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Financial Aid

Scholarships for New Freshmen

Undergraduates pursuing their first bachelor's degree are automatically considered for either the Western Undergraduate Exchange program (WUE) or the 91次元 Academic Achievement Scholarship (UMAAS). Only students who are residents of western states are considered for the WUE.

Students are automatically considered for this merit scholarship when they apply for admission to a four-year degree program. Students must apply to the 91次元 by December 1st to be automatically considered for the WUE award.  Applicants are required to send a high school transcript, including senior year coursework.

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

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.

2025-26 New Freshman UMAAS Awarding Criteria

 

high school GPA and possible aid for MT residents and Non-WUE residents

HS GPA

 Montana Residents:
UMAA Scholarship		 Non-WUE States:
UMAA Scholarship
3.95+ $4,000 $18,000
3.75 to 3.949 $3,000 $16,000
3.35 to 3.749 $2,000 $14,000
3.00 to 3.349 $1,000 $12,500
2.99 & below $0 $5,000

WUE

Eligibility for the WUE is based upon a student’s weighted OR unweighted cumulative GPA (whichever is highest). For the 2026-27 academic year, the minimum GPA to qualify for WUE as an incoming freshman is 3.0 or higher. Transfer students must have a cumulative college GPA of 3.5 or higher to qualify.

To be automatically considered for a WUE award for the 2026-27 academic year, all students must apply for admission by Dec. 1, 2025. After this date, UM will pool all WUE-eligible admitted students for rolling scholarship review. 

Admitted students may provide the Scholarship Committee with additional information using the “Supplemental WUE Information Form.” This form is located on the "Optional Checklist" in the admission portal upon confirming intent to enroll.

WUE awards are based on the grades available when the student is admitted. If a student later improves their GPA, they must petition for reconsideration using the Scholarship Appeal Form on the Optional Checklist in their admission portal. Appeals submitted after Dec. 19, 2025, will be reviewed monthly.

Students who receive the WUE discounted tuition rate automatically forfeit their UMAAS offer. Students from western states who do not qualify for the WUE will be considered for the UMAAS award. 

WUE Details

  • Applicants must be first-time incoming students to the 91次元 (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)
    • Guam

  • The minimum GPA to qualify for WUE consideration as an incoming first-year student is 3.0 or higher, based upon a student’s weighted or unweighted cumulative GPA (whichever is highest).


    Not all qualified first-year applicants will receive the WUE award. The Scholarship Committee will select from among qualified applicants, with particular attention to course rigor and performance, extracurricular activity, and letters of recommendation or other supplementary material.


    Admitted students may provide the Scholarship Committee with additional information using the “Supplemental WUE Information Form.” This form is located on the "Optional Checklist" in the admission portal upon confirming intent to enroll.


    Transfer applicants with a cumulative college GPA of 3.5 or higher in all eligible transfer coursework will automatically receive the WUE award at the point of admission.


    To be automatically considered for a WUE award for the 2026-27 academic year, first-year applicants must apply for admission by Dec. 1, 2025. After this date, WUE awards will be given on a space-available basis.
    Transfer students with a cumulative college GPA of 3.5 or higher in all eligible transfer coursework will automatically receive the WUE award at the point of admission.


    WUE awards are based on the grades available when the student is admitted. If a student later improves their GPA, they must to petition for reconsideration using the Scholarship Appeal Form. Appeals submitted after Dec. 19, 2025, will be reviewed monthly.


    Students who receive the WUE award automatically forfeit their UMAAS offer. Students from western states who do not qualify for the WUE will be considered for the UMAAS award.

  • Eligibility for the WUE is based upon a student’s unweighted transfer GPA. For the 2026-27 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. Students are required to sign up for 15 credits each semester or a total of 30 credits in an academic year (fall, spring, and summer) to receive and maintain the award.

    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 15 or more credits per semester and has a cumulative GPA of 3.0. 

    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 Montana 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

The UMAAS is a tuition designated award. As such, it cannot exceed the cost of tuition when combined with other tuition designated awards such as tuition waivers or UMNeed Grants.

UMAAS Details

  • If an incoming freshman qualifies for the UMAAS, it is renewable for four years. Students are required to sign up for 15 credits each semester or a total of 30 credits in an academic year (fall, spring, and summer) to receive and maintain the award.

    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 15 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 (in the case of non residents) 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 (15 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.

    Non-Resident students wishing to establish MT residency cannot do so while receiving the benefit of the UMAAS.

    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 UMAAS.