Financial Aid
Types of Aid: Tuition Waivers
A waiver is a type of financial assistance that exempts the payment of partial or full tuition.
American Indian Tuition Waiver
Persons of at least one-fourth (1/4) degree Indian blood or are enrolled members of a state recognized or federally recognized Indian tribe which is located within the boundaries of the State of Montana may be eligible for a waiver upon demonstration of financial need. "Financial need" is defined as having at least one dollar of remaining need after subtracting Student Aid Index, all Title IV grant aid and institutional aid from the cost of attendance. Duplication of tuition designated awards is not allowed. For more information contact the MSU-Northern Office of Financial Aid at (406) 265-3787.
American Indian Tuition Waiver
Dependent Waiver
Employees of the Montana University System will be eligible for a partial tuition waiver benefit for their dependents.
Employees must be employed at least ¾ time for 120 calendar days (e.g., four months) before being eligible for a dependent tuition waiver benefit. Eligibility begins at the start of the first full academic semester or summer session that follows the 120-day waiting period. Up to two dependents may utilize the dependent tuition waiver simultaneously in an academic term. Employees who utilize the faculty and staff waiver are eligible for a single (one) dependent waiver during the same academic term. Employees must be employed at least ¾ time during the entire academic term (e.g., semester or summer session) in which a dependent utilizes the waiver in order to receive the benefit of the waiver. A dependent includes the employee’s spouse or adult dependent, as defined in the MUS Employee Benefits Plan, and financially dependent children as defined by the Internal Revenue Code who are unmarried and under age 25. This benefit shall apply to employees included in a bargaining unit only after it has been incorporated in a ratified collective bargaining agreement.
The tuition waiver benefit for dependents shall be for 50% of the residential tuition. In no case may registration, course fees or any other mandatory or miscellaneous fees be waived. Dependents may utilize the tuition waiver benefit to take courses at a two-year college that is affiliated with either Montana State University or the University of Montana or in any other two-year or certificate programs and to obtain a first baccalaureate degree at any unit of the university system. Dependents may not use the tuition waiver benefit to attend law school or obtain a graduate degree. The tuition waiver does not apply to non-credit, continuing education or other self-supporting courses.
Dependent Partial Tuition Waiver Application
Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver
Tuition may be waived for permanent University System employees who are employed at least ¾ time for the entire period of enrollment. Permanent employees employed at least ¾ time for the entire academic year who are reemployed for the following academic year are eligible for a tuition waiver during the intervening summer term. Each campus may at its discretion also waive other fees, but in no case may registration and building fees be waived. Each campus may adopt regulations to limit the amount of credit an employee or staff member may register for and to control the times at which courses may be taken.
Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver Application
Honorably Discharged Veteran Tuition Waiver
An Undergraduate or Graduate student who is a Honorably Discharged Veteran from the United States forces is eligible for a tuition waiver provided the student:
- Is a resident of the State of Montana (per BOR Policy 940.1) and is attending a MUS qualifying campus;
- Has received an Honorable discharge (Honorable Under General Conditions will not be accepted) for service in active duty for other than training purposes;
- Has elected to become eligible for V.A. education benefits under Title 38, or Title 10, of the U.S. Code but benefits have expired or were exhausted;
- Has applied for the waiver no later than the third week of the first semester for which the waiver is being requested;
- Maintains reasonable academic progress in accordance with the campus’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy used in administering federal financial aid; and
- Has an outstanding tuition balance after applying ALL other sources of aid (see Fact Sheet for calculation examples).
Waivers for students who meet the criteria above will be applied as LAST DOLLAR awards, up to the total cost of in-state tuition only. Thus, individual tuition waiver amounts will vary, depending on the amount of federal grants and all other scholarships received by the student.
*The waiver covers the remaining tuition balance after ALL other grants and scholarships have been applied toward tuition, and is NOT available for Flat Fee Courses. Please view the example calculation on the Fact Sheet.
Please see use the link below for more details or to view the Honorably Discharged Veterans Tuition Waiver FACT SHEET.
Honorably Discharged Veteran Waiver
Montana National Guard Tuition Waiver
An Undergraduate or Graduate student who is a member of the Montana National Guard (Army and Air Guard) is eligible for a tuition waiver, provided the student:
- Has applied for the waiver and is a bona fide member of the Guard no later than the 3rd week of the first semester for which they are requesting the waiver;
- Is certified as a MT National Guard member in good standing who has completed Initial Entry Training;
- Maintains reasonable academic progress in accordance with the campus’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy used in administering federal financial aid; and
- Has an outstanding tuition balance after applying ALL other sources of aid (see Fact Sheet for calculation examples).
Waivers for students who meet the criteria above will be applied as LAST DOLLAR awards, up to the total annual cost of in-state tuition only. Thus, individual tuition waiver amounts will vary, depending on the amount of federal grants and all other scholarships received by the student. Montana National Guard members who do not meet the residency requirements provided in BOR Policy 940.1 but meet the criteria above, are eligible for in-state tuition status for purposes of applying the tuition waiver under this policy.
*The waiver covers the remaining tuition balance after ALL other grants and scholarships have been applied toward tuition, and is NOT available for Flat Fee Courses. Please view the example calculation on the Fact Sheet.
Please see use the link below for more details or to view the National Guard Tuition Waiver FACT SHEET.
Montana National Guard Tuition Waiver
Surviving Dependents of Montana Firefighters/Peace Officers Waiver
A waiver is available for dependents or spouses of a Montana Firefighter or Peace Officer that was killed in the course and scope of employment. The Firefighter/Peace Officer and the Spouse/Dependent must be Montana residents.
The student must be a resident of Montana per BOR Policy 940.1 and must apply for the waiver by the 3rd week of the first semester for which they are requesting the waiver. This Waiver does not waive any fees, cannot be used with other tuition waivers and can only be used towards undergraduate tuition. This tuition waiver remains in effect as long as the student maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) according to the standards detailed by the Financial Aid Office.
Please see use the link below for more details.
Surviving Dependents of Montana Firefighters/Peace Officers Waiver
War Orphans Waiver
A waiver is available, upon approval of the Commissioner of Higher Education, for children aged 25 or less, whose parent(s) served on active duty during World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts. Such members of the armed forces must have been Montana residents at the time of entry into service, and must have been killed in action or died as a result of combat related injury, disease, or other disability.
The student must be a resident of Montana per BOR Policy 940.1 and must apply for the waiver by the 3rd week of the first semester for which they are requesting the waiver. This Waiver does not waive any fees, cannot be used with other tuition waivers and can only be used towards undergraduate tuition. This tuition waiver remains in effect as long as the student is 25 years of age or under, and maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) according to the standards detailed by the Financial Aid Office.
Please see use the link below for more details.
