MONTANA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
ELIGIBILITY, INSTRUCTIONS AND AWARD GUIDELINES
Montana National Guard Tuition Waiver
STUDENTS MUST APPLY EACH ACADEMIC YEAR TO REQUEST THIS WAIVER
(No later than the third week of the first semester for which the waiver is being requested.)
ELIGIBLE CAMPUSES:
MSU Bozema
n
Great Falls College MSU UM Missoula
MT Tech Bitterroot College
UM
MSU Billings
City College MSU
UM Western
Missoula College UM
Flathead Valley CC*
MSU Northern
Gallatin College
MSU
Helena College UM
Highlands College MT Tech
Miles
CC*
Dawson CC*
*Note: Montana's Community Colleges are encouraged to offer the MTNG Tuition Waiver; however, students must inquire at the college directly to verify waiver availability.
QUALIFICATIONS:
A student who is a member of the MT National Guard is eligible for a tuition waiver, provided the student:
• Is a bona fide member of the MT National Guard at the start of each semester for which the student is enrolled;
• Is certified as a MT National Guard member in good standing who has completed Initial Entry Training;
• Has applied for Military Federal Tuition Assistance prior to each eligible semester;
• Does not hold a baccalaureate degree or higher;
• Maintains reasonable academic progress in accordance with the campus’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
policy used in administering federal financial aid; and
• Has an outstanding tuition balance after applying all other sources of aid (see award calculation example below).
MT National Guard members who do not meet the residency requirements provided in BOR Policy 940.1 but do meet the
criteria listed above, are eligible for in-state tuition status for purposes of applying the tuition waiver under this policy.
AWARD GUIDELINES:
The MT National Guard Tuition Waiver is a last dollar award and is calculated based on the in-state tuition rate. ALL federal,
state and private grants and/or scholarships sent to the campus on behalf of the student, must be deducted from tuition
before the waiver can be applied. Waivers will only be applied if there is an outstanding tuition balance after all other
sources of aid have been applied (see example below). GI Bill benefits are not included in the tuition waiver award calculation.
For questions regarding how this benefit will be calculated for your specific circumstances, please visit the Financial Aid Office
or Veterans Services Office at the campus you plan to attend.
TUITION ONLY (No Fees)
Minus Federal Military Tuition Assistance
Minus Federal Grants (PELL Grant, SEOG, etc…)
Minus State Grants and/or scholarships
Minus Private grants and/or scholarships
TUITION Balance*
= MT National Guard Tuition Waiver
(up to in-state tuition only)
*If there is no outstanding tuition balance after all other sources of aid have been applied, the National Guard member is not eligible for the waiver and no
tuition waiver will be applied.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
•
MUST APPLY TO OCHE EACH ACADEMIC YEAR TO REQUEST THIS WAIVER (www.mus.edu/scholarships)
• MUST apply for this waiver each academic year no later than the third week of the first semester for which you are
requesting the waiver (retroactive awards are not made for previous semesters)
• APPLY for a PELL grant on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (www.FAFSA.gov)
• APPLY for
Federal
Tuition Assistance
prior to each semester,
Required
if eligible;
visit the Education Services Office
• MUST notify the Commissioner’s office directly if changing campuses mid-year (mtscholarships@montana.edu)
To obtain an application visit: WWW.MUS.EDU/SCHOLARSHIPS
For questions call: 1-800-537-7508
SUBMIT AN APPLICATION EACH ACADEMIC YEAR
To submit your application materials electronically, please send to:
snewlun@montana.edu using our secure email portal at: https://securemail.mus.edu
OR Mail to: Montana University System, Scholarship Department, PO Box 203201, Helena, MT 59620