New Veteran Admissions and Registration

Welcome to Montana State University Billings! 

While enrolling in college courses for the first time can be intimidating, below are some directions and links to help simplify the process. If at any time you have questions, or feel overwhelmed, please do not hesitate to contact the Military and Veterans Success Center. We are here to help you achieve your educational goals as smoothly as possible. 

MSUB Enrollment 

New Students - MSU Billings | MSU Billings

General Admission Information - MSU Billings | MSU Billings

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Getting Started

Veteran admissions are the same for all students with one major difference, veterans that have never used their benefits should apply for their GI Bill^® prior to registering for classes. The reason for this is so that your benefits will be "active" before you start attending courses. Failing to do so can result in out-of-pocket expenses as there is no way to confirm that the veteran is entitled to GI Bill^® benefits. Montana State University Billings does not make any determination on eligibility and relies on the student to provide that proof. MSUB Enrollment and applying for GI Bill^® can and should be done simultaneously. 

All newly enrolled veterans are required to fill out a New Veteran Student Intake Form and a prior learning assessment form. Both of those forms, along with their GI Bill^® certificate of eligibility, are then sent or dropped off at theMilitary and Veterans Success Center. GI Bill® benefits cannot be processed until these documents are received. Failure to following these instructions can result in a delay of benefits or school debt.

If you have questions about your next steps, you should download and view the Veteran Enrollment Checklist so that you better understand how to access on campus services and where to go following your school acceptance. 

If you would like a student guide on how to access your classes, view required course textbooks, order a parking pass, and more, download a copy of the New Student Workshop Handout. You can find workshop registration and information by contacting Veterans Upward Bound (vubmt.com). 

Certificate of Eligiblity and VA Application

If you have previously used Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits, you can obtain your Certificate of Eligibility by calling the Education Call Center at 1-888-442-4551 or recieve a copy of your benefits summery (can be substituted for your COE) at Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement Of Benefits | Veterans Affairs (va.gov) Please note that if it has been over two years since using your benefits, it is recommended that you reapply in order to avoid a denial of payment. 

If you have never used your GI Bill^® benefits before, you will need to Apply For The GI Bill | Veterans Affairs (va.gov). This process can take up to 60 days, so please allow yourself enough time before the start of your first semester of school. Once approved, you will need to send your Certificate of Eligibility to the Military and Veterans Success Center in order to get started. 

For more detailed information about your benefits, please refer to Veterans Affairs (va.gov) or contact the GI Bill® Hotline at 1-888-442-4551.

*Note- the GI Bill Hotline can also verify if you have been certified, number of credit hours you were certified for, and what your expected stipend payments will be. 

Transcripts

Students utilizing education benefits are required by law to send their transcripts,including military training transcripts, to their educational institutions. The reason for this is that federal education benefits can not pay for courses previously taken, including non-restricted electives. The only exception is if your degree program or next required course requires a higher grade then the one you currently possess. If you have attended a previous college or academic institution, please contact that institution for transcript requests.

Academic Transcripts

All academic transcripts must be official (see note below) and should be sent to MSU Billings at the following address; 

Office of Admissions
Montana State University Billings
1500 University Drive
Billings, MT 59101-0298.

Military Transcripts

Military transcripts can be found at the links below. If you served in the Army, Marines, Navy, or Coast Guard, we can order your Joint Service Transcripts. Air Force students will have to have their Community College of the Air Force transcripts sent to the Office of Admissions.

Former or current Army, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard can submit or recieve a personal copy of their transcripts through the Joint Services Transcript website. 

Former or current Air Force  students can request transcripts through the Community College of the Air Force Transcript Request and should send them to;

Office of Admissions
Montana State University Billings
1500 University Drive
Billings, MT 59101-0298.

*All transcripts must be “official” and arrive in sealed, unopened envelopes, or arrive by secure electronic transfer (not email) from the originating institution; i.e. CCAF, or JST.

Financial Aid

GI Bill^® Benefit Types and Payments

If you have questions about the current payment rates and what benefits are included, you can find this information at Comparison Chart/Payment Rates - Education and Training (va.gov) or at GI Bill® Comparison Tool | Veterans Affairs (va.gov).

If you have questions about transfering your Post 9/11 GI Bill^®, see Transfer Your Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits | Veterans Affairs (va.gov).*

*Transfer benefits is something that must have been done while you were in service, as it is a retention tool for mid-career service members. 

Yellow Ribbon Program

The Yellow Ribbon Program is there to offset the cost of non-resident tuition. If you are an out of state student utilizing the Post 9/11 GI Bill^®, please contact the Military and Veterans Success Center for more information! 

GI Bill^® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is avaialble at the official U.S. goverment website at GI Bill | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)