Welcome to the Bobcat Family!

We are very excited for you to join us for the start or continuation of your college career! Orientation/Class Registration is your introduction to academic and non-academic life at Montana State University.

During Orientation, students will:

  • Learn how to successfully transition to life at MSU
  • Engage with University services and resources
  • Connect with MSU staff, faculty, and Academic Advisors
  • Familiarize yourself with MSU course planning and class registration systems
  • Register for courses for your first semester at MSU

Please note: this page is intended for Veteran, Active Duty, National Guard, and Reservist students (freshman and transfer) and undergraduate International Students (freshman and transfer). If you are a domestic (US) freshman, transfer, or non-traditional student who is not a Veteran, Active Duty, National Guard member, or Reservist, please see your Orientation session page: Orientation for Freshman students; Orientation for Transfer and Non-traditional students.

Program Overview

Timeline & Schedule

Additional Information

 

Program Overview

Welcome to MSU! All incoming, degree-seeking students are required to register for and complete Orientation, as it is how you register for your classes for your first semester. Signing up for Orientation is viewed as a student's intent to enroll. 

The respective Orientation sessions for Veteran (including Veteran, Active Duty, National Guard, and Reservist students) and International students consist of two required components: online Orientation and in-person Orientation.

Online Orientation

Online Orientation, which is hosted in the platform CatsConnect, walks you through meeting all prerequisite requirements for enrolling in courses at MSU. It includes items such as submitting transfer credit to review, completing your MyMSU checklist requirements, getting math and writing placements on file, familiarizing you with MSU's technological platforms, and setting up a meeting with your academic advisor and registering for classes.

Online Orientation must be completed before registering for courses.

In-person Orientation

Required in-person Orientation sessions are hosted for incoming Veteran and International students prior to the start of term. During the in-person session, you will have the opportunity to meet with your academic college, attend various information sessions, and connect with other students. You will also have the chance to meet with your academic advisor if you need to make course schedule modifications.

  • Veteran/Active Duty/National Guard/Reservist students will attend an in-person Orientation hosted by MSU Veteran Services. This session includes information on documentation and VA education benefits.
  • International students are expected to attend two in-person Orientation sessions:
    • In-person International Orientation, hosted by the Office of International Programs, that focuses on immigration rules and regulations affecting you as an international degree-seeking student. Be sure to bring your passport and Form I-20!
    • In-person New Student Orientation, which is hosted by the Office of Admissions, and is essential to your transition to MSU and allows you to become acquainted with MSU's practices and get answers to all your questions before classes start.
    • Learn more about International Student Orientation here.

 

Timelines and Schedule Information

Click on the term you're planning to start classes at MSU to view your Orientation information.

Veteran Students

  • Orientation registration will open on November 3rd, 2025.
  • The online Orientation pathway for incoming  Veteran students opens November 24 and must be completed before the start of the spring semester.
    • Online Orientation includes instructions on how to request academic advising appointments. 
  • The priority date to complete online pathways is January 2nd, but online Orientation will remain open until January 9th.
  • Students can register for classes once they have completed online Orientation pathway and met with an academic advisor, who will provide students with their PIN (essentially a one-time password) to access course registration.
  • In-person Orientation is 8:00AM - 5:00PM, January 12, 2026 in the Strand Union Building (SUB).
    • Students who are not registered for courses by January 9th will register during in-person programming on January 12th.
    • If students have questions about their schedule or would like to modify it, they can do so during in-person Orientation on January 12th. 

Students are not eligible to meet with an Academic Advisor and register for Spring 2026 classes until the dates outlined above.

International Students

International Students starting in the Spring 2026 term will register through the Office of International Programs.

  • The online Orientation pathway for incoming  International students opens November 24 and must be completed before the start of the spring semester.
    • Online Orientation includes instructions on how to request academic advising appointments. 
  • The priority date to complete online pathways is January 2nd, but online Orientation will remain open until January 9th.
  • Students can register for classes once they have completed online Orientation pathway and met with an academic advisor, who will provide students with their PIN (essentially a one-time password) to access course registration.
  • In-person Orientation sessions (both are required):

Veteran Students

Veteran students starting in the Summer term and continuing into the Fall term should register for and complete the Veteran Orientation programs for students starting in the Fall term. Plan to make and appointment with your academic advisor to select your summer classes and complete your online Orientation promptly after it opens in early May. Students starting in the summer term are eligible to register for classes starting May 1, 2026.

