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Some can only dream about spending a year at such an amazing location in the Rocky Mountains at one of the most beautiful campuses in the USA…but you have the chance to apply! Come to The University of Montana!
- Year or Semester exchange options
- Undergraduate/Bachelor Exchanges
- Graduate/Master Exchanges and Degree programs
- ISEP-Direct for one-year ESL coursework of the campus
- Over 59 academic programs with great options in Business, Forestry, and English
- A scenic campus with over 13,600 students, 421 of which are international students from 74 countries
- Work opportunities on-campus up to 20 hours per week
- Great special programs and support for international exchange students
- The city of Missoula (pop. 60,000) offers a wide range of cultural and outdoor activities
Check out the Photo Essay from a past student, Nelly Gonzalez, to learn more!
“As President of The University of Montana and member of the ISEP Board of Directors, I take great pleasure in welcoming international ISEP students to our University. You will find that UM offers extensive and diverse undergraduate and graduate programs in a beautiful Rocky Mountains setting and has a strong commitment to international education. We firmly believe and act on the premise that international students make a vital contribution to the University community.” - Dr. George Dennison, President
About the University of Montana |
Established in 1893, the University of Montana (UM) has 13,602 students, of which 2,584 are graduate students. 421 international students from 74 countries attend UM. Some 25 percent of students live on campus. The campus has two-hundred acres at the base of Mount Sentinel (5,158 feet) and is next to the Clark Fork River; includes 62 buildings, a 23,088-seat football stadium, a golf course, swimming pool and soccer, softball and track fields.
Faculty:
Full-Time Faculty: 577
Regular Faculty with doctoral degrees or highest degree in their field:79%
20:1 student faculty ratio
Student Profile:
55 % female; 45 % male
80 % attend full time; 20 % part time
75 % Montana residents; 25 % out-of-state residents
In 2004, UM was selected by Princeton Review as a “College with a Conscience” and “Best Western College”
Ranks seventeenth in the nation and fifth among public universities in producing Rhodes Scholars
“Most scenic campus in America” - Rolling Stone magazine
“Among the top 10 colleges nationally for combining academic quality and outdoor recreation” - Outside Magazine
“The size is perfect. It’s big enough to make a new friend every day and small enough to run into familiar faces every turn you take.” - UM Student
Academic Information  |
Students receive a high-quality, well-rounded education and training for professional careers in the University’s three colleges – arts and sciences, forestry and conservation, and technology – and six schools – journalism, law, business, education, pharmacy and the fine arts. UM offers more than 59 undergraduate programs, 51 fields of study for master’s degrees, and 18 fields for doctoral degrees, many of which are recognized internationally for academic excellence.
Need to improve your English? Consider the USA ISEP-Direct program at UM!
»Course catalog and descriptions
» Departments links
» Course schedule
- Minimum TOEFL score of 500 (173 CBT) is required. Graduate programs require a higher TOEFL score. Students who score below 580 will take an ESL course.
- Fields of study recommended for undergraduate/bachelor students: business, computer science, fine arts, forestry, liberal arts (especially foreign languages and English), life sciences, mathematics, and social sciences.
- Fields of study recommended for graduate/masters students: business management, business administration, environmental studies, public administration, and international natural resource management.
The College of Forestry and Conservation
Find out more about forestry at the Univserity of Montana
- Located in the beautiful and hospitable Missoula, Montana. In the heart of the northern Rocky Mountains, CFC students and faculty study issues of global importance in places like Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, millions of hectares of National Forest land and in vast prairies and grasslands.
- The faculty is world renowned for expertise in forestry, wild and fire management, assessment of global climate change, recreation, park and protected area management and wildlife biology.
- CFC faculty members are engaged in international research and education projects on six continents. The field orientation of our curricula ensures that students interact regularly with professionals and get to know their professors very well.
The School of Business Administration
- The largest professional school at the University of Montana-Missoula.
- Offers specializations in accounting, financial management, information systems, international business, management and marketing.
- Masters of Accountancy and Masters of Business Administration available.
- The school’s mission, to provide innovative, experiential learning opportunities in classes and through paid internships, is strengthen by affiliated centers such as the Montana World Trade Center, American Indian Business Leaders, Technology Team student positions, and the Small Business Institute.
