MUS Honor Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Montana University System

Overview
The MUS Honor Scholarship (MUSHS) is a four‑year, renewable tuition scholarship for Montana students who enroll at eligible campuses. Average value at a 4‑year Montana campus is about $5,000 per year ($20,000 over four years). It covers tuition only — not mandatory or class fees — so ask the college for a list of fees the scholarship will not cover. The Board of Regents plans to offer up to 200 scholarships each year, contingent on continued funding. Awards follow the MUSHS Eligibility and Criteria Procedures.

Who should consider applying
If you’re finishing a Montana‑accredited high school and you have strong grades and test scores, this scholarship is for you. It’s competitive, so follow the steps carefully and meet every deadline.

Student eligibility checklist (must meet ALL)
- Apply in the year you graduate from a high school on the Montana Board of Public Education list of eligible schools.
- Be enrolled full‑time at an eligible high school for at least three years (any three years, but senior year must be included).
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4 at the end of the 7th semester.
- Be on track to meet the Board of Regents’ Rigorous Core Requirements, OR be on track to receive an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma by graduation.
- Take the ACT or SAT by February of your graduation year (see testing rules below).
- Be a Montana resident.
- Be accepted to an eligible campus.

Quick timeline and key deadlines
- Test (ACT or SAT): by February of your graduation year. For current cycle examples the materials say “by February 2026.”
- Scholarship application portal opens: December 1.
- Application completion deadline: March 15.
- Awards announced: early to mid‑April.

How the application process works (step‑by‑step)
To be considered complete, finish all of the following by March 15:
1. Take the ACT or SAT by February of your graduation year. (You may submit ACT superscores composed only of tests taken by February.)
2. Apply to and be accepted by at least one eligible campus.
3. Complete the online application at AwardMontana.mus.edu (applications open Dec. 1).
4. Print the Rigorous Core / IB / Attendance Certification page from your application and have your high school counselor or designee sign it. Upload that signed page to the portal.

Documents you must upload to the AwardMontana portal
- Official 7th‑semester transcript showing all classes from freshman year through the first semester of senior year and the cumulative GPA. If you used Algebra I taken in middle school to meet Rigorous Core Requirements, also upload your middle school transcript. (All other required courses must appear on your high school transcript.)
- College acceptance letter or acceptance email.
- Proof of ACT or SAT score taken by February (official printout from ACT/SAT or test score listed on the high school transcript). SAT scores will be converted to equivalent ACT scores for the selection process.
- Signed Rigorous Core / IB / Attendance Certification page.

How scholarships are awarded (selection formula)
- Students are first ranked within their high school by cumulative GPA (7th semester). The top student from each school receives 30 points, the next receives 29, and so on — only students with at least a 3.4 GPA are included in this ranking.
- That GPA ranking score is added to the student’s ACT score (or the equivalent ACT score converted from the SAT), using whichever test score is higher, to create a composite score. (ACT superscores are allowed only if all component tests were taken by February of the graduation year.)
- Scholarships are awarded to the students with the highest composite scores statewide. SAT → ACT conversion is applied before adding.

Notification and acceptance
- High school counselors/designees will be notified when awards are announced. All recipients will receive an email.
- If you are offered the scholarship, you must accept or decline promptly as instructed.

Scholarship retention rules (how to keep it)
This scholarship may be retained for up to eight semesters (four academic years) if you meet these conditions:
- Begin using the scholarship within nine months of high school graduation.
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4 each academic year.
- Meet credit milestones: at least 30 credits after two semesters, 60 after four semesters, and 90 after six semesters.
- Follow the student conduct code of your home campus.
- Stay enrolled full‑time (12+ credits) continuously each fall and spring semester while receiving the scholarship.

Transferring a MUS Honor Scholarship
- Scholarships can be transferred between eligible campuses. Log into the Award Montana portal and complete the Campus Change form (top tab) to request a transfer. Make sure to notify the portal and follow any campus procedures.

A few practical tips from a teacher
- Start early: request transcripts and counselor signatures well before March 15. Counselors are busy in the spring.
- Keep copies of everything you upload and a checklist so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Confirm fee coverage with the college you plan to attend — tuition may be covered, but mandatory fees often are not.
- If you have questions, contact your high school counselor or the AwardMontana help resources; they can prevent small mistakes from disqualifying your application.

If you want, I can turn this into a printable checklist or a calendar timeline you can give to students. Which would be most helpful?