Forms for Fee Waivers

Fee Waivers are administered by the Financial Aid Office.  For all students, inquiries should be directed to the Financial Aid Office.  All fee waivers are based on financial need as a criterion whenever possible, except for honor scholarships for national Merit Scholarship semifinalists, high school honor scholarships, and faculty and staff fee waivers.  Fee waivers do not require repayment.  Fee waivers are State funded and require Montana residency status with the exception of the faculty/staff fee waiver.

In order to retain the waiver, it is necessary to maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with Financial Aid Office policy.

Honorably Discharged Veterans' Fee Waiver

The tuition shall be waived for honorably discharged persons who served with the United States Armed Forces during specified time periods and are currently residents of the State of Montana according to the Board of Regents residency policy.  A provision of this policy states that the fee waiver shall not apply to persons who are currently utilizing federal veteran educational benefits; however, the veteran must have once qualified for those benefits and they have been exhausted. Application forms are available from the Financial Aid Office or by clicking on this link: Veteran's Fee Waiver [PDF].  Recipients of this fee waiver are subject to satisfactory academic progress requirements.

Fee waivers are available for War Orphans and Dependents of Prisoners of War.  Direct inquiries to the Financial Aid Office.

American Indian Fee Waiver

This waives the tuition each semester. The fee waiver is awarded by the Financial Aid Office to students who submit documentation that they are at least 1/4 American Indian, complete an affidavit stating that they have been bona fide residents of the State of Montana for at least one year prior to enrollment in the Montana University System, and demonstrate financial need by completing the FAFSA.  Applicants for this fee waiver must file a FAFSA and complete their financial aid file with the Financial Aid Office.  Applications forms for this fee waiver are available at the Financial Aid Office or by clicking on this link: Native American Fee Waiver [PDF]. Recipients of this fee waiver are subject to satisfactory academic progress requirements.

Montana Senior Citizen Fee Waiver

This waives the tuition for students classified as in-state residents for fee purposes and who are at least 65 years of age at time of registration.  To apply, students must submit a copy of their driver's license or state ID card to the Financial Aid Office. To apply, please contact the Financial Aid Office or by clicking on this link: Montana Senior Citizen Fee Waiver [PDF]. 

Surviving Dependents of Montana Firefighters/Peace Officers Fee Waiver

Tuition shall be waived for the surviving spouse or child of any Montana firefighter or peace officer killed in the course and scope of employment.   This waiver shall not apply to the extent that any person is eligible for educational benefits from any governmental or private benefits program that provides comparable benefits. Recipients of this fee waiver are subject to satisfactory academic progress requirements.

Faculty and Staff Fee Waiver

All fees, except registration and building fees, shall be waived for a maximum of 6 credits per term for permanent Montana University System employees who are employed at least 3/4-time during the entire period of enrollment.  Application forms are available from the Financial Aid Office or by clicking here:  Faculty and Staff Fee Waiver [PDF].

Dependent Fee Waiver

All employees who have been employed at least ¾ time or more for at least five years without a break in service are eligible for a dependent waiver benefit. The employee must remain employed for the entire time during which the tuition waiver is utilized. Eligible jointly employed spouses may utilize the dependent tuition waiver benefit for two children at one time but any one child may not receive more than a 50% tuition waiver under the dependent tuition waiver policy. Applications for the dependent tuition waiver benefit are to be initiated by the employee or the employee’s dependent. Employees who do not submit a timely application for a dependent tuition waiver may be denied the dependent tuition waiver benefit.

Employees will be required to sign a statement verifying 1) that they are not utilizing the tuition waiver for themselves, and 2) the child utilizing the tuition waiver is claimed as a dependent for federal tax purposes, is unmarried and has not reached age 25 as of the first day of the semester for which the tuition waiver is granted; or 3) the employee is married to the spouse utilizing the tuition waiver. Documentation that a dependent has been claimed in the tax year the benefit is used may be required for audit purposes or in cases of suspected misuse. False certification of dependent eligibility for the tuition waiver is cause for discharge and the employee shall be required to repay the cost of the tuition waiver.

The dependent tuition waiver benefit is a 50% reduction in the cost of residential tuition. This benefit is not taxable. In no case may registration, course fees or any other mandatory fee be waived. There is no limitation on the number of credits that may be taken per semester under the tuition waiver benefit. Contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information.

Other Faculty and Staff Fee Waivers

Some of the schools in the Montana University System have provided us with their forms that you will be able to download.  Others will have a link that will take you to that schools website and you will then be able to download the form from there. All of the forms need the proper signatures and need to be returned to the school that you plan on attending so that they can be properly processed.

Montana Tech of the University of Montana:

This link will take you to the MT Tech website where you will be able to download the form. 
The form is under the heading of Personnel Forms and it is called the Employee Fee Waiver.
Click Here: http://www.mtech.edu/budgetandhumanservices/payroll_and_personnel.htm

Montana State University - Bozeman

This will let you download the form so that you can fill it out and return it to MSU - Bozeman. 
Click here: MSU-Bozeman Faculty/Staff Fee Waiver [PDF].

University of Montana:

This will let you download the form so that you can fill it out and return it to University of Montana. 
Click here: University of Montana Faculty/Staff Fee Waiver