- The state-of-the-art Gallagher Business Building offers a computer lab, technology in the classrooms, and ether net. Business students attend classes, study, socialize, hold discussions with faculty and build community in this outstanding facility.
- The school’s primary focus on students is demonstrated by the Undergraduate Advising Center, the Internship Program, the Director of Career Development, and most importantly by a faculty whose foremost priorities are teaching and research.
- One of the largest departments on the campus of The University of Montana.
- Class sizes are small, which makes for active classroom discussions and positive interactions between faculty and students.
- Offers introductory courses on interpreting literary texts and poetry, survey courses in American and British literature, and introductory creative writing workshops in fiction and poetry. .
- For advanced students, we offer seven to ten upper-division literature courses each semester covering a wide variety of topics.
- UM is a great place for students wishing to write their own works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Students will have the opportunity to work with our highly-published faculty and become part of our nationally-recognized writing program.
Student Life
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Housing and Meals:
The Residence Life Office strives to provide housing that is both comfortable and safe for international students. You have options when it comes to living on campus. With a total of nine residence halls, known as “dorm”, you can choose the living situation that best suits you. More information.
- All rooms are equipped with a bed, closet, dresser, desk, chair, bookshelves, and a cable TV access.
- Two students live in each room, but students may wish to pay extra to be housed in a single room or in a three- or four-bedroom suite.
- Rooms are wired with internet access with an additional cost per semester for students who bring laptops.
- All of the residence halls provide access to refrigerator rental, mailboxes, study lounges, TV lounges, laundry rooms, vending machines, and computer labs within the buildings.
- Married student housing can be arranged..
- A meal plan will be provided that gives access to many dining and restaurant options on campus.
Orientation
All ISEP students attend the University of Montana Foreign Students and Scholar Services New Student Orientation. This includes introduction to student services on the UM campus and services in the Missoula campus. It includes topics such as getting a social security number, starting a bank account, the Missoula Friendship Program, and the Speaker's Bureau. There will also be a meeting with the ISEP Coordinator so that students can learn about the Office of International Programs and ISEP-specific information.
Activities
There are plenty of things to do on campus to keep students occupied outside the classroom.
- The International Student Association , along with other international student groups, works with Foreign Student and Scholar Services (FSSS) to offer social, cultural and educational activities to all foreign students:
- Organizes an annual International Culture and Food Festival
- FSSS assists in the reception and orientation of students (airport pick-ups, trips to area shops and banks) and integration into the University and community though various social, cultural, and educational activities and programs.
- Works with a community hospitality program (The Missoula International Friendship Program) that offers many opportunities throughout the year for cultural exchange like welcome dinner, holiday parties, potlucks and retreats
- FSSS coordinates the International Peer Assistant Program, a campus peer-mentoring program that provides a personal friend to help out new international students during their first semester on campus.
- FSSS also offers orientation workshops, educational field trips, and winter/summer break activities.
- There are over 150 different student organizations organizations from which you can choose. These groups cover a wide range of interests, including academic, cultural, environmental, political, social, and religious. There are also volunteer service organizations as well as sports-recreation clubs.
- The UC Game Room provides an enjoyable place for all students to come and enjoy Billiards tables, Foosball, Table Tennis, Air Hockey, snacks, beverages, Chess, Checkers, 4 televisions, and video games.
Fitness and sports:
- The University recently built a new state-of –the-art Campus Fitness and Recreation Center that is available to all students. The 79,000 square foot center features more than 250 pieces of strength training and cardiovascular equipment, a cardio theater, 3 multipurpose/aerobic studios, 2 basketball courts, 1 volleyball/badminton/multi-use court, 7 racquetball/handball courts, 1 squash court, and an indoor running track.
- There are at least 18 club sports to join and more than 30 intramural team sports. Varsity sports for male students include football, basketball, indoor and outdoor track, cross-country and tennis. Our female varsity students enjoy volleyball, basketball, indoor and outdoor track, cross-country, tennis, golf and soccer.
