Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. All incoming students must participate in Orientation. During Orientation, students connect with an Academic Advisor and register for classes.

Yes. Both components are mandatory and are necessary for transitioning into MSU for the fall semester.

No. Students are required to complete the online pre-Orientation and attend the on-campus Orientation/Class Registration program prior to registering for classes. You will register for classes on the last day of your on-campus Orientation/Class Registration program.

Online pre-Orientation will be conducted online prior to the in-person session. Pre-Orientation includes information such as confirming your area of study, practicing logging into MSU technology, online math and writing placement, uploading a photo to your MSU ID, and more. By completing these steps prior to our in-person session, students will have a strong foundational understanding before meeting with their Academic Advisor.

Veteran Orientation will appear as an option for students that have identified themselves as a member of either group on their application.

Freshmen students using their parent’s VA benefits will complete Freshman Orientation including online pre-Orientation and one of four in-person sessions. During their in-person session, they will have the opportunity to meet with the Veteran Services Office to discuss the use of their VA benefits. We encourage families to register for one of our June or July sessions so that they may process their paperwork well in advance of the school year beginning.

Incoming non-degree seeking students are not required to complete a formal Orientation/Class Registration session before registering for their semester courses. Please note that if you decide to pursue a degree at MSU, you will be required to complete a formal Orientation/Class Registration program.

Registration instructions: https://www.montana.edu/admissions/orientation/registration-info.html.

Registration for Orientation for Fall 2023 will open on February 15, 2023.

Orientation is $135 for our incoming Freshmen students and $40 for our incoming Transfer or Veteran students.

The $135 non-refundable Orientation/Class Registration Program Fee directly covers a student's on-campus lodging for the two nights spent on campus during in-person Orientation/Class Registration and the six meals starting with lunch on the first day and ending with breakfast on the third day. It also helps cover additional programmatic costs such as student Orientation Leader pay, online pre-Orientation maintenance, mailings, etc.

The $40 non-refundable Orientation/Class Registration Program Fee directly covers programmatic costs such as student Orientation Leader pay, online pre-Orientation maintenance, mailings, etc.

No. The Orientation fee is non-refundable. This is true if you withdraw, defer, etc.

If you are unable to complete the Orientation fee as a result of financial need, please email [email protected] to discuss an Orientation Fee Waiver option. 

Students can access their online Orientation confirmation page via their MyInfo checklist. On the confirmation page, there are instructions on how to login.

The system should be synced within one business day. If you must access the Orientation pathway immediately, please call Katherine at 406-994-2827 for assistance.

Nope! You can log back in as many times as needed to complete it.

That truly depends on the student. There is a writing assessment and math assessment available as part of the online Orientation, and you should be prepared to dedicate about an hour to each (in addition to the modules). The pathway can be completed in a day, but we encourage students to break up these items so that you get the most out of your experience.

When you’re about half-way through your online Orientation, there will be instructions on how to schedule an appointment with an Academic Advisor.

When your account was created, there was an automatic email sent to you. This email often goes to promotion, junk, or spam folders. We encourage you to look there. If you cannot find it, please reach out to [email protected] for assistance.

Yes. During Freshman Orientation, students are required to stay on campus for two nights (Monday, Tuesday) and will be provided six meals (lunch Monday through breakfast Wednesday).

Yes. You are required to stay on campus for Monday and Tuesday nights of the June and July Orientation sessions. We do not accept housing or roommate requests for Orientation. If you require additional accommodations (ADA accessible room, etc.) please contact [email protected]. If you cannot stay on campus during our June and July sessions, please register for the August Orientation, which takes place at the end of August immediately prior to the start of the fall semester.

Please contact the Orientation Office at [email protected]. Please also note that we can only make some accommodations, like those for housing, based on need, not preference. We do not take roommate requests.

