Montana WICHE Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP)
Montana University System (Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education)
Montana pays a support fee so funded Montana residents in medicine, osteopathic medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry, occupational therapy or podiatry pay reduced tuition at participating out-of-state WICHE schools.
- How much
- Set support fee per field of study (amounts on wiche.edu), applied to tuition and fees
- Who qualifies
- Montana resident under BOR Policy 940.1 (residency ties documented for about 24 months), certified by Award Montana for the year before entry; admitted to a participating program; funded students must stay Montana residents and keep satisfactory standing.
- For grad students
- For medicine, osteopathic medicine, veterinary medicine students
- When to apply
- Opens later annual residency certification opens July 1, due Sept 1 (veterinary medicine) or Oct 15 (all other fields) in the year before you start professional school
- How to apply
- Apply for Montana residency certification in the Award Montana portal between July 1 and Oct 15 (Sept 1 for veterinary medicine) the year before you enroll, apply to participating schools, then log every admission offer in the portal by the ranking deadline
- What you'll need
- state application + transcript
- Last checked
- October 19, 2026, against the official page (mus.edu), page 2 and page 3
The details
Through WICHE's Professional Student Exchange Program, Montana funds a limited number of residents admitted to participating programs in fields not offered in Montana. Funded students receive a set support fee per field, applied to tuition and fees, and generally pay resident tuition at public schools or reduced tuition at private ones (they may pay more than resident tuition if the fee doesn't cover the gap). Selection: participating schools confidentially rank accepted Montana students; the highest-ranked get funding first, others go on an alternate list. Students who aren't funded don't get the reduced rate. Medical and osteopathic students pay an annual Montana Rural Physician Incentive Program (MRPIP) fee as a condition of participation. Funding is not tied to income.
More money from Montana
- Gianforte Trade and Technology Scholarship$1,500 per semester full-time; $750 per semester part-time; up to $6,000 total
- Montana's STEM and Healthcare Scholarship$6,000 over 4 years: $1,000 first year, $1,500 second, $1,500 third, $2,000 fourth
- 2 Plus 2 Honor ScholarshipWaiver of undergraduate tuition at a 4-year MUS campus for up to four semesters
- MUS Honor Scholarship (MUSHS)Tuition waiver; average value about $5,000 a year or $20,000 over four years at a 4-year Montana campus
- Montana Minnesota Dental ProgramSupport fee matching the WICHE dentistry support fee, applied to tuition and fees, for up to 4 years
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.