International Students

International students starting during the summer term should review their Orientation requirements and reach out to the Office of International Programs, globalstudy@montana.edu, for further information.

Veteran Students

  • Orientation registration will open on February 18, 2026.
  • The online Orientation pathway for incoming  Veteran students opens in early May and must be completed before the start of the fall semester.
    • Online Orientation includes instructions on how to request academic advising appointments and register for classes. 
  • The priority date to complete online pathways is July 8th, but online Orientation will remain open until August 21st.
  • Students can register for classes once they have completed online Orientation pathway and met with an academic advisor, who will provide students with their PIN (essentially a one-time password) to access course registration.
  • In-person Orientation is 8:00AM - 5:00PM, August 25, 2026.
    • Students who are not registered for courses by August 21 will register during in-person programming on August 24th.
    • If students already have a class schedule and would modify it, they may do so during in-person Orientation on August 25th. 

Students are not eligible to meet with an Academic Advisor and register for Fall 2026 classes until the dates outlined above.

International Students

International Students starting in the Fall 2026 term will register through the Office of International Programs.

  • The online Orientation pathway for incoming  International students opens in early May and must be completed before the start of the spring semester.
    • Online Orientation includes instructions on how to request academic advising appointments. 
  • The priority date to complete online pathways is July 8th, but online Orientation will remain open until August 21st.
  • Students can register for classes once they have completed online Orientation pathway and met with an academic advisor, who will provide students with their PIN (essentially a one-time password) to access course registration.
  • In-person Orientation sessions (both are required):
    • International Student Orientation hosted by the Office of International Programs, August 21-22, 2026.
    • New Student Orientation, hosted by the Office of Admissions, will be August 23-25, 2026. You may meet with your academic advisor and discuss potential changes to your schedule at this in-person Orientation.

 

Frequently Asked Questions and Additional Resources

Registering for Orientation

Veteran students wishing to register for Orientation can log into their MyMSU account and navigate to their Admissions Checklist. If registration for Orientation is open and you are eligible to register, you will see a link to register in the Orientation/Class Registration item. Learn more about registering for Veteran Orientation.

International students should review registration instructions on the Office of International Programs' Orientation webpage. 

Already registered?

Veteran students already registered for Orientation are encouraged to access their Orientation Confirmation page for the most detailed and up-to-date information on their Orientation program. As long as you are registered for Orientation, your Confirmation page is linked in the first line of the Orientation/Class Registration item in your MyMSU Admissions Checklist.

Want to get a headstart or some clarity on the enrollment process? Check out our Enrollment Roadmap.

International students are encouraged to reach out to globalstudy@montana.edu for more information on the International Student Orientation and requirements for international students.

Frequently Asked Questions

Students, either freshman or transfer, who are Veterans, active duty military members, National Guard members, and Reservists are all eligible for Veteran Orientation. You will self-report your Veteran status on the Orientation registration form. 

Your online Orientation in CatsConnect will walk you through finding your academic advisor and setting up and appointment with them. Please review the instructions for academic advising and course registration in your online Orientation modules carefully. 

If you register for Orientation before the online pathway opens (before November 24 for students starting in the Spring semester or before May 1 for students starting in the Summer or Fall semesters), you will receive access on the day the pathway is scheduled to open. 

If you registered for Orientation after the pathways are open, it takes two business days for our office to process your registration and grant you Orientation pathway access in CatsConnect. 

Please view our webpage about Placement for detailed information.   

Please contact the Orientation Office at orientation@montana.edu. Please also 
note that we can only make some accommodations based on need, not preference. The Orientation office can work with you regarding your one-day program, but you are responsible for establishing accommodations for your semester. If you have not already been in contact with the Office of Disability Services in preparation for your start on campus, we encourage you to contact disabilityservices@montana.edu or 406-994-2824.

 

Additional Resources

Enrollment Roadmap

All the steps from admission to enrollment!

Transfer Student Guide

Key information for transfer students.

Math and Writing Placement

Details about the math and writing placement requirement for incoming students.

Office of Veteran Services

Information and resources for Veteran, active duty, National Guard, and Reservist students.

Office of International Programs

Information and resources for International students.

Additional FAQs

Have more questions? Check out our full FAQ page. 

 


Questions? We're here to help.

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.

Email Us