Early Admission Requirements

Early Admission (concurrent high school/university attendance) allows local high-ability students who have not completed high school to take MSU courses on campus for university credit.

Academic Eligibility

• Demonstrate ability to do university-level work in at least one academic area.
• Demonstrate a strong likelihood of success at university-level work in that area.
• Meet the course requirements for Early Admission set by the departments offering the courses to be attended.
• Normally such students will have completed the sophomore year in high school and will have a grade-point average of at least 3.25, documented on an official high school transcript.

Application Procedure

Receipt of the following credentials in the Office of Admissions constitutes a complete application for admission. Requests to have final credentials sent to MSU must be initiated by the applicant. Requests should be made by contacting the high school, the Registrar’s Office at the college/university or testing agency.

1. Admissions Application: An application for admission may be submitted online.
2. Application Fee: An application fee is not required.
3. High School Transcript: An official transcript must be sent directly from the high school to the Office of Admissions. The transcript must post all courses completed and a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 and/or test scores listed below.
4. ACT/SAT Scores: An ACT Composite score of 27 or an SAT Total Score of 1300 (after March 2016). Official ACT/SAT scores should be sent electronically directly to the Office of Admissions from the testing agency. The MSU school code for ACT is 2420; the MSU school code for SAT is 4488. 
5. Coursework: Must have completed the majority of the College Preparatory coursework outlined under Freshmen Admission Requirements.
6. Letters of Recommendation: A letter must be submitted from the high school principal and/or guidance counselor recommending the student for Early Admission.
7. University Professor Permission:  A letter or email from a faculty member in the university department in which the course is to be taken must state that the student has been granted the faculty member/instructor's permission to take the course in question. 
8. Interview: The MSU Early Admissions Committee must recommend acceptance in the Early Admission program. Applicants and their parents may be interviewed by the committee. Contact the Associate Director of Admissions (406-994-5543) to schedule an interview after all required materials have been submitted.  
9. All requirements have to be completed no less than two weeks before the start of classes.

Deadlines for Complete File and Interview:

• Fall 2024 - August 2, 2024
• Spring 2025 - January 3, 2025

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.