Advanced

Opportunities (AO)

for Idaho Students

Free advanced courses for Idaho students
Over 60 courses approved for overload funding
Students can complete courses at their own pace

View AO Course Catalog

Funding for Your Courses

For Schools and Districts

School/District managed via Purchase Order Account

Follow these steps to complete a purchase:

Student chooses an Advanced Opportunity course (from the approved list)
Student contacts their school counselor for approval
School or district enrolls student through a BYU IS self-serve PO enrollment form
BYU IS bills school or district three times a year during state reimbursement windows

Learn About Purchase Orders

For Individual Students

Student managed

Follow these steps to complete a purchase:

Student chooses an Advanced Opportunity course (from the approved list)
Student contacts their school counselor for approval
Student enrolls and pays for the course on is.byu.edu
Student provides proof of purchase to counselor or AO coordinator
Reimbursement comes from the state to the school and then to the student or family

View AO Courses

BYU: Your Partner for Overload Courses

Are your students eager to go the extra mile? Idaho’s Advanced Opportunities (AO) program offers students a way to get ahead and take advanced courses at no cost to the student’s family. If students graduate early they may qualify for an Early Graduation Scholarship for use within the Idaho Public Colleges and Universities. BYU Independent Study (BYU IS) is an approved provider of overload courses and has served hundreds of Idaho students over the past six years.

State-Funded Eligible Courses

Idaho students with a full credit load are eligible for state-funded overload courses. As an Advanced Opportunities-approved provider, BYU Independent Study offers 60+ online high school and middle school-level courses that qualify for overload funding. Homeschool students who are dually enrolled in Idaho public schools may also be eligible for state-funded overload courses. By taking overload courses and accelerating their education, students can explore career opportunities, graduate early, and qualify for state scholarship opportunities.

Flexibility and Support

Students who enroll in a BYU IS course benefit from the freedom to complete a semester course at their own pace and with the help of friendly support staff.

Open enrollment—anytime, anywhere
Generous course length—3–12 months to finish each course
Robust variety—Advanced Placement® and high-interest electives
Accessibility tools—speech-to-text, translation, highlighting
Free tutoring—available for most courses
NCAA approval—for prospective collegiate athletes

Overload Courses

BYU Independent Study offers many AO courses taught by Idaho-certified high school teachers. The list of approved BYU IS courses is posted below and include the following:

Core subject areas
Advanced Placement
High-interest electives
Courses required for graduation in Idaho

In education, credentials matter.

Accredited by WASC Accrediting Commission for Schools

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