American Indian Tuition Waiver:

Please visit the MUS website for information, eligibility and application for the American Indian Tuition Waiver. This is for resident undergraduate and graduate students. Please note that there are currently two applications available. Application is required for first time applicants of the waiver.

If you are attending MSU Bozeman beginning the Summer of 2026, use the application that expires June 30, 2026. If you are attending Fall 2026, use the application that begins July 01, 2026.

https://www.mus.edu/AIMA/brochure.html

Other Resources and Notes:

  • The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is required in order to be considered for either the Montana American Indian Tuition Waiver or the Montana State University Non-Resident Tribal Homeland Scholarship.  A new FAFSA must be filed each year!  The FAFSA for an upcoming award year is generally available October 1st each year. Need help, assistance is available from the Office of Financial Aid and Education. Demonstrated "Financial need" is defined as having at least one dollar of remaining need after subtracting Student Aid Index (SAI), all Title IV grant aid and institutional aid from the cost of attendance.
  • The campus will review submitted documentation for eligibility. If eligible, the campus will award the waiver. New applications are not needed annually. Renewability is reviewed by the campus based on need and meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress.
  • Note: The American Indian Tuition Waiver may not be used with other state or institutional tuition waivers. The waiver does not cover mandatory or class fees.  All other fees are the student’s responsibility.  Policy for the American Indian Waiver is set through the State of Montana Board of Regents.  For additional information you may access the Montana University System website: https://mus.edu/Prepare/Pay/Waivers/index.html#ai
  • You may submit your documentation through the mail, fax or our document upload option: https://www.montana.edu/financialaid/docu_upload.html

Tribal Homeland Scholarship Waiver (Non-Resident):

The Tribal Homelands Scholarship is a MSU discretionary waiver available to non‐resident Native American students whose tribal ancestors called the area that is now Montana their “home” and who enter the university as new freshmen, transfer, or graduate students.  Students who are enrolled in or affiliated with tribes whose historical lifeways intersected the boundaries of what has become the State of Montana may apply for the Tribal Homelands Scholarship. Eligibility and renewability are like those noted in the American Indian Tuition Waiver section above. Montana Tribes are the same as those listed on the MUS application. Eligible non-resident tribes are:

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Eastern Shoshone Tribe, Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Nez Perce Tribe, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Shoshone‐Bannock Tribes, Sisseton‐Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, Southern Cheyenne Tribe, Spirit Lake Dakotah Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Turtle Mountain Band of the Chippewa Indians, Yankton Sioux Tribe, Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, & Arikara Tribes)

Note: The Tribal Homeland Tuition Waiver may not be used with other state or institutional tuition waivers. This waives the non-resident portion of tuition only.  The waiver does not cover mandatory or class fees.  All other fees are the student’s responsibility.

 

Other Scholarships and Resources:

Cobell Scholarship

https://cobellscholar.org/

Gates Millennium Scholars

https://gmsp.org/

American Indian Graduate Center

https://accessscholarships.com/scholarship/american-indian-graduate-center-aigc-graduate-fellowship/

American Indian College Fund

https://collegefund.org/

American Indian Services

https://www.americanindianservices.org/scholarships

American Indian Education Fund

http://www.nativepartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=aief_home

 

Also check with your respective Tribes for Higher Education and Scholarships funds.  Note these resources may need the Financial Aid Office to complete additional forms.  We must have your permission to release this information to the donor resource. https://www.montana.edu/financialaid/thirdparty_release.html

 

For additional resources and assistance available here at Montana State University, please visit our Native American Resource Directory:

https://www.montana.edu/native/index.html