MUS Honor Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Montana University System

Overview
The MUS Honor Scholarship (MUSHS) is a renewable award available for up to four years. When used at an eligible campus, it covers the recipient’s tuition (it does not pay mandatory or class fees — students should contact their college for a list of excluded fees). At a Montana four-year campus the scholarship’s typical value is about $5,000 per year, or roughly $20,000 over four years. The Board of Regents plans to offer up to 200 MUS Honor Scholarships each year, subject to continued program funding. Awards are made in accordance with the MUSHS Eligibility and Criteria Procedures.

Who is eligible
To be considered, students must meet all of the following:

- Be applying in the same year they graduate from a high school that appears on the Montana Board of Public Education list of eligible schools.
- Have been enrolled full-time at a Montana Board of Public Education–accredited high school for at least three years (any combination of three years is acceptable but must include the senior year).
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher at the conclusion of the 7th semester.
- Be on track to satisfy the Board of Regents’ Rigorous Core Requirements or be a candidate to receive an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma by graduation.
- Take the ACT or SAT by February of their graduating year (see application deadline notes below).
- Be a resident of the State of Montana.
- Be admitted to an eligible campus.

How to apply (key deadlines and steps)
Applications require several actions and must be completed by the March 15 deadline for the file to be considered complete.

1) Test: Take the ACT or SAT by February 2026. (ACT superscores are accepted if they include only tests taken by February of your graduating year.)
2) Admission: Apply to and obtain acceptance from one of the eligible campuses.
3) Online application: Complete the MUSHS application at AwardMontana.mus.edu. Applications open December 1.
4) Certification: Print the Rigorous Core / IB / Attendance Certification page from your Award Montana application and have it signed by your high school counselor or designated representative.

Documents you must upload to the Award Montana portal
To finalize your application you must upload the following:

- An official copy of your 7th-semester transcript showing all courses from 9th grade through the first semester of senior year and the cumulative GPA. (If Algebra I taken in middle school is being used to meet the Rigorous Core Requirements, include the middle school transcript; all other courses must appear on the high school transcript.)
- A copy of your college acceptance letter or acceptance email.
- Proof of your ACT or SAT score taken by February 2026 — either the official printout from ACT/SAT or the score listed on your high school transcript. (ACT superscores are permitted provided only tests taken by February of the graduating year are included.)
- The Rigorous Core / IB / Attendance Certification page, signed by your high school counselor/designee.

How winners are chosen
Students from each high school are ranked by cumulative GPA (only students with a GPA of at least 3.4 are included). The highest-GPA student from a school receives 30 points, the second highest 29 points, and so on. That GPA-based point value is then combined with the student’s higher test score (ACT or the SAT converted to an ACT equivalent) to create a composite score. Students with the highest composite scores across the state are offered the MUS Honor Scholarship.

Notifications and accepting an award
- Award decisions are announced in early to mid-April. High school counselors/designees will be notified and all scholarship recipients will receive an email.
- If you are offered a MUSHS award, you must formally accept or decline the offer. Respond promptly to secure your award.

Maintaining the scholarship
The scholarship can be kept for up to 8 semesters if you meet the retention conditions:

- Begin using the scholarship within 9 months of high school graduation.
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4 each academic year.
- Earn at least 30 credits after two semesters, 60 credits after four semesters, and 90 credits after six semesters.
- Comply with the student conduct code of your home campus.
- Be enrolled full-time (minimum 12 credits) continuously each fall and spring semester during the scholarship period.

Transferring the scholarship
MUS Honor Scholarships may be transferred between eligible campuses if you notify the program. To request a campus change, sign into the Award Montana portal and complete the Campus Change form found on the top tab.

Questions or clarifications
If you need clarification about covered fees, eligible campuses, or the application, contact your high school counselor or consult AwardMontana.mus.edu for additional information.