Transferring to MSU

Welcome Transfer Students!

We look forward to welcoming you as a new transfer student to Montana State University!

What is a Transfer Student?

• Students who have attempted 12 college credits or more from another institution after high school graduation.
• Students who have already received a Bachelors Degree from another institution

Students who complete Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Dual Enrollment coursework during high school and have not attended a college or university after graduating from high school will be considered first time freshmen students. Explore how your coursework will transfer to MSU on our Transferring Credit page.

Steps for a Successful Transfer Experience:

Inquiry

First, it is great you want to learn as much as possible about MSU in Bozeman in terms of community information, general university requirements, available programs, specific program requirements and residential living as you can. You've already initiated this step by checking out our website!

Application

Apply for Admission: Obtain and submit an application to MSU Office of Admissions by these recommended priority dates:

• July 1 for the fall term of the year you wish to attend,
• December 1 for the spring term, and
• May 1 for the summer term

ALL official transcripts must be sent to the Office of Admissions, and if you are currently enrolled in another institution, have final transcripts sent as soon as courses are completed (partial transcripts with a posted GPA are used for admission purposes, but final, official transcripts are required to complete a formal credit evaluation).

• A cumulative transferable grade-point average (GPA), as determined by MSU, of 2.0 or C on a four-point scale is required in order to be accepted for admission in good standing.
• If your average GPA is below 2.0, you may be accepted on "Probationary Status" with the provision that you are required to obtain a minimum 2.0 GPA your first term of attendance at MSU in order to continue as a student at this institution.

Transcripts

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 either by mail or by a secure electronic transcript service (Parchment, National Student Clearing house, etc.). Transcripts are NOT official if sent by email.

If you choose to send by mail, use the following address:

MSU Office of Admissions
201 Strand Union Building (SUB)
P.O. Box 172190
Bozeman, MT 59717-2190

Please note that all faxed or emailed 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.

Credit Evaluations

• An UNOFFICIAL self-evaluation of course work can be accessed through our Transfer Course Equivalency Guide, available online. The equivalencies listed are the most current and 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 and OFFICIAL transcripts have been received for each applicant. A final transcript is one that posts ALL graded coursework through your final term of attendance at each institution. Your Admissions Evaluator will determine the equivalency of the transfer course work to MSU in Bozeman. The Office of Admissions also determines which courses fulfill University Core requirements. Catalogs are used to determine course level and content. The transfer course description is compared to the MSU course description. Courses generally matching in credit amount, level and content are considered equivalent. Courses not matching are granted elective credit or elective credit with core designation.
• PLEASE NOTE: 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.

Orientation/Class Registration

As a final step in the process, you must complete an Orientation/Class Registration program. Please register for Orientation through your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist on MyInfo. You need to familiarize yourself with MSU's policies and procedures. Be prepared. Have the following ready to discuss:

• a copy of your grade transcript
• course syllabi and/or catalogs from previous schools to show your academic advisor what course content you have already completed
• *optional* a copy of ACT/SAT scores (only necessary for math placement purposes if a student has no previous record of completing some form of college level, non-remedial math)

Your Academic Advisor's contact information will be provided during your formal Orientation/Class Registration program. Your Academic Advisor can REVIEW your work and RECOMMEND a schedule for your first term. It is helpful to bring (or send) a copy of your unofficial coursework to the department for review. Advisors can review coursework and discuss specific degree requirements and credentials with transfer students. The Office of Admissions determines equivalency of courses; departments may substitute transfer course work for degree requirements. 

NOTE: The departments/colleges do not have the discretion to substitute within the following categories of University requirements: University Core, upper division requirements or total credit requirements. If you have questions about departmental substitutions, contact your department or advisor and update your course plan after you receive your official evaluation.

The Department of Mathematical Sciences provides assistance with math placement, either through testing or ACT/SAT score interpretation.

If you are a student at another Montana State University campus, please fill out the Seamless OneMSU form.
This form may be found under the Student Services tab in your MyInfo account, and is titled
"MSU System Transfer and Multi-Campus Application Request Form."

If you are currently a student at a Montana University System campus, please fill out our application transmittal form and submit it to the Registrar's Office at your current institution.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! You can email our staff at [email protected], or call us Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm MT at 1-888-MSU-CATS.