materials” tab. 
• Click on “Reserve your Books” under Textbooks. 
• Click the green “Create a Reservation” button under Text Express. 

What are my options when reserving my textbooks?  

• Rent or Buy  
• Used or New  
• Required or Required + Optional  

Is there a fee for reserving books?  

• Yes, you are charged a $5 service fee to have your course materials reserved and pulled.  
• Any reservation not picked up by the end of the second day of class will be returned to inventory and incur a $5 restocking fee.  

How do I know if I reserved my books? 

• You will receive an email confirmation of the reservation or online/web order.  
• Reservations will be shown as “Active” on the Student Express website. 
• If there is no active reservation, you may have placed an online/web order.  

I’m on the waitlist for some classes. Will those books be reserved?  

• No. Only required textbooks for your current class schedule will be reserved. If you are added to a waitlisted class after this date, those books will need to be rented or purchased separately.  

What if I placed my reservation but made changes to my class schedule? 

• Reservations are based on your class schedule at the time books are pulled, which can be anytime 2 weeks before the semester through move-in day.  
• Once your books are pulled, no changes can be made to the reservation. Books can be exchanged after the reservation has been picked up.  

• Occasionally, a book may be temporarily out of stock. Check inside the University Store for availability. When inventory becomes available, it can be purchased in-store.  

Can I choose which books I reserve? 

• All required books will be pulled in your reservation. You can choose to include optional books in your reservation or leave them out.  
• After picking up your reservation, you can return unwanted books to the designated return area. 

When and where do I pick up my reservation? 

• Student Express pickup is in MC 176A (1st floor just past the Bowling Alley).  
• Pick-up starts on move-in day and ends the second day of classes. For specific dates and times, see the Reserve Your Books page. 
• Bring your I-Card or the confirmation email with your unique QR code.  

What is Student Express? 

• Student Express is a one stop location for reserving textbooks, course materials, parking passes, and I-cards at the beginning of each semester. Wait times are minimal! Go to Reserve Your Books to get started!  

Can someone else (a spouse, a friend, etc.) pick up my reservation for me? 

• Yes, but they will need the student's I-Card or BYUI username and password. 

Can I cancel my reservation?  

• Only if the student has not yet received an email saying their books are ready to be picked up.  
  • Log in to the University Store website. 
  • Hover over the “Course Materials” tab. 
  • Click on “Reserve your Books” under Textbooks. 
  • Click on the green "Create a Reservation" button under Text Express. 
  • Click “Cancel.”  
  • Click the save/submit button. 

I-Card Reservations 

How do I reserve my I-Card?  

• Log in to the University Store website. 
• Hover over the “Course Materials” tab. 
• Click on “Reserve your Books” under Textbooks. 
• Click the green “Order your I-Card” button under I-Card Express. 

How do I upload a photo? Do I get my picture taken when I pick up my I-card?  

• Follow the steps above to start an I-Card reservation. You will be asked to upload an appropriate photo of yourself before completing the reservation.  
• A team will review and approve your picture. Once approved, your card will be printed and an email will be sent to your school email saying the I-Card is ready for pickup. 

Where do I pick up my I-card?  

• I-Cards are picked up at Student Express in Manwaring Center (MC) 176A.  
• After Student Express pickup days are over, I-Cards can be picked up in Kimball 130.  

Parking Permit Reservations 

How do I reserve a parking permit?  

• Log in to the University Store website. 
• Hover over the “Course Materials” tab. 
• Click on “Reserve your Books” under Textbooks. 
• Click the green “Reserve a Parking Pass” button under Parking Express. 

Where do I pick up my parking permit?  

• Parking permits are picked up at Student Express in Manwaring Center (MC) 176A.  
• After Student Express pickup days are over, parking permits can be picked up from the Parking Services office in Kimball 150H. 

Required BYUI Clothing Items 

Approved Exercise Clothing

• Standard-issue approved clothing is required when using exercise and sports facilities at BYU-Idaho. 
• Can be reserved with your textbooks at Student Express or purchased in-store or online. 

Nursing Dept. Scrubs

• The University Store holds a scrub fitting for the Nursing Department once per semester. Once you have been accepted into the Nursing program, you will be notified of this date. 

Dance Dept. Clothing

• Tights, leotards, and shoes for the Dance Department are available in-store or online. 

Dining Dollars 

What are the benefits of dining dollars?

• Usable at all food service venues on campus
• Convenient and fast
• No need to carry cash
• Rolls over from semester to semester

How do I add dining dollars to my account? 

• Please see the help guide for How to Add Dining Dollars to Your I-Card. 

How many dining dollars do I need per meal?

• About $8.00 on average
• All food service venues and their menus can be found online. Prices are not listed as food pricing is constantly changing due to economic factors. 

How do I use dining dollars?

• When checking out with food, pay with your I-Card. There isn’t a limit per day.

Do dining dollars expire?

• Dining dollars expire a year after the last time they were used. If a student is going on a mission, they can hold their dining dollars by calling Food Services at (208) 496-2800. 

Are there dining dollar plans?

• BYUI does not offer meal plans.