Admissions

Homeschool 

Students must have graduated from a high school accredited by the state accrediting agency, OR have a high school equivalency completion assessment designated by the Montana Board of Public Education to be admitted to any campus of the Montana University System. At the discretion of the institution, for students who complete their secondary education through home schooling or at unaccredited secondary schools, this requirement may be met by “satisfactory performance” on the ACT, SAT, or a recognized testing instrument defined in the Federal Register as indicative of a student’s “ability to benefit.”

How to Apply

1. Submit an application form or apply online. Applications can also be obtained from Montana high school guidance counselors, or by writing to the Admissions Office, Montana State University-Northern, Havre, MT 59501 or calling toll-free 1-800-662-6132 or (406) 265-3704.
2. A $30 non-refundable application fee and the completed admissions application should be returned to the Admissions Office. This fee is for non-residents only. If the applicant is admitted but does not register, the $30 application fee is valid for the subsequent twelve months.
3. A final high school transcript, with a graduation date posted, must be sent to the Admissions Office, Montana State University-Northern, Havre, MT 59501.
4. While test scores are no longer required for Admission, freshmen applicants who have graduated from high school less than three years prior to the first date of enrollment at Montana State University-Northern can submit a score report from the American College Test (ACT) or from the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

Admission Requirements (Specific to 4-degree Programs)

The Admission Standards requirements are as follows:

• Enhanced ACT Composite Score of 20 or higher 
        OR
• SAT Combined Verbal and Math Standard Score of 1050 or higher
        OR
• High School Grade Point Average of 2.50 or higher

          OR

• Rank in the upper half of the student's graduating class.
  
  (for information on ACT & SAT tests, finding testing centers and more, visit the ACT and SAT websites)

Financial Aid Eligibility

To receive Title IV funds, a student must be qualified to study at the postsecondary level. A student qualifies if she:

• has a high school diploma (this can be from a foreign school if it is equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma);
• has the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma, such as a general educational development (GED) certificate or other state sanctioned test or diploma-equivalency certificate;
• has completed homeschooling at the secondary level as defined by state law;
• has completed secondary school education in a homeschool setting which qualifies for an exemption from compulsory attendance requirements under state law, if state law does not require a homeschooled student to receive a credential for their education; or
• has completed one of the ability-to-benefit (ATB) alternatives and is either currently enrolled in an eligible career pathway program or first enrolled in an eligible postsecondary program prior to July 1, 2012.

The ATB alternatives include:

• Passing an independently administered Department of Education approved ATB test (see chart at the end of this section).
• Completing at least six credit hours or 225 clock hours that are applicable toward a Title IV-eligible degree or certificate offered by the postsecondary institution (neither remedial nor developmental coursework count toward this requirement). The coursework must demonstrate that the student has the ability to benefit from the postsecondary program in which the student is enrolled or intends to enroll, but need not be applicable to the specific degree or program in which the student is enrolled.
• Completing a state process approved by the Secretary of Education. Note: To date, state processes have been approved by the Secretary for the states of Washington and Wisconsin.

College Preparatory Curriculum

Students must meet one of the three following categories for admission as a full-time freshman.

OR

OR

Students who are not eligible to enter a four-year program may pursue an associate degree major and change to a four-year program upon successful completion of MATH 121 or higher.

Exceptions to the College Preparatory/Admission Standards Requirements:

1. Non-traditional students (students that graduated from high school at least three years prior to enrollment),
2. Summer only students,
3. Part-time students taking seven or fewer college or university level credits. For the purpose of this section, "university level credits" means those courses that are applicable toward an associate of applied science, associate of science, bachelor of applied science, or baccalaureate degree at Montana State University-Northern. Such courses shall include neither remedial nor developmental courses.