Photo: Djembayz (CC BY-SA 3.0)
School data & stats
Outcomes
Cost
Community
Overview
Flagship of Montana's university system, located in Missoula where the Clark Fork River and mountain trailheads meet the edge of downtown. It serves as the state's comprehensive research university, complementing Montana State's more technical and agricultural mission in Bozeman. It enrolls students from across Montana as well as a substantial out-of-state contingent drawn specifically by the outdoor setting and programs unavailable at smaller in-state options.
Academics
Widely respected for wildlife biology, forestry, and environmental studies, fields that benefit directly from the surrounding wilderness and long-standing partnerships with federal land-management agencies; the College of Forestry and Conservation is a particular point of institutional pride. Journalism and a well-regarded MFA creative writing program round out the university's humanities reputation. Class sizes are generally moderate, and science undergraduates often find fieldwork and research opportunities close to campus rather than needing to travel for them.
Campus & student life
The Oval, the university's historic core lawn, anchors a campus set directly against Mount Sentinel, with the hillside "M" trail a rite of passage for new students. Outdoor recreation — hiking, skiing, rafting, fishing — is woven into daily student life rather than a separate activity, and many students arrive already oriented around it. Missoula itself is a genuine college town with a lively downtown a short walk from campus, and Griz football regularly fills Washington-Grizzly Stadium each fall.
Getting in
Admission functions much like other Western public flagships: credential-based for most applicants, with additional review or scholarship competitions for out-of-state and honors-eligible students. The university actively recruits beyond Montana to diversify its class and fill programs like forestry and wildlife biology that draw a national audience, marketing its outdoor setting heavily to prospective students from more urban states.
After graduation
Graduates in forestry, wildlife biology, and environmental science move into federal and state land-management agencies, conservation nonprofits, and related graduate programs, aided by the university's location amid public lands. Journalism and creative writing alumni have gone on to notable regional and national writing careers, and the alumni network carries a strong Montana and Pacific Northwest identity.
Worth knowing
The Wilderness Institute and direct access to the Bitterroot and Rattlesnake wilderness areas give science students unusually hands-on fieldwork access for an undergraduate program. Missoula's status as a genuine college town, rather than a satellite campus in a larger city, shapes daily life as much as any single academic program does.
Admissions
Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)
Applying
umt.edu ↗High school coursework
Required4 years of English · 3 years of mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II or sequential equivalent) · 3 years of social studies (global studies, American history, and government/economics/other) · 2 years of laboratory science · 2 years of electives (foreign language preferred, or computer science, visual/performing arts, vocational education)
RecommendedA math course in senior year
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