Out-of-State Transfer Applicant Information

An applicant last registered for twelve (12) or more credits at a college or university outside the state of Montana is considered an out-of-state transfer student.

An out-of-state applicant wishing to transfer to Montana Western must be eligible to return to any/all institutions previously attended. Applicants must also provide official transcripts verifying a 2.0 (C) average for all college and university work attempted. 

How to Apply

1. Complete and submit the UMW Application for Admission. Contact the Admissions Office at 1-877-683-7331, or (406) 683-7331.  You can print this application here.  You also have the option of applying online.

2. Submit a $30 non-refundable application fee.

3. Submit official transcripts from ALL colleges previously attended. A transcript is not considered "official" unless it is of current date and received directly from the issuing institution.

4. Submit proof of (2) measles, mumps, and rubella immunizations. (MMR) 

When to Apply

It is recommended that transfer students apply early so that previous transcripts may be evaluated and transfer of credit can be completed before the student’s arrival on campus. 

Transfer of Credit

Transfer credits will be evaluated upon receipt of a complete admissions application and after official transcripts from ALL previously attended colleges/universities are on file in the Admissions Office. In applying transfer coursework to meet specific requirements for a degree or program at Western, the age of the coursework and grade earned are considered. For some Montana Western programs, a thorough, in-depth understanding of current/recent subject matter is necessary to advance to the next level of study. Transfer students wishing to use Montana Western courses as "course repeats" for classes taken at other colleges/universities must seek approval of the other (transfer) institution before such a change becomes effective.

Generally, transfer students should assume courses taken at other institutions will meet degree requirements at Montana Western if the following criteria are met:

· the coursework must be college-level and be applicable to a college degree at the institution where it was attempted;

· the coursework must be recent, successfully completed within the past five (5) years;

· the transfer college must be accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies at the time the courses were attempted;

· the coursework must be similar to a required course at Montana Western;

· the coursework must have been successfully completed with a grade of "C" or better;

· the credits will be converted to semester credits, and the course-work taken at the transfer institution must be of the same approximate credit value;

· the course level must be similar (i.e. a 100- or 200-level course transferred from another college generally may not be used to meet a 300- or 400-level requirement at Montana Western).

Recording Transfer Credits

The Registrar’s Office will record only "summary" transfer course information (i.e. no course detail) on the Montana Western transcript. This information will consist of the total earned hours/credits accepted from each transfer institution. Advisors will be provided with working copies of the transcripts from all colleges previously attended by transfer students.

As no grades for transfer work will be recorded, the only GPA listed on a student’s Montana Western transcript will be that of courses attempted at Montana Western. However, total "earned hours" recorded on the Montana Western transcript will reflect those taken/earned at Montana Western plus those transferred/accepted from all other institutions attended.

Since no grades for transfer courses are recorded, the need for transfer course repeat petitions will be eliminated (none beginning Summer 1999 and thereafter). The GPA at each transfer institution will stand on its own merit as recorded on the official transcripts from those institutions. The only instances in which the Montana Western Registrar will combine data from other institutions to determine a "cumulative grade point average" will be to determine eligibility for graduation with honors from Montana Western, eligibility for athletics (as required by NAIA), and in instances where a third party authorized to receive such information (financial aid funding agency, for example) requires such a calculation. 

Transfer Graduates

Transfer students who graduated from a regionally accredited college or university with a Baccalaureate degree are considered to have completed the General Education Requirements for a degree (BS, BA, AA, AS, AAS) at Montana Western.