Montana: school, college and career rules
Montana requires at least 20 units (13 of them in set subjects, including a half unit of civics or government and a half unit of economics or financial literacy), tests with MAST and the ACT for every grade 11 student, gives in-state tuition after 12 months' domicile, and offers the MUS Honor Scholarship tuition waiver.
Linked from the State Population Totals 2020-2025 page (census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html); population and rank copied from the POPESTIMATE2025 and NRANK_POPEST2025 columns.Census
High school diploma
ARM 10.55.905 (Board of Public Education): a school district's graduation requirements must total at least 20 units of study, and 13 of them must be in the subjects below. An equivalent course that meets the district's curriculum and assessment requirements may satisfy a required unit. Active version effective 07/01/2023; text read from the page's View in PDF document.ARM
| Subject | State minimum |
|---|---|
| English language arts | 4 units |
| Mathematics | 2 units |
| Social studies | 2 units, including ½ unit of civics or government |
| Science | 2 units |
| Health and physical education | 1 unit |
| Arts | 1 unit |
| Career and technical education | 1 unit |
| Economics or financial literacy | ½ unit, inside the social studies, mathematics or CTE units |
20 units (13 required, 7 elective or local).
State tests for the diploma
No state exit exam. Local boards set requirements above the minimum, and may let students graduate in fewer than four years. Active version effective 07/01/2023; text read from the page's View in PDF document.ARM
Also good to know
- Units earned in any Montana high school accredited by the Board of Public Education must be accepted by every other Montana high school.
ARM
ARM 10.55.905, Graduation RequirementsMontana Secretary of State, Administrative Rules of Montana (Board of Public Education)- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Active version effective 07/01/2023; text read from the page's View in PDF document.
View source
State test: MAST and the ACT
Montana Comprehensive Assessment System (MontCAS): Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year Assessment (MAST), Montana Science Assessment and ACT with Writing. MontCAS is Montana's suite of statewide tests aligned with its content standards: MAST in English language arts and math for grades 3 to 8, the Montana Science Assessment in grades 5 and 8, and the ACT with Writing as the grade 11 high school requirement. OPI
View source
| Test | Subjects | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| MAST (through-year) | English language arts and mathematics | Grades 3–8 |
| Montana Science Assessment | Science | Grades 5 and 8 |
| ACT with Writing | English language arts, mathematics and science | Grade 11 |
| DLM alternate assessments | ELA, math and science | Students with significant cognitive disabilities (grades 3–8 and 11; science 5, 8, 11) |
Source: OPI
View source
What the scores are used for
- ACT or SAT scores also matter for state aid: applicants for the MUS Honor Scholarship must take one of them by February of their senior year.
MUS
MUS Honor ScholarshipMontana University System, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
National tests (SAT, ACT, AP, NAEP) are on the Exams hub.
Public colleges and universities
The state's public university system(s) and community colleges, from their own pages.
- Montana University System (MUS)University system · Sixteen public colleges and universities under the Board of Regents, including the research and doctoral universities of the University of Montana and Montana State University families plus comprehensive four-year and two-year campuses; Apply Montana is one application for all of them.
- MUS two-year and community collegesCommunity colleges · Twelve MUS campuses offer two-year education: low-cost entry points for students who plan to transfer to a four-year college, earn an occupational degree or certificate, or refresh math and English skills.
Sources: MUS
View sourceMUS
View source
Every school in Montana, public and private, with cost and completion: 28 colleges, community colleges and trade schools, with 2 city pages.
In-state tuition: the residency rule
Public colleges charge less to state residents. Who counts as a resident is set by state law or the college system, not by where you went to school alone.
- Board of Regents Policy 940.1: a person may be classified as in-state after documenting at least 12 consecutive months of Montana domicile, which needs physical presence and evidence of intent to stay (cutting legal ties with the former state and creating them with Montana).
MUS BOR
Board of Regents Policy 940.1, Residency PolicyMontana Board of Regents of Higher Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Revised July 11, 2023.
View source - People in Montana on a temporary basis, for example to finish a degree, cannot establish domicile just by taking an action that shows Montana domicile; being away from Montana for more than 30 days during the 12 months is presumed to show a lack of intent.
MUS BOR
Board of Regents Policy 940.1, Residency PolicyMontana Board of Regents of Higher Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Revised July 11, 2023.
View source - Exception: a graduate of an accredited Montana high school who attended the whole senior year there and registers no later than the fourth fall term after graduation is in-state (for six years or until a bachelor's degree, or while continuously enrolled).
