Admissions and Registration (cont'd)

Special Admission Procedures

In an effort to meet individual needs, MSU Billings has established special admission procedures for undergraduate students which pertain to non-high school graduates, home-schooled students, high school students, and non-degree applicants.

NOTE:  Students making application to attend Montana State University Billings should be aware that Admission Requirements may change at any time.  Please contact the Office of Admissions and Records (406) 657-2158; or write to the Office of Admissions and Records, Montana State University Billings, 1500 University Drive, Billings, MT 59101-0298.

Students in these categories would also complete the process of application outlined in the “All New Students:  How to Apply” section as it is appropriate to their circumstances.  However, the following information also applies:

Non-High School Graduates

Non-high school graduates may be admitted on the basis of the General Educational Development (GED) test or COMPASS.  Various boards establish minimum scores for these tests or groups and students can visit with the Advising Center (406-657-2240/406-247-3020) for current minimums.

Students in this age group who wish to enroll part-time may do so without restriction.

Scores from the ACT or SAT are still required of this group of students who enter the University less than three years from the date of their high school class would have graduated.  There are no minimum scores attached to this test, but a national test score from either the ACT or SAT is required.  Students may access these tests on the regularly scheduled national test dates, or the ACT Residual Test is available to students through the Testing Center at the College of Technology (call 406-247-3025 for upcoming test dates and times).

Students who enter college three or more years after the date they would have graduated from high school are exempt from this conditional status and from the Admission/University Preparatory Requirements and writing/math proficiency standards.

High School Students – University Connections

Approved high school students may take college courses while enrolled in high school.  The signature of the high school counselor or principal certifies that student can do University level work and must accompany the application.  Financial aid is not available to students in this category.  Tuition for courses taken by high school students under this program is $100/credit.

Non-Degree Applicants

An applicant who wishes to pursue studies for personal growth and who does not wish to work toward a formal degree at Montana State University Billings may apply as an undergraduate non-degree student.  Acceptance into this category does not constitute acceptance into a degree-granting program.  All applicants should have sufficient educational background to qualify for the course or courses in which enrollment is sought and must certify on the application form that they have graduated from high school or appropriate Ability-to-Benefit test.  A maximum of 32 semester hour credits earned as a non-degree student may be applied to an undergraduate degree at Montana State University Billings if the applicant applies and is accepted into a degree program.  Financial aid is not available to students in this category, nor may they qualify for the WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange) program.

This category is not open to students currently on academic suspension from Montana State University Billings or on academic suspension from any other college or university.
No academic credentials or transcripts are required in support of the application; however, non-degree students who later wish to change to a degree program must furnish required supporting credentials and must meet all the regular admission requirements.  Financial aid is not available to students in this category.

International Students

International applicants must meet the out-of-state admission requirements in addition to the following:

1.	Certified copies of all certificates, degrees and diplomas with a certified translation of the records.
	If you have any post-secondary level course(s) completed outside of the U.S. or in non-English-speaking Canada to transfer to Montana State University Billings, we need a course-by-course evaluation completed by one of the three services highlighted below: <
		AACRAO
		ECE
		WES
2.	Completed MSU Billings Financial Statement and certified statement from a reliable financial institution, bank or U.S. citizen who will accept responsibility for the student’s financial obligations.  The statement must certify that the applicant has adequate funding to meet all of the expenses that will be incurred in the student’s proposed program of study.
3.	Students from non-English speaking countries must provide evidence of proficiency in English.  Students can do this several ways:
	a.	Students may take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and have official results sent with their applications to the Office of International Studies.  TOEFL information can be accessed on the web at www.toefl.org or by calling 609-921-9000.  The Montana State University – Billings Institutional Code for the TOEFL and the GRE is 4298.  Students scoring higher than 500 on the paper-based TOEFL and higher than 173 on computer-based TOEFL are assured undergraduate admission if all other requirements are met; those scoring less will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  Students with lower TOEFL scores may be asked to enroll in an English as a Second Language curriculum prior to regular admission.  Prospective graduate students need a 550 paper-based TOEFL score or a 209 computer-based TOEFL score.
	b.	American Cultural Exchange students who have finished level 6 will be admitted to our undergraduate programs without TOEFL; graduate students who have finished level 7 will be admitted to our graduate programs without TOEFL.  Students need to submit a copy of their A.C.E. program certificate and transcripts with their applications for admission to the Office of International Studies.
4.	Autobiography or Personal Statement (1-2 pages double spaced) that addresses how attending MSU Billings fulfills personal or academic goals.
5.	Appropriate immunization records.  These records must be submitted with an English translation.

When to Apply
Application Deadlines:

Fall Semester:  June 15
Spring Semester:  November 1
Summer Semester:  April 1

For more information on international student admission call the International Studies Office at (406) 657-1705 or email jsmothers@msubillings.edu.

Agreements with International Institutions
MSU Billings has signed formal agreements for International Student Exchange with the Prefectural University of Kumamoto in Japan, the Finnish College for SME Business Administration in Kauhava, Finland, Jilin University in China, Ewha Woman’s University in Korea, and Ludwigsburg University of Education in Germany.  In addition, MSU Billings has joined with approximately a dozen other universities from Europe and North America (including those in the UK, Sweden, Mexico, Poland and Hungary) to form and contribute students and faculty to the Maastricht Center for Transatlantic Studies in the Netherlands, and has study abroad agreements with Letra Hispanica, Salamanca, Spain and Intercultura in Heredia, Costa Rica.