Non-Resident Scholarships for Entering Students

Non-resident undergraduates pursuing their first bachelor's degree are automatically considered for either the Western Undergraduate Exchange program (WUE) or the University of Montana Academic Achievement Scholarship (UMAAS). Only students who are residents of western states are eligible for the WUE.

Students are automatically considered for this merit scholarship when they apply. 

The application for admission serves as the scholarship application. Please submit as many supporting documents as possible with your application. Awarding begins Dec. 1.

To maximize grant and scholarship opportunities, new students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA, and apply for departmental and renewable scholarships through the UM Scholarship Portal

New international undergraduates are not eligible for these scholarships but are considered for the International Students Scholarship.

Students who do not qualify for a scholarship upon entry to UM, but choose to attend anyway, cannot qualify for one of these scholarships at a later date. However, they are encouraged to apply for continuing student scholarships.

WUE

Students awarded the WUE scholarship receive a discounted tuition rate equivalent to 150% of resident tuition. For the 2023-24 academic year this is equivalent to a scholarship of $18,888.

The WUE will be reflected on the initial award offer letter as a scholarship. It won’t be listed in the scholarship section of Cyberbear, but don’t worry. Your tuition will reflect it.

WUE Details

Applicants must be first time incoming students to The University of Montana (freshman or transfer) from:

  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming
  • The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)

For Autumn 2024, eligibility for the WUE is based upon a student’s weighted cumulative GPA. For the 2024-2025 Academic Year the minimum GPA to qualify for WUE is 3.95. 

Awarding happens based on the grades available when the student is admitted. If a student later improves their GPA, they will need to petition for reconsideration using the Scholarship Appeal Form.

Students from western states, who do not qualify for the WUE, will be considered for the UMAAS award.

Please visit with your Admissions Counselor to determine the amount of your award.

For Autumn 2024, eligibility for the WUE is based upon a student’s unweighted transfer GPA. For the 2024-2025 Academic Year the minimum transfer GPA to qualify for WUE is 3.5. 

Awarding happens based on the grades available when the student is admitted. If a student later improves their GPA, they will need to petition for reconsideration using the Scholarship Appeal Form.

Students from western states, who do not qualify for the WUE, will be considered for the UMAAS award.

Please visit with your Admissions Counselor to determine the amount of your award. 

If an incoming freshmen qualifies for the WUE program it is renewable for four years.

For transfer students, the number of years for which the scholarship is renewable is based on the number of transfer credits accepted by UM.

  • 0-29 credits, 4 years
  • 30-59 credits, 3 years
  • 60+ credits, 2 years

To complete a degree in the required time-frame, most students must earn an average of 15 credits per semester.

The scholarship will automatically be renewed if, at the end of the spring semester, a student has completed 12 or more credits per semester and has a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Courses taken through the School of Extended and Lifelong Learning (SELL) are not WUE eligible and are not counted in meeting the requirement to be full-time.

Students who are not continuously enrolled (except summers), transfer to Missoula College, establish Montana residency or become distance only students, forfeit the scholarship. WUE recipients cannot also receive the LAS scholarship and cease to be eligible for the WUE upon completion of a bachelor's degree.

The WUE scholarship can be used during summer terms.

Students wishing to establish MT residency cannot do so while receiving the benefit of the WUE scholarship.

Students who do not meet scholarship conditions may appeal for reinstatement using the Continuing Student Scholarship Appeal Form.

Post-baccalaureate students (i.e. students who have previously earned a bachelor's degree) and graduate students are not eligible to receive the WUE.

UMAAS & UM Need Grant

In addition to the UMAAS scholarship, students with demonstrated financial need may also be eligible for a UM Need Grant. To be considered for this grant a student must file the FAFSA.

The UMAAS scholarship and the UM Need Grant are tuition designated awards. As such, they cannot exceed the cost of tuition when combined with other tuition designated awards such as tuition waivers.

UMAAS & UM Need Grant Details

For Autumn 2024, eligibility for the UMAAS is based upon a student’s unweighted cumulative GPA to determine eligibility for awards.

Awarding happens based on the scores and grades available when the student is admitted. If a student later improves their GPA, they will need to petition for reconsideration using the Scholarship Appeal Form.

Non-Resident UMAA Scholarship Awarding Parameters
2024-2025 Non-Residents UMAA Scholarship
HS GPA Amount
3.95+ $18,000
3.75 to 3.949 $16,000
3.35 to 3.749 $14,000
3.00 to 3.349 $12,500
2.99 & below $5,000

For Autumn 2024, eligibility for the UMAAS is based upon a student’s unweighted cumulative GPA to determine eligibility for awards.

Awarding happens based on the scores and grades available when the student is admitted. If a student later improves their GPA, they will need to petition for reconsideration using the Scholarship Appeal Form.

Non-Resident Transfer UMAA Awarding Parameters
2024-2025 Non-Resident Transfer UMAA Scholarship
Transfer GPA Amount
3.5 & above $12,500
3.25 to 3.499 $10,000
3.0 to 3.249 $5,000
2.99 & below $0

If an incoming freshman qualifies for the UMAAS scholarship it is renewable for four years.

For transfer students, the number of years for which the scholarship is renewable is based on the number of transfer credits accepted by UM.

  • 0-29 credits, 4 years
  • 30-59 credits, 3 years
  • 60+ credits, 2 years

To complete a degree in the required time-frame, most students must earn an average of 15 credits per semester.

A student must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 at the end of the spring semester and have completed 12 or more credits per semester for the scholarship to be renewed (if renewable).

Students who are not continuously enrolled (except summers), transfer to Missoula College, are awarded the WUE, establish Montana residency or become distance only students, forfeit the scholarship. UMAAS recipients cease to be eligible for the UMAAS upon completion of a bachelor's degree.

The scholarship will not be disbursed in any given semester until the student is enrolled full-time (12 or more credits). Courses taken through the School of Extended and Lifelong Learning (SELL) are not counted in meeting the requirement to be full-time. The scholarship is not available for use in the summer term.

Students wishing to establish MT residency cannot do so while receiving the benefit of the UMAAS scholarship.

Students who do not meet scholarship conditions may appeal for reinstatement using the Continuing Student Scholarship Appeal Form.

Post-baccalaureate students (i.e. students who have previously earned a bachelor's degree) and graduate students are not eligible to receive the LAS.

Only non-resident students who first began attending UM in the Autumn of 2017 or later (2016 or later if from a non-WUE state), are eligible for the UM Need Grant.

If a student's EFC changes, the amount of the grant may also change. To be considered for the grant in subsequent years, a student must re-file the FAFSA and continue to demonstrate financial need.

Students must be making satisfactory academic progress to be eligible for the grant. If a student is ineligible for federal aid because they cannot complete their degree in the maximum time frame they are also ineligible for the grant.

Students who transfer to Missoula College, establish Montana residency or become distance only students, forfeit the grant. Receiving additional scholarships from UM may reduce or eliminate the UM Need Grant from a student's award. Recipients cease to be eligible for the UM Need Grant upon completion of a bachelor's degree.

The grant will not be disbursed in any given semester until the student is enrolled full-time (12 or more credits). Courses taken through the School of Extended and Lifelong Learning (SELL) are not counted in meeting the requirement to be full-time. The grant is not available for use in the summer term.

Post-baccalaureate students (i.e. students who have previously earned a bachelor's degree) and graduate students are not eligible to receive the UM Need Grant.