Frequently Asked Questions

Orientation is your intent to enroll. Once you register for an Orientation session, there are no additional steps to tell us that you will be attending MSU. You can track your admissions status on your MyInfo Undergraduate Admissions Checklist.

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

Veteran Orientation will appear as an option if you have self-identified with either group on your application.

If you are using your parents VA benefits, you will have the option to self-identify on the Orientation registration form. If you do not identify as active duty military or veteran, you will register for a traditional Orientation session.

To register for summer courses, you must register and complete a formal fall Orientation/Class Registration program before the start of your desired summer course. Please contact the Academic Advising Center at (406) 994-3532.

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, you will learn how to schedule an appointment with your academic advisors and register for classes.

Advising and registration will begin on May 1, 2023 at 8:00am MST.

The priority deadline is Friday, June 30..

Yes, summer Freshman Orientation sessions (June & July) have a capacity of 900 students each. We encourage students and family members to register earlier if they are ready to commit to MSU.

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

Pre-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. By completing these steps prior to the in-person session, you will be prepared to meet with your Academic Advisor.

June & July Summer Orientation Sessions

August Fall Orientation Session

Complete pre-Orientation by the Wednesday prior to your in-person session Connect with MSU faculty, staff, and academic advisors Stay in the MSU residence halls over the summer Orientation groups are assigned based on area of stduy and you will have a designated Orientation Leader assisting you Participate in info sessions, meet-n-greets, tours and engage in MSU learning opportunties Select your schedule and register for classes at in-person session Complete necessary items and ask questions well before the semester begins Concurrent Parent & Family program Participate in MSU Debut Welcome activities

Complete pre-Orientation by June 30 Connect with MSU faculty, staff, and academic advisors Move straight into you assigned residence hall Session participation will be based on area of study and Orientation Leaders are available to help Participate in info sessions, meet-n-greets, tours and engage in MSU learning opportunities Have a professional advisor provide you with a course schedule based on info you provide in the pre-Orientation Finalize final items and connect with staff during in-person session in August Concurrent Parent & Family program Participate in MSU Debut Welcome activities

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During June & July Orientation sessions, you will stay on campus, meet other incoming students, connect with MSU faculty and staff, register for classes, and complete all necessary enrollment items before the fall semester. Classes are gradually released throughout the summer so that all incoming freshman students will have a 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 you choose. By attending an earlier Orientation session, you will have more flexibility in your schedule.

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.

Because our final session takes place in August and coincides with the start of school, MSU works closely with August Orientation Students to ensure that you are provided with a schedule prior to your in-person program. During the online pre-Orientation, you will complete an online survey to share critical information with Academic Advisors and collects information such as schedule needs, incoming credit, academic strengths and interests, and more. Academic Advisors will use this information to provide you with a course schedule that sets them up for success and fulfills major degree requirements. You will be notified of your fall semester schedule in mid-August. You are required to attend the in-person Orientation session on August 20-22 to understand course selection and confirm your schedule, connect with an Academic Advisor in-person, and discuss possible schedule changes.

Registration instructions can be found here: Orientation Registration Instructions - Undergraduate Admissions | Montana State University 

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

Orientation is $135 for our incoming Freshman students and $40 for our incoming Transfer, NonTraditional, Veteran, and International students.

No. The Orientation fee is non-refundable. This is true if a student withdraws, defers, etc.

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

Yes. Assuming the session you want is not full. Please keep in mind that we do have limited space in our Orientation sessions and they do reach capacity. Please email [email protected] with your name and Student ID or birthday so we can switch your session.

You can access your online Orientation confirmation page via your MyInfo checklist. Under the Orientation header, you can click the linnk detailing, "To view the details of your Orientation/Class Registration program, click here" On your confirmation page, there are instructions on how to login. Please note that you will not have access to until May 1.

The system should be synced within one business day. If you need immediate access to your pathway, please email [email protected] or call (406) 994-2827.

That truly depends on the student and how much they have done in advance. Students can complete the pathways 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/pre-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).

Your EdReady account will be created on May 1 when the online Orientation opens. You cannot take the math placement test before then.

Nope!

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.

A list of recommended items to bring is on your Orientation confirmation page (linked in your MyInfo Checklist).

For the June & July programs, check-in will take place from approximately 8:00-10:30 AM on Monday morning. Students will be done by 2:00 PM at the latest on Wednesday afternoon.

For the August program, students will have moved into their residence halls on Saturday, August 19. Check-in for Orientation will be from 8:00-10:00 AM on Sunday, August 20.

Yes. You are required to stay on campus for Monday and Tuesday nights of the June & July Orientation sesions. We do not accept housing or roommate requests for Orientation. If you require additional accommodations (ADA accessible room, etc.) please contact [email protected].

Yes. You will be assigned a double room based on your area of study. Your roommate during the June & July Orientation sessions will likely not be your roommate for the fall semester. You will be placed with someone of the same identifying gender but may be on a co-ed floor. You cannot request a specific roommate during Orientation.

