This Orientation confirmation page will cover everything you need to know about your Orientation/Class Registration session.
Please read the information below thoroughly.

Program Overview

Get a general overview of Orientation/Class Registration and keep track of important dates and deadlines during your session.

Before You Begin

Learn more about how to prepare before you start your session.

Start Your Session on May 1

Learn about your required online Orientation, which will open on May 1

Advising and Class Registration

Learn about how you will connect with your Academic Advisor and register for classes.

Optional In-Person Orientation 

Learn about your optional In-Person Orientation program in August.

 

Frequently Asked Questions & Help

Read through some frequently asked questions.Find contact information for technical support and additional questions.

 
 

Program Overview

MSU's Fall 2025 Transfer Student Orientation/Class Registration program consists of a mandatory online Orientation/Class Registration program.

Online Orientation

Launches Thursday, May 1

Orientation will introduce you to MSU procedures, technology, and resources.You will turn in required documentation, take any placement tests, and meet with an Academic Advisor during the online Orientation program. Please work to complete your Online Orientation prior to July 9, however if you register after the July 9 deadline, please still complete all modules. 

Optional In-person Orientation

Sunday August 17 - Tuesday, August 19

You are welcome to attend an optional In-Person Orientation on the MSU Campus. 

You will have the opportunity to meet your academic college, attend various information sessions, and connect with other students while at the on-campus Orientation program. 


Before You Begin

1. Know Your NetID and Student ID

Your NetID is a unique seven character identifier composed of a combination of letters and numbers. It follows the format x99z999.

Your Student ID (sometimes called MSU ID or GID) is a unique eight-digit number preceded by a dash. It follows the format -02345678.

  • If you do not know your Student ID, you can find it on your acceptance letter or in MyInfo. Once you log in, click on the "Personal Information" tab and then click on the "View IDs" link.

2. Fulfill All Immunization Requirements

Students cannot register for their fall semester courses until all immunization requirements are met.

Please submit all required documentation well in advance of the start of your Orientation/Class Registration session to allow time for the documents to be processed and any immunization holds to be lifted.

Visit the Student Health Services website for more information about these requirements and for helpful tips on how to find and submit your documents. 

 

3. Review your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist

Review your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist in MyInfo and complete any outstanding items.

Some items on your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist include:

  • Application Requirements
  • Financial Aid
  • Housing
  • Immunization Requirements
  • Accept your Scholarship
  • Health Insurance Declaration

4. Submit all Transcripts and Test Scores to MSU

All college level, degree applicable credits recorded on official transcripts from institutions that are regionally accredited at the time of your attendance will transfer. Official transcripts must be requested and sent directly from the institution to: MSU Office of Admissions, 201 Strand Union Building (SUB), P.O. Box 172190, Bozeman, MT 59717-2190. Your transcripts must be received before your academic advising appointment. Please note that all faxed out-of-state transcripts are considered unofficial. However, those faxed directly from another Montana University System in-state institution with a macrao-fax stamp are accepted as official.

Evaluations:

  • An UNOFFICIAL self-evaluation of course work can be accessed through our Transfer Course Equivalency Guide. This information can be printed from the web and is for reference only, but will be a helpful resource when you are being advised. The equivalencies listed are the most current and are subject to change. If a course or institution is not listed, it does not necessarily mean that the course will not transfer, just that the information is not yet in our database system.
  • OFFICIAL evaluations of transfer credits will be processed by your Admissions Evaluator in the Office of Admissions only after ALL FINAL, OFFICIAL transcripts have been received. A final transcript is one that posts ALL graded coursework through your final term of attendance at each institution. The Office of Admissions also determines which courses fulfill University Core requirements. Please note that an evaluation will not be done for students who have previously earned a U.S. baccalaureate degree. University Core requirements are complete for these students.

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Online Orientation

Online Orientation will be available starting Thursday, May 1, 2025 and must be completed by Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Students will continue to receive access to the online Orientation after July 9th and should complete online Orientation even if the deadline has been exceeded.

The online Orientation program is hosted on MSU's virtual engagement platform called CatsConnect. Using your NetID and password, you will log in to CatsConnect to start your Orientation "pathway." See the Before you Begin section above if you do not know your NetID.

The Orientation pathway is a series of self paced modules that does not require you to login at specific times. You will want to allow yourself plenty of time to start and complete your Orientation.  Some steps require you to take action, and waiting until the last day does not allow enough time to work through all required items. 