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My first few days at Missoula were great because of all the activities that the university provided in order to meet the staff and the rest of the community. We did so many things! We went skiing, for example, or other events in the International House. I was really surprised about all the activities that the university organized for the international students. They really made me feel welcome, which helped me to get involved with campus life and with the community from Missoula. |
Thomas Jandera |
Daniel Arvizu |
Veronica Arevalo Schoedl |
Meet more International Students at UM! |
Nelly Gonzalez – CHECK OUT NELLY’S 
Marja Unkuri-Chaudhry has worked at UM for 9 years. She is the Assistant Director for Study Abroad at the Office of International Programs. Originally from Finland, she came to the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship to complete her graduate degree in International Law. While growing up in Finland, she worked one summer in Stockholm and one summer near Vienna, Austria. She loves skiing and playing soccer, and has recently started bellydancing.
A message to incoming students:
“ Welcome to Missoula and the University of Montana – rated one of the most scenic campuses in America by Rolling Stone magazine. Founded in 1893 in the burgeoning Western pioneer town of Missoula, the University has become a magnet for students seeking academic excellence in a stunning natural landscape full of recreational opportunities. As former ISEP exchange student, Helen from France said: “you won’t find such a nice place anywhere else!” The University of Montana and Missoula community has a friendly, diverse population full of cultural history. Come explore Missoula and fall in love with the Rocky Mountains.”
The University of Montana is located in Missoula, a scenic and safe city bustling with activity. Nestled in the Rocky Mountain grandeur of western Montana, Missoula is the hub of five valleys and three major rivers – the Blackfoot, the Bitterroot and the Clark Fork. Roughly halfway between Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, Missoula is a blend of small-town charm and big-city sophistication.
One of the first things visitors notice is how friendly people are here. With about 60,000 residents and visitors from around the globe, the city has an increasingly diverse population. On summer Saturdays, Missoulians congregate at the Farmer’s Market for fresh produce, coffee and conversation. Missoula is rich in cultural attractions ranging from symphony, arts, live theatre, historical museums, shops, galleries and numerous sporting activities and events.
Like the outdoors? Welcome to paradise!
Recreational opportunities in Missoula are abundant and compliment the Montana life style. Year-round, people meet on the recreational trails that run alongside the river through the heart of downtown and past campus. Within a couple miles of Missoula, outdoor enthusiasts can experience several recreational opportunities complimented by four seasons.
- The rivers surrounding Missoula provide students with fly fishing, rafting, kayaking, canoeing and swimming opportunities.
- The Rattlesnake Wilderness Area, just 5 minutes from town, is utilized by hikers, bikers, and cross-country skiers.
- There are 12,141 sq km (3.1 million acres) of wilderness within a 161 km radius of campus and this is enjoyed by every type of outdoor person.
- Snowbowl Ski Area, just 11 km from campus, is enjoyed by skiers and snowboarders alike.
- Glacier National Park is only 224 km away
- Yellowstone National Park is only 433 km away
More about Missoula
- The region has a moderate, dry climate at an elevation of 975 m and mild temperatures (for a northern location). Temperatures average 1C (30F) in the winter and 29C (85F) in the summer.
- City buses operated by Mountain Line serve the greater Missoula area from Monday through Saturday. Students with a valid student card ride free of charge.
- Local restaurants serve up everything from steak and potatoes to Thai noodles, while an array of coffeehouses, pubs, nightclubs and movie theaters provide diversion.
- Residents come from around the region to shop the city’s department and discount stores, shopping mall and specialty boutiques.
- Missoula boasts a thriving downtown featuring classic early-century buildings and offers unique shops, galleries, fine dining, cultural activities and an exciting nightlife.
- Several major events Missoula celebrates include the International Wildlife Film Festical, Out to Lunch, Downtown ToNight, International Choral Festival, Farmer's Market, Saturday Arts and Crafts Market, First Night Missoula, Irish Cultural Celebration, Germanfest, and numerous other community events.
- Missoula attractions include A Carousel for Missoula/Dragon Hollow, Art Museum of Missoula, Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, Museum of Art & ulture, St. Francis Xavier Church, The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Wildlife Visitor Center and The Smokejumper Visitor Center.
- Missoula’s sister cities are Neckargemuend, Germany; Palmerston North, New Zealand, and Kumamoto, Japan.
Missoula Resources:
- Convention and Visitor Bureau
- The Missoulian (local newspaper)
- Tourist Information
- Missoula Cultural Council