The CES Dress and Grooming Principles and Expectations state: “Men should be clean shaven. If worn, mustaches should be neatly trimmed.”
Exceptions to this standard may be granted to individuals who:
- Have a diagnosed medical condition that prevents them from fully meeting the standard,
- Are performing in a theatrical event (for a short time) sponsored by BYU–Idaho or in an official Church production, or
- Are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are actively participating in an officially recognized religion in which the wearing of a beard is a religious tenet.
Students seeking a shaving exemption must schedule an appointment with the Student Honor Office and attend a brief Shaving Exemption meeting to review the policy and expectations. Afterward, the student will meet with a Student Honor Administrator to discuss individual circumstances.
Students should be prepared to present one of the following:
- A letter from a licensed medical professional certifying that a medical condition exists which prevents the student from meeting the clean-shaven standard,
- A letter from an LDS Church production manager or a BYU–Idaho production manager indicating the need for an exemption, or
- A letter from the student’s religious leader confirming that the student is a practicing member of their congregation.
For medical exemptions, a student’s beard must be kept closely trimmed unless otherwise specified in the medical documentation provided.
Shaving exemptions are granted on a semester-by-semester basis. The Student Honor Office will notify current instructors, and a shaving exemption card will be issued.
This policy applies only to currently enrolled students. The Student Honor Office does not provide shaving exemptions for non-students, including student spouses, dependents of students, or spouses/dependents of BYU–Idaho employees.
Students wishing to obtain medical documentation from the BYU–Idaho Health Center are required by the Health Center to first obtain a referral from the Student Honor Office.