*Please note: the terms "online Orientation program," "CatsConnect," and "Orientation pathway" are used interchangeably.*

Your Online Orientation will open on May 1

Please keep in mind that you will not be able to see the online Orientation pathway in CatsConnect until mid-morning on Thursday, May 1, 2025. 

 

Online Orientation is broken up into modules which contain items that you need to complete. These items might be videos that you need to watch or paragraphs that you need to read. The modules are organized sequentially such that you need to fully complete one module before you will be able to move on to the next module.

  • Module 1 - Welcome to Online Orientation: The ins-and-outs of our online session.
  • Module 2 - Understanding MSU Technology: Practice using some of MSU's important technological resources.
  • Module 3 - New Student Checklist: Make sure you have completed the items on your Undergraduate Checklist.
  • Module 4 - Course Placement: Understand the structure of your degree programs and take any applicable placement tests.
  • Module 5 - Academics 101: Learn how to utilize MSU technology to register for courses.
  • Module 6 - Academic Advising in Your College: Learn about Academic Advising at MSU.
  • Advising Appointment: Connect with an Academic Advisor in your area of study! Students will not be able to schedule an appointment with their Academic Advisor until they complete Modules 1-6.
    • Students may register for their fall semester courses directly after their advising appointment.
  • Module 7 - Paying for School: Understand how to pay and confirm your bill.
  • Module 8 - Becoming a Bobcat: Learn about the last things you need to complete to be ready to arrive on campus
  • Module 9 - Finding Community: Optional, contains information about campus engagement and support resources available to you.

It takes between 24-48 hours to process your Orientation registration and add you to your CatsConnect pathway. If it has been more than 48 hours (2 business days) since you registered for Orientation, and you still cannot access your pathway, please contact [email protected] or call (406) 994-2827. Please also note that you will not have access to your Online Orientation prior to May 1. 

 

Advising and Class Registration

Instructions about how to schedule your advising appointment will be available through CatsConnect as you complete your online Orientation requirements. Please make sure to complete all Orientation modules prior to scheduling an advising appointment so that you are prepared for class registration. 

  • When you reach the point of advising in the CatsConnect Orientation/Class Registration pathway, you will be prompted to schedule a remote advising appointment with your Academic Advisor. You will have the opportunity to discuss your fall semester course schedule during this appointment.
  • After you complete the advising appointment, you will be able to register for your fall semester courses. We recommend complete the online Orientation/Class Registration pathway, met with your Academic Advisor, and be registered for your fall semester courses as soon as possible as the July 9 deadline has passed. 

Optional In-Person Orientation

An optional in-person Orientation will be hosted for incoming transfer students from August 17-19, 2025.  You will have the opportunity to meet your academic college, attend various information sessions, and connect with other students while at the on-campus Orientation program. 

View an example schedule from last year's Optional In-Person Orientation.

 

Check-In for In-Person Orientation will occur in Norm Asbjornson Inspiration Hall (NAH 201) between 8:00-11:00 AM on Sunday, August 17.

See here for a campus map  and detailed directions to campus.

 

Parking on campus always requires a parking permit. A temporary parking credential is provided to you during Orientation. 

As we approach your in-person session, you will receive a parking credential to your email. We will also post the parking credential on this webpage. 

The parking credential is valid from Saturday, August 16 - Tuesday, August 19 only.  Please take care to follow all directions or you will receive a parking ticket. 

See here for a parking map.

 

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FAQ and Help

That truly depends on the student and how much they have done in advance. Students can complete the pathway in a day if they are really sitting down and chugging along but we also encourage students to break up these items so that they are getting the most out of their experience. There are important items included in your online Orientation such as the writing assessment and math assessment. Students should be prepared to dedicate about an hour to each (in addition to the modules).

Please login to view your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist in MyInfo to confirm or change your major. We recommend confirming your area of study is listed correctly on your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist prior to the start of your Orientation/Class Registration session.

The first day of the Fall 2025 semester is Wednesday, August 20, 2025. 

 

How Can I Get Help?

If you have a question for MSU Admissions, need Usability Support for CatsConnect, need IT Help for Webex, or need NetID login, user account, or password support, please call (406) 994-1777.

Please note that Admissions and CatsConnect support is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Mountain Time.

IT Help is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Mountain Time.

If your issue is not urgent, you can email a request for help.