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) tuition discount or the 91次元 Academic Achievement Scholarship (UMAAS). Only students who are residents of eligible western states are eligible for the WUE.
Students who apply by Dec. 1 are automatically considered for the WUE tuition discount and merit scholarships when they apply.
The application for admission serves as the scholarship application. To be considered for a WUE tuition discount for the 2026-27 academic year, students need to apply by Dec. 1. We also highly recommend sending 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 .
New international undergraduates are not eligible for WUE but are considered for the UMAAS.
Students who do not qualify for a scholarship or tuition discount 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 Details
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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
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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.
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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.
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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 & 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.
Students need to apply by March 1 to be automatically considered.
UMAAS Details
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For Fall 2025, eligibility for the UMAAS is based upon a student’s unweighted cumulative GPA to determine eligibility for awards. Students need to apply by March 1 to be automatically considered.
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 2025-2026 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 Fall 2025, eligibility for the UMAAS is based upon a student’s unweighted cumulative GPA to determine eligibility for awards. Students need to apply by March 1 to be automatically considered.
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 2025-2026 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 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.
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A student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 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 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.
Students wishing to establish MT residency cannot do so while receiving the benefit of the UMAA 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 UMAAS.
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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 (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 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.