Homeschool benefits through North Idaho College and Kootenai County
North Idaho College (NIC) welcomes homeschooled high school students into dual credit classes at $75 per credit for Kootenai County residents, or $225 for a 3-credit class. Students from other Idaho counties pay a $50 per credit out-of-county fee that their county covers, up to $3,000, once they file a Certificate of Residency, and a homeschooled student who affiliates with a public high school can also use Idaho's $4,625 Advanced Opportunities funding.
Who qualifies
Lives in Idaho
Your student must be an Idaho resident who has not graduated from high school or earned a GED.
Meets course placement
Each class has its own requirements, and NIC notes that placement assessment scores may not meet a given class's requirements.
Files a county residency certificate
Students from other Idaho counties file an approved Certificate of Residency (COR) with their home County Clerk's Office so the county pays the out-of-county fee.
Affiliates for state funding
Idaho's Advanced Opportunities program pays only for public school students in grades 7-12, so a homeschooled student must affiliate with a public high school to use it.
What it is worth
NIC charges dual credit students $75 per credit, plus a $50 per credit out-of-county fee for Idaho residents outside Kootenai County in fall and spring.
- One 3-credit class, Kootenai resident
- $225
- Two 3-credit classes, Kootenai resident
- $450
- One 3-credit class, other county, no COR
- $375
- One 3-credit class, other county, with COR
- $225
- Out-of-county fee cap per semester
- $500
- Total county help with a COR
- $3,000
Lab fees, books, course fees, supplies, transportation, and parking permits are extra, and federal financial aid is not available to dual credit students.
From applying to staying eligible
- Before the semester
Apply to NIC
Follow the dual credit admission steps at apply.nic.edu, and check NIC's important dates page for each semester's deadlines.
- After you apply
Sign the authorization form
NIC emails a Dual Credit Authorization Form (DCAF) to you and the school counselor, and your student is not admitted until it comes back signed.
- If you live outside Kootenai
File a Certificate of Residency
Get the COR approved by your home County Clerk's Office so the county covers the out-of-county fee.
- If affiliated with a public school
Request Advanced Opportunities funds
Create a State Department of Education account, request funding at advancedops.sde.idaho.gov, and give the participation form to the school counselor.
- Each semester
Pass and stay active
A failing grade or withdrawal in a state-funded class can flag the account and cost future funding, and a student who skips a semester may need to reapply.
What it pays for
Covered
- NIC dual credit tuition at $75 per credit
- Out-of-county fee, through a county COR
- Tuition, exams, and overload courses, through Advanced Opportunities for affiliated students
Not covered
- Lab and course fees
- Books and supplies
- Transportation and parking permits
- Remedial or repeated courses under Advanced Opportunities
- Federal financial aid
A Kootenai County homeschool family pays the $75 per credit itself unless the student affiliates with a public high school and uses Advanced Opportunities funds.
Good to know
Homeschooled students can take dual credit
NIC says homeschool students are welcome. Your student pays NIC's dual credit rate and needs a public high school affiliation only to tap state funding.
Unaffiliated families pay the full $75 per credit
Without public school affiliation, you pay it yourselves. Idaho's Advanced Opportunities money goes only to public school students, with a smaller $2,500 allocation for students at Cognia-accredited private schools.
Who to contact
The Dual Credit Office in Lee-Kildow Hall, Room 116, answers questions about admission, tuition, and funding for dual credit students.
DualCredit@nic.edu 208-625-2329 Dual credit information for parents
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Idaho
You do not have to file a homeschool notice.
Idaho sets these rules:
- Subjects: Homeschool parents in Idaho must provide instruction in subjects commonly taught in public schools.
- Testing: Idaho does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Idaho does not require homeschool records.
- Teachers: Idaho does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Read the Idaho homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Idaho
Questions parents ask
- We live in Bonner County. What do we pay?
- Any Idaho resident outside Kootenai County pays $75 per credit plus a $50 per credit out-of-county fee in fall and spring. With an approved COR from your county clerk, the county covers the out-of-county fee, up to $500 a semester and $3,000 in total.
- Is there an out-of-county fee in summer?
- No. The out-of-county fee applies only to fall and spring semesters.
- When is the bill paid if we use state funds?
- After the semester ends, when Advanced Opportunities funds are paid. Your student's NIC account may show a balance until the money arrives.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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