MUS BOR
Board of Regents Policy 940.1, Residency PolicyMontana Board of Regents of Higher Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Revised July 11, 2023.
View source
The college's residency office makes the final decision. More on costs: What college costs.
State financial aid
Run by the Montana University System, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (Award Montana). Federal aid (Pell Grants, loans) starts with the FAFSA: FAFSA, grants and loans.
MUS Honor Scholarship (MUSHS)
Four-year renewable tuition waiver at an eligible Montana campus, worth on average $5,000 a year at a four-year campus; up to 200 a year, depending on funding. Montana residents need a 3.4 GPA after the 7th semester, the Board of Regents Rigorous Core (or an IB diploma) and an ACT or SAT score by February; 2027 applications open 1 December 2026 and are due 15 March 2027. MUS
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Licensing boards
Lawyers, doctors, CPAs and nurses need a Montana license from a state board, even after passing a national exam. These are the boards that grant it.
| License | Montana board | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer How bar admission works | State Bar of Montana | Uniform Bar Exam (MBE, MEE and MPT). MPRE required (passing score 80). NextGen UBE from February 2028. NCBEMontana: bar admission informationNational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Bar admission agency, the NCBE exams the jurisdiction requires, MPRE passing score and NextGen UBE plans. NCBE advises checking the agency itself for the latest rules. View source |
| Physician How a medical license works | Montana Board of Medical Examiners | USMLE (M.D.) or COMLEX-USA (D.O.) FSMBContact a State Medical BoardFederation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
Directory of every state's medical (and separate osteopathic) board. fsmb.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 14 Sep 2026; each board link was then opened on 22 Oct 2026, through the board's site or, where it blocks reads from India, its latest archive capture. View source |
| CPA How the CPA license works | Montana Board of Public Accountants | Uniform CPA Examination NASBAState Boards of AccountancyNational Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
Directory of the 55 boards of accountancy. nasba.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 15 Oct 2026; board links that had moved were replaced with the board's current page, opened on 22 Oct 2026. View source |
| Registered nurse How the RN license works | Montana Board of Nursing | NCLEX-RN · Nurse Licensure Compact member since Jan. 19, 2018 NCSBNContact Montana Board of NursingNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
NCSBN / NLCNLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact)
|
Engineering, teaching, real estate, cosmetology and the trades have their own boards: all professional licenses · trades and apprenticeships.
State and city government jobs
Federal jobs are on USAJOBS; state and city governments hire through their own systems.
State of Montana Careers
Montana Department of Administration, State Human Resources Division
- Create a username and password on the State of Montana Careers site, then search openings and internships by keyword, city or agency and click Apply Online.
- Attach the required files (marked Relevant) and submit; an email confirms the application. Local Job Service Workforce Centers help with applications.
Source: Montana DOA
View source
Police, fire and other public-safety routes: Public Service & Safety hub.
Registered apprenticeship
Montana has a State Apprenticeship Agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor. California is listed under both OA and SAA.Apprenticeship.gov
- Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program (Montana Department of Labor & Industry)Montana is a State Apprenticeship Agency state: the Department of Labor & Industry runs the Registered Apprenticeship Program, with more than 3,400 Montanans training in the skilled trades, health care, education, child care and more, and issues the nationally recognized Apprenticeship Completion Certificate.
- Trades and apprenticeshipsElectrician, plumber, HVAC and other trade routes on this site
Source: Montana DLI
View source
Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (NST-EST2025-POPCHG2020-2025, CSV) · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025) checked 2026-10-21
- Montana: bar admission information · National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact a State Medical Board · Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) checked 2026-10-22
- State Boards of Accountancy · National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact Montana Board of Nursing · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) checked 2026-10-22
- NLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF) · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact) checked 2026-10-07
- ARM 10.55.905, Graduation Requirements · Montana Secretary of State, Administrative Rules of Montana (Board of Public Education) checked 2026-10-22
- Montana Comprehensive Assessment System (MontCAS) · Montana Office of Public Instruction checked 2026-10-22
- MUS Honor Scholarship · Montana University System, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education checked 2026-10-22
- Montana Colleges and Universities · Montana University System checked 2026-10-22
- Two-Year Education · Montana University System checked 2026-10-22
- Board of Regents Policy 940.1, Residency Policy · Montana Board of Regents of Higher Education checked 2026-10-22
- State of Montana Careers · Montana Department of Administration, State Human Resources Division checked 2026-10-22
- Montana Registered Apprenticeship · Montana Department of Labor & Industry checked 2026-10-22
- The Apprenticeship System: Office of Apprenticeship (OA) and recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) states · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21