Tuition & Fees (based on 30 credits)

*Tuition and fees are subject to modification by the Board of Regents and the University without notice. Click Here for a Fee Breakdown

Refund Policy

If a student completely withdraws from school, tuition and fees are 100% refundable before classes begin; 90% refundable during the first week of classes; 75% refundable during the second week of classes; 50% refundable during the third week of classes and nonrefundable after the third week of classes. The $75 application fee and $750 deposit are nonrefundable.

Financial Aid Budget

All financial aid starts with the FAFSA. The FAFSA is available on October 1 and should be submitted by February 15.

The cost of attendance for the 2023-24 academic year for graduate students taking 12+ credits. Please visit the University of Montana's Financial Aid website for more information on the full cost of tuition.

Other Expenses

Mandatory health insurance coverage, with the right of waiver, is required for all students. Health insurance is available through UM’s Student Insurance Plan.

Parking on campus is $264/year for the 2023-24 academic year.

A reasonable allowance for the purchase of a computer will be determined and considered by the financial aid office upon request. Any approved amount will be added to the financial aid budget.

Seat Deposit: Accepted applicants who wish to reserve a seat in the entering class must make a nonrefundable advance deposit of $500 by the deadline stated in the acceptance letter. An additional deposit of $250 will be due by July 1st. Any applicants admitted after July 1st will pay a one-time $750 deposit. The deposit will be credited toward total University tuition and fees at the time of registration. Accepted applicants who do not pay the deposit by the deadline, have declined the offer of admission and any scholarship awarded.

Scholarships

The Blewett School of Law offers scholarships at the time of admission. 1L applicants are considered for scholarship without the need of a separate application. For a list of external scholarships, visit our Scholarships & Writing Competitions page.

Residency

The Montana University System classifies all students as either in-state or out-of-state for purposes of determining tuition and fees while attending law school, and the classification is made at the time of admission. The Board of Regents Policy 940.1 sets forth rules applicable to law students for determination of in-state status. Applicants must carefully review these qualifications, as only certain rare exceptions are possible.

Initial Classification +

Generally, with certain exceptions, in order to obtain in-state classification, a law student must meet a 12-month durational residency test. The student must maintain a primary residence in Montana for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to attending law school. In addition, the student must have Montana-based identification and other documentation for the entire 12 consecutive months. This means that a student must:

• Reside in Montana for 12 months prior to the first day of class, AND
• Provide evidence that all of the following documents were issued to the student at least 12 months prior to the first day of class:

(a) Montana Driver's License or a Montana Identification Card;

(b) Voter registration;

(c) If the student owns or operates a vehicle in Montana, has a

Montana vehicle registration;

(d) A Montana Tax return (if tax season has occurred);

(e) Has not attended an out-of-state school as a resident of that state.

3) The student must show that they do not have documentation tying them to another state, such as a remaining valid drivers license in another state, or a voter registration in another state.

Exceptions may apply for certain qualifying military personnel (and their families), veterans, persons (or their families) who have full-time employment in Montana.

For more information regarding residency, please see "Residency Information" on the Office of the Registrar's website.

Reclassifying after the first year +

In general, most professional students attending the University of Montana cannot reclassify as in-state students after their first year of school. BOR Policy 940.1(G).  A law student may request to reclassify only if the student meets the following narrow circumstances:

First, the student must have maintained a primary residence in Montana for the 12 months immediately preceding the student’s first day of law school their 1L year. The student must have moved to Montana for reasons other than to attend school.

Second, the student must obtain the required Montana-based documentation at least 12 months prior to the student’s request to reclassify. This includes a Montana Driver’s License or Identification card, Montana Voter’s Registration, Montana Vehicle Registration, and a Montana Tax Return.

In short, this policy allows a student to reclassify when they resided in Montana for 12 months prior to school, but neglected to get one or more of the required documents issued in Montana during those first 12 months so failed the initial residency test. The student can request to reclassify once they have obtained all the required documentation and waited an additional 12 months.

For more information regarding residency, please see "Residency Information" on the Office of the Registrar's website.