The Orientation Office will arrange your lodging for Monday and Tuesday nights, but if you need to arrive early or stay late and need additional accommodations, please visit the MSU Summer Conference Housing website. Parents are able to stay on campus during the June and July sessions (information at the site above).

During our fall session in August, students will move into their assigned residence hall room, participate in Orientation, and register for classes right before classes kick off.

Check-in will take place from approximately 8:00-10:30 AM on Monday morning, and check-out will take place by 2:00 PM on Wednesday for June and July sessions.

A tentative schedule will be posted to your confirmation page prior to your arrival on campus. You will be provided a finalized schedule during Orientation check-in. 

The August Orientation is not longer, but rather the programming will coincide with the start of school and Move-In. As a result, we dedicate more time to help students over the course of four days.

Classes are gradually released throughout the summer so that all incoming freshmen have a comparable selection of classes to choose from. All students will be able to register for a full schedule of classes regardless of which Orientation/Class Registration session they choose to participate in. However, students attending the August session may be more limited on time selections. By attending an earlier Orientation/Class Registration session, you may have more flexibility in your course scheduling.

Contact your Admissions Evaluator to change your major. We recommend confirming that your area of study is listed correctly on your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist prior to the start of your on-campus Orientation/Class Registration session.

Your confirmation page is linked on your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist in MyInfo.

Yes - assuming the session you want is not full. Please email us with your name and Student ID or birthday so we can switch your session. 

Parents and family members may register for an optional, in-person Parent/Family Orientation session held concurrently with their student's in-person Orientation/Class Registration session. The Parent/Family Orientation is held during the same time frame but families will participate in their own, separate programming. Parent and Family programming consists of information sessions, opportunities to connect with MSU staff, a parent and family social, a farewell brunch, and more!

$50 per family.

Please send us an email at [email protected] and include your full name (the student's full name) so we can help. We’ll need to email you a sign-up link, so to save time, please email us rather than calling.

Move-In kicks off in August and will continue throughout the weekend. Please see additional move-in weekend details here.

Wednesday, August 23, 2023.

Register online through your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist in MyInfo. Follow our step-by-step guide to finding your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist and registering for Orientation here.

Yes. All incoming students are required to complete a formal Orientation session before registering for classes.

Yes. Both components are mandatory and are necessary for transitioning into MSU for the spring semester.

No. Students are required to complete the online Orientation prior to registering for classes. The online Orientation guides students through academic procedures and technology, and also instructs them on how to schedule appointments with their advisor. Following their advising appointment, students can register for classes. If students fail to register for classes during the online Orientation, they will have the opportunity to do so when they attend the on campus Orientation/Class Registration program.

Online Orientation will be conducted online prior to the in-person session. Online Orientation includes information such as confirming one's area of study, practicing logging into MSU technology, online math and writing placement, uploading a photo to your MSU ID, and more. During online Orientation, there will be instructions on how to schedule an appointment with an academic advisor. Following their advising appointment, students will be able to register for classes. By completing these steps prior to our in-person session, students will have a strong foundational understanding before joining us on the MSU campus.

Veteran Orientation will appear as an option for students that have self-identified with either group on their application.

Freshmen students using their parent’s VA benefits will complete Veteran Orientation including online Orientation and the in-person program on January 17. Dependents are not required to attend the half-day Veteran Orientation in the afternoon on January 17. 

Incoming non-degree seeking students are not required to complete a formal Orientation/Class Registration session before registering for their semester courses. Please note that if you decide to pursue a degree at MSU, you will be required to complete a formal Orientaiton/Class Registration program.

Registration instructions: https://www.montana.edu/admissions/orientation/registration-info.html

Registration for Orientation for Spring 2023 opened on November 1, 2022

Orientation is $40 for our incoming students in the spring semester. The $40 non-refundable Orientation/Class Registration Program Fee directly covers programmatic costs such as student Orientation Leader pay, online pre Orientation maintenance, mailings, the Orientation guidebook, etc.