Boise State University is a research, public university located near downtown Boise, the capital city of the U.S. state of Idaho.

Boise State was originally founded in 1932 as Boise Junior College by the Episcopal Church. After two years the school was independent, and in 1940 it moved to its present site, along the south bank of the Boise River between Capitol Boulevard and Broadway Avenue.

In 1965 it gained four-year status as Boise College with creation of baccalaureate degrees, and in 1969 joined the state system of higher education and was renamed Boise State College. In 1974 Boise State gained university status to become the third university in the state, the present Boise State University.