Freshman Admission Requirements

You are considered an incoming freshman if you meet one of the following criteria:

  • currently enrolled in high school;
  • have graduated from high school but have not attempted 12 or more college-level semester credits;
  • you are concurrently enrolled in high school and a college/university (e.g. Running Start or Dual Enrollment Program);

Application procedures

Applying for admission as a new freshman is a two-step process. You will complete the first step before you are admitted; the last step is completed once you graduate from high school.*

  1. Submit a complete UM undergraduate admission application and pay the $30 application fee. There is no application fee for residents of Montana.
  2. Remember to request a final high school transcript be sent upon graduation. The transcript must include your date of graduation and final GPA.

*ACT/SAT test scores are not required for admission to the University of Montana. They are encouraged, however, and can be used to assist with course placement.

Admission requirements

You must meet at least one primary requirement and complete the college preparatory requirements to be admitted to the University of Montana.

Primary requirements

  • A 2.50 cumulative grade-point average, OR
  • A class rank in the upper half of your high school graduating class

College preparatory requirements

The Montana University System requires that you complete the following college preparatory requirements:

  • Four years of English
  • Three years of math, including Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. Students are encouraged to take a math class their senior year of high school.
  • Three years of social studies, including one year of global studies, one year of American history and one year of government or another third-year course (i.e., economics, psychology, sociology).
  • Two years of laboratory science. One must be earth science, biology, chemistry or physics. The second year may be one of those sciences or another approved college preparatory laboratory science.
  • Two years from the following: foreign language (preferably two years), computer science, visual and performing arts or vocational education.

Proficiency requirements

In order to be fully admitted to the University of Montana (without conditions or provisions), students must demonstrate readiness in areas of mathematics and writing. Typically, students demonstrate their readiness by fulfilling at least one criterion in each of the following proficiency requirement sections:

Students may demonstrate proficiency in Mathematics follows:

  • A cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher; or
  • A cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or higher AND an Algebra II course grade of C or better.

Students may also demonstrate math proficiency in the following ways:

  • A score of 22 on the ACT math section
  • or a score of 27.5 on the SAT math test (520 on SAT math for tests prior to March 2016)
  • or a score of 3 or higher on the AP Calculus AB or BC exam
  • or completion of a Rigorous High School Core that includes four years of math with grades of C or higher
  • or a score of 4 on the International Baccalaureate calculus exam

If a student does not demonstrate full readiness prior to New Student Orientation, students must attain full admission status by completing at least one college-level mathematics course with a grade of C- or better before completing 32 credits or 3 semesters, whichever comes last.

Students may demonstrate proficiency in writing as follows:

  • A cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher; or
  • A cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or higher AND a course grade of C or better in an 11th grade English course.

Students may also meet the proficiency requirement in the following ways:

  • A score of 18 on the ACT Combined English/Writing section
  • or a score of 19 on the new ACT Writing Test Subscore (score of 7 on old scale of 2-12)
  • or a score of 25 on the SAT Writing/Language Test (440 on SAT Writing for tests prior to March 2016)
  • or a score of 7 on the SAT Essay Subscore (for tests prior to March 2016)
  • or a score of 3 on the AP English Language or English Literature exam
  • or a score of 50 on the CLEP Subject Exam in Composition
  • or a score of 4 on the International Baccalaureate Language AI Exam

If a student does not demonstrate full readiness prior to New Student Orientation, students must attain full admission status by completing at least one college-level composition course with a grade of C- or better before completing 32 credits or 3 semesters, whichever comes last.

Other Freshman Admission Types

Traditional student applicants are those who enter college within three years of high school graduation or within three years from when they would have graduated from high school.

  1. Submit a complete UM undergraduate admission application and pay the $30 application fee. There is no application fee for residents of Montana.
  2. Remember to send in an official HiSET or GED which must include test date and test scores. If you have not yet taken the GED or HiSET at the time you apply, then the following will be required for an admission decision:
    • ACT test score (minimum composite score of 22) or SAT test score (minimum combined score of 1120).

If you took the HiSET in Montana, you can order an official copy of your HiSET be sent to UM from DiplomaSender.com.

If you took your GED/HiSET in another state, please contact your state's office of education for instructions on ordering your official score report.

Non-traditional applicants are those who enter college after three years after high school graduation or after three years from when they would have graduated from high school.

  1. Submit a complete UM undergraduate admission application and pay the $30 application fee. There is no application fee for residents of Montana.
  2. Remember to send in an official high school transcript, HiSET or GED which must include graduation or test date and final GPA or test scores.

If you took the HiSET in Montana, you can order an official copy of your HiSET to be sent to UM from DiplomaSender.com.

If you took your GED/HiSET in another state, please contact your state's office of education for instructions on ordering your official score report.

Please see Home School for admission and application requirements.

The University of Montana, as part of the Montana University System, adheres to the Admission Policy established by the Montana Board of Regents. Students who do not meet the admission standards or those who meet the standards but have low test scores or a low-grade point average are encouraged to apply for admission. Applicants will be referred to the Admissions Committee to determine if they can be admitted on a "Conditional Status" or offered the opportunity to start at Missoula College.