Next Steps for International Students

Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Montana. Please take these next steps before enrolling as an international student at UM.

Next Steps

Once we have determined your eligibility for the I-20 and issued you the I-20 form, you will need to prepare to come to the U.S.  This will include paying the SEVIS I-901 fee and applying for your visa.

Learn about the I-901 payment process

The I-901 fee is collected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to cover operating costs for SEVIS. All international students must first pay the I-901 fee before going to their visa interview. View the I-901 SEVIS Fee payment tutorial to learn about each step of the payment process.

View the Tutorial

Pay the I-901 Fee

To pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee, visit FMJfee.com to access the SEVIS Form I-901.

PAY NOW

Apply for your U.S. Visa

  • Find the U.S. embassy or consulate that is most convenient for you to visit,
  • Go to their website and follow the instructions for applying.

**NOTE** CANADIAN citizens do not need to apply for a visa, but they do need to pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee before entering the U.S. for study.

For more information about the visa process, visit:

For more general information about studying in the US, see the EducationUSA and Study in the States websites.

Log in to your Admitted Student Checklist to find your Net ID and Student ID. You'll use the same username and password that you used on your application for admission.

Log in to UMConnect, your student email account, and check it regularly. UMConnect serves as the official means of communication between students and the University of Montana. This includes everything from information about registration, tuition and fee notification, and urgent announcements. This is an important step, as we will send you multiple important emails throughout the pre-orientation process.

To log into your UMConnect account, you will need your NetID.

Your Net ID initial password will be the last six digits of your student ID number (which begins with 790) and it is included on your acceptance letter.

Congratulations! You already applied for incoming merit based scholarships when you applied for admission. You can expect to hear back about your scholarship award in the next few weeks, if you haven’t heard already. To see what you qualified for prior to receiving your award letter please visit our scholarships page.

If you want to be considered for a departmental scholarship, please complete the General Application in the UM Scholarship Portal. Application deadlines vary by department and/or opportunity. 

UM Housing provides positive, safe, and inclusive living environments which are an important part of your experience at the University of Montana.

  • Housing information was mailed to you in your acceptance packet.
  • Housing is assigned first come-first serve. $200 of your prepayment is refundable until June 1 if you do not enroll at UM fall semester.
  • To check your room assignment once assignments have been made please log back into the Residence Life Online portal.
  • We provide housing options for students with spouses and/or dependents. For more information, visit the University Villages web page, or call (406) 243-6063.
  • For more information, visit UM Housing or call (406) 243-2611.

Note: Living on campus is required for all incoming Freshman, as we believe it is integral to your success at UM. If you would like to request to live off campus, you may submit a residency release form. Distance-only students are exempt from the on-campus housing requirement.

The Davidson Honors College provides outstanding undergraduate students with extraordinary educational and cultural opportunities. Honors College students enroll in challenging courses and participate in special experiences outside the classroom that enhance the regular offerings and activities of the University. The Honors College is open to students in any academic major, and offers the intensive learning environment of a small liberal arts and sciences college within a larger research university.

To learn more visit the Davidson Honors College.

As you prepare to attend UM, we want to make you aware of the state of Montana immunization requirements:

  • two (2) immunizations for Rubella and
  • two (2) immunizations for Rubeola

You must submit verifiable documentation of your immunizations. You can submit immunization information online. Please submit these documents as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition to UM. For more information please contact Curry Health Center or call (406) 243-2122.

Health Insurance

The University of Montana requires all students to have and to maintain medical coverage while attending the University.

International students will be automatically charged for the Student Health Insurance Plan unless they can provide proof of sufficient coverage through a different health insurance plan. For more information please visit the Virtual Student Health Insurance office website.

For more information, contact the Student Insurance Advocate at 406-243-2844, studentinsurance@mso.umt.edu, or visit the insurance section of the Curry Health Center web page.

Distance-only students are not required to submit immunization information.

All new international students are expected to complete the personal tasks outlined on your Admitted Student Checklist. After completing all the items on your personalized checklist, you will be able to connect with your advisor and start registering for classes. You can find more information about your Admitted Student Checklist here.

First-year students and all international students NEW to the U.S.: All first-year students and students new to the U.S. are required to complete self-paced, online New Student Orientation. In addition to completing New Student Orientation online, all traditional-aged first-year students are expected to attend our in-person week of welcome - the Big Sky Experience! You will connect with your peers and learn more about your F1 visa. You will also get information on the social and academic transition to U.S. higher education, as well as the services available to you on campus. Learn more about New Student Orientation and the Big Sky Experience.

Transfer students from U.S. institutions:  Students who are transferring from other U.S. institutions are welcome to participate in Bear Tracks and are required to complete the self-paced online Transfer New Student Orientation. After completing the online Transfer Orientation, you may still need to participate in the international sessions during New Student Orientation. Please contact the International Student and Scholar Services office for more information (iss@umontana.edu).

First-year students: Your academic advisor will pre-register you in fall semester courses required for your major. Once you have completed your Admitted Student Checklist, you will be directed to a web portal so you can begin the course registration process.

Transfer students: Once you've completed your Admitted Student Checklist and the online Transfer New Student Orientation, you'll be directed to connect with your academic advisor to get your registration PIN and complete registration.

If you are unable to complete course registration before coming to campus, don't worry! You will have another special opportunity to finalize your course schedule during the first part of New Student Orientation.

The UM International Students and Scholars Office provides a free airport pick-up service for all new international students during Arrival Days for New Student Orientation. To take advantage of this service, please arrange to arrive during Arrival Days and submit your arrival information to ISS using the form on the ISS website.  You can also contact ISS directly at iss@umontana.edu.

To ensure a smooth process at a U.S. port of entry, be sure to hand carry the following with you on the plane (do not put in your checked baggage!):

It is also advised to make copies of these documents and carry them with you.

*Canadian students do not need to have a visa, but must be prepared to go through inspection at the border. Canadians should bring all the documents required for a visa interview to the U.S. port of entry. See the Canadian Students page on the U.S. Embassy in Canada website for more information.

As a benefit of the F1 visa, international students have the ability to work part-time on campus. Since the F1 visa is primarily a student visa, however, there are U.S. regulations about how much and where international students can work while in the U.S. These will be covered during the international student sessions during New Student Orientation, but you can learn more by visiting UM's International Student and Scholar Services website.

The University of Montana offers many opportunities for student employment. Handshake, University of Montana's student employment website is designed to allow you to search and apply online for part-time on and off-campus, work-study, non-work-study and volunteer positions.

Experiential Learning and Career Success provides students with comprehensive services and coordination of the internship process.

You can meet with a Career Counselor to discuss your major and career options, resumes, job search, interviewing, etc. Together you can decide what next steps are best for you.

Congrats, you're a Griz!

You can view the Admitted Students pages for more information on living in Missoula, figuring out what to pack and other great suggestions! 

Launch UM virtual tour.