University of Montana

About University of Montana

The University of Montana operates in Missoula as a public unit of the Montana University System. Its institutional accreditation is held separately through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; the university reports that accreditation was reaffirmed on July 12, 2024. This combination of public-system governance and separate accreditation supports treating UM as an independent degree-granting institution for admissions decisions. UM was chartered in February 1893. Its academic organization includes colleges or schools devoted to arts and media, business, education, forestry and conservation, health, humanities and social sciences, science, and law. The institution also encompasses the Davidson Honors College, Graduate School, Missoula College, and online educational initiatives. Applicants should examine the home campus and academic unit attached to a program because undergraduate, two-year, professional, and graduate routes do not share identical requirements or costs. The university describes an enrollment of more than 10,000 students across undergraduate, graduate, and technical offerings. That figure comes from its current academics page rather than the supplied database record, which contains no student-population value. For decision-making, UM’s clearest distinguishing combination is broad university-level study, professional programs, and substantial offerings connected with Montana’s environmental and natural-resource context. Students should assess the particular department, curriculum, delivery format, and campus rather than assuming every program follows the same experience.

First-year applicants to UM’s four-year programs must meet the institution’s basic admission and college-preparatory requirements. The current admissions page states that applicants qualify through at least one of four measures: a cumulative high-school GPA of 2.5, an ACT composite of 22, a combined SAT score of 1120, or class rank in the upper half of the graduating class. ACT and SAT scores are not required for admission, although UM encourages students who have scores to submit them for placement purposes. Applicants must also review mathematics and writing proficiency rules and the required high-school coursework. UM evaluates domestic undergraduate applications on a space-available basis until one week before the term begins. Applying earlier improves priority for processing and scholarship consideration. Montana residents are not charged an undergraduate application fee; the university lists a $30 fee for certain nonresident or nontraditional applicants. Transfer, homeschooled, returning, post-baccalaureate, online, and Missoula College applicants follow pathways specific to their circumstances. International undergraduates seeking a first degree apply through the Common Application. The current international page gives November 15 for spring entry and June 15 for fall 2027 entry, with all supporting documents due by the applicable date. International applicants should verify academic-document evaluation, English-proficiency, financial certification, and immigration requirements directly before applying. Graduate admission is decentralized: applicants complete the Graduate School application but must also check the chosen program for supplemental questions, separate applications, interviews, prerequisites, and program-specific deadlines.

UM awards degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Its official catalog also lists associate degrees, professional degrees, and certificates, so students should verify the exact credential attached to each program. The university’s graduate-program page currently identifies 62 master’s degrees and 26 doctoral degrees, with additional concentrations and graduate certificates. These totals are useful indicators of breadth but can change as catalogs are updated. Academic choices extend across journalism, music, theatre and dance, visual and media arts, business, education, forestry and conservation, health disciplines, humanities and social sciences, and the sciences. Professional study includes law, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, public health, social work, and physician associate education. Examples documented in the catalog include bachelor’s study in journalism and forestry, master’s study in business administration and wildlife biology, and doctoral study in anthropology, geosciences, mathematics, and pharmaceutical sciences. Students interested in environmental or field-based work can examine the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation and related science programs. Those seeking health professions should check program-specific prerequisites, accreditation, clinical expectations, and application procedures, since admission to the university does not necessarily constitute admission to a professional program. UM also publishes online degree and certificate options. Because the available catalog is the 2025-2026 edition, applicants entering in 2026 or 2027 should confirm requirements against the catalog applicable to their own entry year before registering.

Key Highlights

• Public unit of the Montana University System with separate institutional accreditation
• Chartered in February 1893
• Institutional accreditation reaffirmed in July 2024
• Academic structure includes major colleges, professional schools, the Graduate School, and Missoula College

Student Life & Environment

Campus life combines residential options, student organizations, recreation, athletics, performances, health resources, and career-oriented activities. UM’s student-life page identifies nine residence halls, apartment-style accommodation in Lewis and Clark Village, and family housing in University Villages. Housing type, availability, contract terms, and meal-plan pricing should be checked directly for the intended academic year. Housing is not entirely optional for new students. The university states that new students with fewer than 30 college credits completed after high school, or without two semesters in a residence-hall setting, are generally required to live in UM residence halls unless granted a waiver. Incoming freshmen under age 20 receive a housing hold until they submit a housing application or obtain an approved release. Advanced Placement and dual-enrollment credits earned during high school do not count toward the stated 30-credit exemption. Griz Hub provides a central place to find campus events, resources, clubs, and organizations. Recreation and intercollegiate or club sports offer additional ways to participate. Experiential Learning and Career Success connects students with career coaching, jobs, internships, volunteer service, and research opportunities. Students comparing UM with an urban university should weigh this campus-centered community and outdoor setting against Missoula’s smaller scale and the practical demands of Montana weather and regional travel.

Location & Surroundings

UM’s main campus is in Missoula in western Montana. The university describes Missoula as a small city of about 80,000 residents. This gives students access to city services, arts, dining, and employers without the scale of a major metropolitan area. The campus setting is closely associated with the surrounding mountains and opportunities for hiking, skiing, cycling, river activities, and field-based study. Location is especially relevant for students considering forestry, conservation, wildlife, environmental science, recreation, or other programs that may use Montana landscapes as learning environments. It can also shape everyday logistics. Applicants traveling from outside the region should investigate flight and ground-transport options, seasonal weather, and the cost of returning home before committing. UM operates campus shuttle services, including Park and Ride links serving designated lots and Missoula College. Students should nevertheless compare residence-hall proximity, local transit, cycling, walking, and car-related expenses. Program location also matters: applicants should confirm whether their courses are based on the Mountain Campus, at Missoula College, online, or at another affiliated site.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026-2027, UM estimates a full-time undergraduate cost of attendance of $34,086 for Montana residents living in university housing with a dining plan. This includes $9,750 in tuition and fees, $14,120 for housing and meals, and allowances for books, transportation, personal expenses, loan fees, and health insurance. The corresponding nonresident estimate is $60,454, including $34,894 in tuition and fees and the same $14,120 housing-and-meals allowance. These are planning budgets, not invoices, and assume at least 12 credits in each semester. The university also publishes a $39,334 Western Undergraduate Exchange estimate. Eligibility should not be assumed solely from residence in a participating state; students must confirm award rules and availability. Course, program, online, and professional-school charges may add to the published totals. Mandatory health-insurance coverage applies with a right to waive it under university rules. Graduate and professional students need separate cost schedules. Students should submit the required financial-aid materials and investigate institutional scholarships early, since admissions processing and scholarship consideration favor earlier completion. UM’s Experiential Learning and Career Success office provides career coaching, employer connections, career fairs, Handshake access, student jobs, internships, volunteer projects, and research opportunities. Its services support preparation and access to opportunities but do not guarantee employment or a particular salary. Applicants should request program-level outcomes, licensure results where relevant, and recent internship or placement information from the department they are considering.