Orientation for Freshman & Non-Traditional Students

Welcome to the Bobcat Family!

We are very excited for you to start your academic career at Montana State University! Orientation/Class Registration is required for all new incoming students and takes place over the summer break and winter break leading up to the start of each semester. During Orientation, students will have the opportunity to:

• Learn how to successfully transition to life at MSU
• Engage with University services and resources
• Connect with other incoming Bobcats
• Learn from Orientation Leaders
• Connect with MSU staff, faculty, and Academic Advisors
• Engage with MSU course planning and class registration systems
• Register for semester courses

Students can register for Orientation through their MyInfo checklist. Registering for Orientation serves as a student's intent to enroll letting us know that you are planning to enroll at MSU!

Click or tap on one of the options listed below to learn more.

Sessions & General Information

Start Term of Spring 2025

Orientation Registration will open November 4, 2024.

We hope to see you join us at Montana State University for the Spring 2025 semester! If you are ready to reserve your spot in our incoming class, make sure you register for Orientation/Class Registration! Orientation is required for all new students and is when you receive your Spring 2025 class schedule. Signing up for Orientation is viewed as a student's intent to enroll.

MSU’s Spring Freshman Orientation/Class Registration program will consist of an online Orientation component and a half-day in-person program. Both components are mandatory.

Online: The online portion of Orientation must be completed prior to attending the half-day in-person program. During online Orientation, students will progress through an online pathway in our CatsConnect platform where  they will learn about MSU resources and services, explore MSU technology, and receive instruction on how to remotely connect with their Academic Advisor. Students are not eligible to register/be registered for classes until they have registered for Orientation, completed the online pathway, and met with an Academic Advisor.

• Transfer, Veteran & International

  • Orientation registration will open on November 4th.
  • The online Orientation pathway for incoming Transfer, Veteran and Interntional students will open December 2nd (including advising and class registration) and must be completed before the start of the spring semester.
  • The priority date to complete online pathways is January 3rd, but online Orientation will remain open until January 10th.
  • Transfer, veteran, and international students will participate in online Orientation which includes instructions on how to request advising appointments. Students will receive pin during advising and can register once they have completed online pathway and met with advisor.
  • Students that are not registered for courses by January 10th will register during in-person programming on January 13th. 
  • If students have questions about their schedule or would like to modify, they can do so during in-person Orientation on January 13th. 

• Freshman & Non-Traditional

  • Orientation registration will open on November 4th.
  • The online Orientation pathway for incoming Freshmen and/or Non-Traditional students will open November 20th and must be completed before the start of the semester. 
  • Students are encouraged to complete their online Orientation pathway by the priority deadline on December 9th. Students that have completed the online Orientation pathway by this date may receive their course schedule prior to January. 
  • If students have completed online pathway (including placement, holds, questionnaire) by January 3rd, they will be pre-registered into courses by their Academic Advisor.
  • Students that are not registered for courses by January 10th will register during in-person programming on January 13th. 
  • If students have questions about their schedule or would like to modify, they can do so during in-person Orientation on January 13th. 

Students are not eligible to meet with an Academic Advisor and register for Spring 2025 classes until the dates outlined above.

In-Person: Prior to the start of the Spring 2025 semester, a required in-person session will be held on January 13th from 8:00am – 12:00pm noon in the Strand Union Building (SUB). During in-person Orientation, students will progress through information sessions and meet other incoming Bobcats. Once you have registered for Orientation, you will receive further details regarding check-in, parking, etc.

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Specialized Orientations

Veteran Orientation

Incoming freshman students who are active duty or former active duty veterans, national guard members or reserve members can register for a specialized Veteran Orientation through their Undergraduate Admissions Checklist on MyInfo. Contact the Veteran Support Center at (406) 994-3661 or vets@montana.edu for more information.

College of Nursing Students

If you have been formally admitted to the College of Nursing program and been officially placed on one of five campuses OR are in the accelerated Nursing program, please DO NOT sign up for Orientation.

