2026-2027 Catalog > Enrollment Services > Course Registration > Placement Testing

Placement Testing

The Idaho State Board of Education establishes statewide placement guidelines for General Education Matriculation (GEM) writing and mathematics courses.

Students may use their highest qualifying score from one of the following assessments for placement:

• SAT
• ACT
• 11th Grade Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT)

Standardized test scores documented on an official high school transcript or submitted directly to CSI through College Board or another approved testing agency will be accepted for placement purposes.

The charts below identify the English and mathematics courses recommended based on qualifying placement scores. Students may enroll in the recommended course or speak with an academic advisor about beginning in a lower-level course if they would benefit from additional academic support.

Students should speak with their academic advisor and the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before registering to determine whether a course is eligible for financial aid or other available funding.

Dual Credit Students

Idaho State Board Policy exempts dual credit students from statewide placement rules for college English and math courses.

However, some courses still have CSI prerequisite requirements that must be met before registration.  Students should check the CSI catalog, course descriptions, and/or the CSI course schedule for course prerequisite information. 

Refer to the chart below for course requirements and placement information.

Writing Course Placement Scores 

Math Course Placement Scores