Yes. During Freshman Orientation, students are required to stay on campus for two nights and will be provided six meals.

No. The Orientation Office will arrange lodging for the nights you are required to stay on campus (Monday and Tuesday night) and you will be provided meals during the program.

There is not transportation provided to and from the airport, though students are encouraged to utilize local resources and services. Students may use Uber, Lyft, shuttle services available through local hotels, and/or local taxi services. The Streamline Bus Service is available for transportation around the Bozeman community but does not run out to the airport.

The Orientation Office will arrange for your lodging for Monday and Tuesday nights, but if you need to arrive early or stay late and need additional accommodations, please visit the Summer Housing - New Student Orientation Housing - Conference & Event Services | Montana State University webpage. Parents are able to stay on campus during the June & July sessions.

You can learn more about move-in on the Fall 2023 Move-In - University Student Housing | Montana State University. If you are participating in August Orientation you will have the opportunity to move-in on Saturday, August 19 in preparation for Orientation programming to start on Sunday, August 20.

During our fall session in August, you will move into your assigned residence hall room.

Because our final session takes place in August and coincides with the start of school, MSU works closely with OF4 students to ensure they are provided a class schedule prior to their in-person program. During the online pre-Orientation, students complete an online survey to share critical information with Academic Advisors. The survey collects information such as schedule needs, incoming credit, academic strengths and interests, and more. Academic Advisors use this information to provide students with a course schedule that sets them up for success and fulfills major degree requirements. Students will be notified of their fall semester schedule in mid-August. Students are required to attend the in-person Orientation session on August 20-22 to understand course selection and confirm their schedule, connect with an Academic Advisor in-person, and discuss possible schedule changes.

During June & July Orientation students stay on campus, meet other incoming students, connect with MSU faculty and staff, register for classes, and complete all necessary enrollment items well before the fall semester begins. 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. By attending an earlier Orientation/Class Registration session, you may have more flexibility in your course scheduling.

You are required to complete both the online pre-Orientation and the in-person program on August 20-22. Both components are mandatory. You will be provided a personalized QR code that they will scan in at sessions throughout the program. This feature allows us to see what students are participating and what students haven’t yet completed their Orientation requirements.

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

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.

Students are required meet immunization requirements before registering for classes. If students do not meet these requirements, students will have a hold on their account and will not be able to register for classes. To learn more about MSU’s immunization requirements, explore our Immunization webpage. We encourage students to check the status of their immunization holds through their MyInfo Undergraduate Admissions Checklist prior to the start of your Orientation/Class Registration session.

Please submit all final, official transcripts, ACT/SAT scores, and AP/IB scores directly from the awarding institution/testing agency to the MSU Office of Admissions following graduation. This information is critical for course selection and can impact course scheduling. We encourage students to send any materials by June 15. We understand AP scores may be pending and we typically receive them in July. Please login to view your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist in MyInfo to see what information has been sent, received, and reviewed. We encourage students to have unofficial copies of transcripts and test scores available during Orientation to discuss with an advisor.

Parents and family members may register for an optional, in-person Parent/Family Orientation session held concurrently to 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!

Please send us an email at [email protected] and include your full name (the student's full name) so we can help you sign up.

$50 per family.

During our June and July sessions, parents and family members are welcome to stay on campus. All information and more is available on the MSU Summer Conference Housing website. Unfortunately, since the students will have moved into the residence halls in August, we cannot house family members during the Fall Orientation OF4 program (August 20-22).  Family members are also encouraged to explore local lodging options on our lodging suggestions site.  

Move-In kicks off over the weekend leading up to the start of school. We encourage students and their family members to review our Fall 2023 Move-In Weekend webpage for details. With questions, please contact University Housing at [email protected] or 406-994-2661.

Parking permits go on sale on August 1^st.  Students who have registered for classes or who have registered for Fall Orientation prior to August 1^st will have ability to purchase a permit on August 1^st.  Students attending an earlier orientation session will not have an advantage over those attending the Fall Orientation session.  More details will be available on our Parking Services page as August 1 approaches. On-campus resident parking is limited.  There is no guarantee parking will be available near each residence hall. We encourage students who do not require frequent use of a vehicle to consider refraining from bringing a vehicle to campus. Students may always walk, bike, or take the Streamline Bus. Additional transportation information is available online.

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.

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

Nope!

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

When students are about half-way through their online Orientation, there will be instructions on how to schedule an appointment with an Academic Advisor.

Please login to view your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist in MyInfo to 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.

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

The Parent and Family program is concurrent with the student in-person session on January 17. 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, and more! Parents and family members do not need to register in advance for the Spring 2023 program. It’s free for any and all attendees.

Unfortunately since the students will have moved into the residence halls, we cannot house family members during the Spring 2023 program. Family members are encouraged to explore local lodging options on our lodging suggestions webpage.