If you are a student who has been generally admitted to MSU - Bozeman and have declared a Pre-Nursing major, you are required to register for and complete Orientation. Contact the College of Nursing at (406) 994-3783 or nursing@montana.edu if you have questions about your requirements.

Non-Traditional Student Orientation/Class Registration

The Non-Traditional Student Orientation/Class Registration Program is designed to meet the needs of incoming non-traditionally aged students who are attending college for the first time. This program is by invitation only. Eligible students will be notified.

Non-Degree Seeking Students

Incoming non-degree seeking students are not required to complete a formal Orientation/Class Registration session before registering for their semester courses. Please note that if you decide to pursue a degree at MSU, you will be required to complete a formal Orientation/Class Registration program.

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Start Term of Summer 2025

Orientation Registration will open in February 2025.

Freshmen students starting in the summer and intending to continue in the fall will need to complete a formal Orientation/Class Registration session during the summer term before registering for their summer and fall course schedules. Please register for an available Orientation/Class Registration session that occurs before the start of the summer course you intend to take. 

Non-degree seeking freshman students that are only taking classes at MSU for the singular summer term do not need to complete a formal Orientation/Class Registration program to register for their summer courses. These students can contact the Academic Advising Center at (406) 994-3532 to discuss their summer course schedule and register for classes. Please note that if you decide to continue taking classes at MSU during the fall semester, you will be required to complete a formal Orientation/Class Registration program.

Please see our Orientation/Class Registration Frequently Asked Questions for additional questions.

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Start Term of Fall 2025

Orientation Registration will open in February 2025.

We hope to see you join us at Montana State University for the Fall 2024 semester! If you are ready to reserve your spot in our incoming class, make sure you register for Orientation/Class Registration! Orientation is required for all new students and is when you receive your Fall 2025 class schedule. Signing up for Orientation is viewed as a student's intent to enroll.

Freshman Orientation/Class Registration will consist of a short online "pre-Orientation" and a 2.5 day in-person Orientation/Class Registration program held on the MSU Campus. Both components are mandatory.

• "Pre-Orientation" will be hosted online and will cover several items that students must take care of before their meeting with their Academic Advisor. Pre-Orientation will include items such as math and writing placement, submitting immunization records, etc. Students can complete online pre-Orientation as soon as Wednesday, May 1 in advance of their selected on-campus Orientation/Class Registration session.
• Orientation/Class Registration will take place in-person on the MSU campus over 2.5 days. We will offer four sessions for which students may register:
  • Session #1: Monday - Wednesday, June 9 - 11, 2025
  • Session #2: Monday - Wednesday, June 23 - 25, 2025 
  • Session #3: Monday - Wednesday, July 14 - 16, 2025
  • Session #4: Sunday - Tuesday, August 17 - 19, 2025 *

* August programming coincides with Move-In

During Orientation, students will:

• Meet other future Bobcats
• Stay in MSU's residence halls for 2 nights (required to stay on campus for June & July sessions)
• Connect with their Orientation Leader
• Learn about MSU services, resources, history, and traditions
• Interact with staff, faculty, and advisors in their area of study
• Receive Fall 2025 class schedule
• And more!

What to Expect at MSU's Orientation

The Orientation Office will arrange lodging for the nights you are required to stay on campus (Monday night and Tuesday night) and you will be provided meals during the program. If you need additional lodging outside of those required nights (Monday night and Tuesday night), please see available options here.

The full Orientation/Class Registration program requires a non-refundable Program Fee that directly covers a student's on-campus lodging for the two nights spent on campus of in-person Orientation/Class Registration and the six meals starting with lunch on the first day and ending with breakfast on the third day. It also helps cover additional programmatic costs such as student Orientation Leader pay, online pre-Orientation maintenance, mailings, etc.

What are the primary differences between our summer Orientation sessions (June & July) and our fall Orientation session (August)?

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! You can email our staff at orientation@montana.edu, or call us Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm MT at 1-888-MSU-CATS.