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Tuition and Costs

Looking directly down at Main Hall and the Oval from a drone in the sky.

Your greatest investment

There is no bigger investment in your life that will continue to pay you back than obtaining a degree. But. That doesn’t mean understanding how to pay for college isn’t riddled with anxiety. That’s why we’re here. Every step of the way.

Understanding the cost of attending college

Tuition is an important consideration when you’re weighing your options for higher education. In this section we’ll start with that detail — how much it costs to attend classes as a full-time or part-time student.

Then we’ll give you a view of the big picture through a look at Cost of Attendance (COA). This is a rough estimate of your tuition, residence life and dining costs and fees. The COA will help you make broader comparisons and is the starting point for you to see the impact of financial aid and scholarship opportunities, as well as housing choices.  

Select your education goals to see the COA estimates, explore details about tuition, fees, financial aid, scholarships and options for housing and dining. All tuition rates and cost of attendance estimates are based on 2022 rates. Rates for the 2023-2024 academic year will be available in May 2023.

Undergraduate at UM

Tuition Overview 2023-24

Tuition is based on your residency and the number of credits you take. 

Montana residents pay:
$8.152 a year when you take 12 or more credits per semester
$6,562 a year when you take between 9 and 11 credits per semester
$5,334 a year when you take six to eight credits per semester

Out-of-state students pay:
$31,622 a year when you take 12 or more credits per semester
$24,176 a year when you take between 9 and 11 credits per semester
$18,224 a year when you take six to eight credits per semester

Students who receive the Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholarship pay:
$11,434 a year when you take 12 or more credits per semester
$9,034 a year when you take between 9 and 11 credits per semester

Calculate your costs

Your next step is to access the calculator to learn more about your actual cost based on your residency, academic achievements and financial circumstances.

Undergraduate at UM

Cost of Attendance Summary

The Cost of Attendance (COA) summaries shown below are for full-time students (12 or more credits) and include direct costs such as tuition, fees, on-campus housing and food, as well as books and supplies. Indirect costs include loan fee allowances, transportation, and a miscellaneous line ($3,708) to help give you a full picture of potential costs. Learn more about these estimates, details on fees and ways to understand what your specific cost will total.  


$25,228: annual COA estimate for Montana residents, including housing and food

$49,486: annual COA estimate for out-of-state residents, including housing and food

$29,298: annual COA estimate for students who receive the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) scholarship, including housing and food

$49,486: annual COA estimate for international students, including housing and food

Undergraduate at UM

Residence Hall Options and Cost Summary

There are eight residence halls at the University of Montana which offer a range of living options from single rooms (one person in a room) to four-person suites. The following list shows cost ranges for a full year (fall and spring semester). You can find more detail on specific costs for each of the residence halls here.

  • Single (regular, large singles or doubles as single occupancy): $5,818-$6,690 
  • Double: $5,108-$5,470 
  • Triple or Three-person Pod: $5,108-$6,654 
  • Quad or Four-Person Suite: $5,108-$7,190 

Other housing options

There are two apartment-style facilities available to  students with 24 or more credits or students with a spouse and/or dependents.

Undergraduate at UM

Dining Options and Meal Plan Cost Summary

Sustainability and abundant options are the hallmarks of our options for dining on campus. With more than 15 dining venues and a variety of meal plans, you’ll find a lot of options to explore. Learn more about your choices here.

The All Campus Plan ($3,250 per semester) is the most flexible, robust option which gives you access to all of the food outlets across campus. Each week you’ll have money added to your Griz Card to access our food court offerings, brick oven pizzeria and coffee shops in addition to multiple daily swipes into our cafeteria, the Food Zoo. 

There are a few Food Zoo dining plans that offer unlimited access to the Food Zoo and flex dollars you can use at our other locations. The Exclusive option is $3,250 per semester and includes $200 in flex dollars per semester. The Food Zoo 15 gives you 15 swipes into the Food Zoo each week (including weekends) and $50 in flex dollars per semester to use at the Food Court and coffee shops.

Upperclassmen can select the Destination Dining Plan to access every dining location including the Market in the University Center and includes access to VIP events and monthly consultations with our registered dietician. This option is offered in a tiered structure at $1,000 and $500 increments with refill options. 

Undergraduate at UM

Scholarships

The University of Montana offers a variety of scholarship opportunities to support students in their educational goal achievement.

Undergraduate at UM

Financial Aid

The key to exploring financial aid options to support your enrollment is found in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, aka the FAFSA. Learn more about the FAFSA and see our tips for completing it here.


Explore details for our wide range of financial aid programs here:

Paying for College 101

Understanding scholarships, loans and more

Still have questions about how to pay for college? That's totally normal. Check out this UM blog post with more helpful information and resources.

Student Consumer Information

Find information on financial aid, net price calculator, safety and security and more.