Student Life

Your experience at Montana State University can be as unique as the landscape we call home. From knowledge gained through hands-on experience in our world-class research labs, to making memories and life-long friends in your residence hall, to experiencing the outdoor paradise that can be accessed minutes from campus, your time at MSU will be filled with growth, adventure and unforgettable experiences.

My First Year

From the moment you step foot on Montana State University's campus there are plenty of opportunities to get involved, become connected and own your experience as a Bobcat. In your first year, immerse yourself in college life by forging your own path, making new friends, and becoming an engaged member of the Bobcat community.

Students in Bobcat Stadium for annual first-year “M” photo under parting storm clouds.

Two volunteers laugh as they fit a sofa into an elevator at MSU during move-in day.

Red-haired student walking ahead of his dad pushing a loaded cart on MSU move-in day.

Student painting the college “M” on the side of Mount Baldy, overlooking the valley below.

Student holding a paint bucket on Mount Baldy with the “M” and landscape in the background.

MSU mascot, Champ, offers a rose to a laughing female student.

Students with “first day of school” signs pose with MSU's president and mascot Champ.

An MSU student passes a s'more to another outside Yellowstone Hall during a barbecue.

Walking to Class

It's easy to become inspired by our beautiful setting while you stroll through campus on your way to class, the library or your campus job. After all, that's why MSU's tagline is “Mountains & Minds.”

Students walking near the Romney Oval on MSU campus with Romney Hall in the background.

Montana Hall at MSU amid a blue sky and yellow autumn leaves.

Hot-air balloon over MSU's engineering building and “Wind Arc” art installation during fall.

Snow-laden trees and lone person on snowy campus in front of Jabs Hall at MSU.

Students in winter clothing walk on snow-covered MSU campus with mountain peaks in the background.

Montana Hall at sunset with lights lining its roof and people walking nearby.

Student using drill press viewed through window in Norm Asbjornson Hall at MSU.

Student at a table with a laptop, framed by two rows of books in MSU's Renne Library.

Two students studying a large book in a room with vintage neon signs at MSU.

Study room in Norm Asbjornson Hall at MSU with equations written on glass wall.

MSU's “Wind Arc” art installation amid trees with red berries, with Norm Asbjornson Hall in the background.

Learning by Doing

At MSU learning is more than lectures and textbooks. Get hands-on experience in 300+ research labs on campus, join one of MSU's student art guilds to let your creativity shine, or pitch your business concept in front of real business leaders and win money to advance your idea.

In a green agricultural field, eight male students and one female student occupy two rows of desks. The instructor, a male, stands behind them. Except for the female student seated in the left-most seat of the back row, all students don baseball caps, and most boast beards. Clad in chap-like protective clothing, they are part of MSU's Farrier School, where they master the art of applying horseshoes.

From an elevated view, an MSU researcher and two female students are seen leaning over the ground from a seated position, carefully applying plaster to a three-foot, femur-like dinosaur bone on the ground. Dusty parched earth, adorned with small rocks, encircles the bone.

A female student wearing a lab coat holds up and examines a test tube.

In an outdoor scene, a male student with long blonde dreadlocks interacts with a female student holding two zucchinis in her hands. The two talk over a table laden with produce and flowers, which students have harvested from Towne's Harvest Garden at MSU.

Gathered around a table, three schoolchildren listen to a female student teacher from MSU as she gives a lesson. In the background resides a waist-high bookshelf and a green wall decorated with six floral paintings in a row.

A group of male and female students wearing business attire gather inside the New York Stock Exchange as they listen to a tour guide, who is gesturing with his hands as he gives a presentation. They are surrounded by a mass of digital screens displaying stock information, including a circular ticker in the middle of the room.

Six female students stand and sit around a table strewn with black-and-white photographs as they engage in what appears to be an intense discussion.

A female student wearing dark protective glasses bends at the waist to access a device that’s emitting a green laser toward the camera. The camera has been moved back and forth, creating the illusion that the light is fanning out into a green square.

In a forest, a student wearing an orange vest with pens tucked into the breast pocket holds up a rudimentary surveying device that looks like a tuning fork. He is standing up against the trunk of a coniferous tree.

A bearded male student stands before a potter's wheel as he dips his hands into the clay of a tall pot he is creating.

Weekend Adventures

With your studies taking place in beautiful Bozeman, Montana, you will have access to a vibrant community and an outdoor paradise. Imagine your Saturday morning starting off with coffee and crepes on Main Street before you hit the slopes, head out for a hike, or drive to nearby Yellowstone National Park.

Two skiers are racing down a snowy hill, leaving trails of snow dust behind them. There are trees on the sides of the slope, with more snow-covered peaks in the background.

Three young ladies are happily crossing a city street, having a good laugh.

In a snowy landscape, there's a group of three people hiking using snowshoes, moving through the snow-covered trees.

On the shore of a lake, there are two girls and a guy hanging out. The guy is sitting on a tree stump while the girls stand beside him. In the distance, there's a beautiful green forest and a rugged mountain range.

Five people, equipped with helmets and life jackets, are battling the river rapids in a raft. You can see rocks and plants in the background.

A man and a woman, carrying fishing gear in their backpacks and holding fishing rods, are walking along a trail with dried vegetation on both sides.

In a dimly lit bowling alley, three men are throwing their bowling balls down the lanes. There are six lanes visible, with screens showing their scores.

A hiker is sitting on the rocky peak of a mountain, looking over the vast wilderness below her.

There's a massive, brightly colored body of water with a wooden walkway running across it. A group of visitors is seen on the walkway, admiring the spectacle.

Experiencing Tradition

Traditions help us put down roots and build community, and some of MSU's date back to our founding in 1893. Join generations of Bobcats by taking part in events like painting the “M” on Mount Baldy and building a float for the annual Homecoming Parade. Take part in a new tradition like the Campus Rail Jam or meet students from around the globe at the International Food Bazaar.

MSU color guard member with flag leads marching band down Bozeman street, fall foliage in the background.

Four MSU students taking a group selfie on a mountainside with a portion of the MSU “M” and LED lights in the background.

The MSU “M” glowing on Mount Baldy under a starry night sky.

People in a round dance, viewed from within the circle. Three women in Native American skirts are near the camera, framing a smiling woman behind them.

Four smiling students in winter clothing pose behind a grocery cart filled with food, sign on cart reads 'I donated to the Can the Griz food drive.'

MSU marching band members in Santa suits and shoes with blue LED lights socialize, pink string lights on trees in the background.

Two students take a selfie holding a light-emitting cone, with a crowd in yellow light in the background.

A snowboarder descends a short hill on MSU campus at dusk, spectators and snow-covered buildings in the background.

Blue and gold balloons dropping onto graduates in caps and gowns at MSU's commencement ceremony.

Dancers in traditional American Indian regalia perform inside MSU's fieldhouse, their clothes creating patterns in the air.

Recent graduates in black caps and gowns celebrate at MSU's commencement ceremony, with various expressions of cheer and thoughtfulness.

Cheering on the Cats

With 13 NCAA teams, NIRA rodeo, and 25+ club sports, you'll never run out of opportunities to cheer on the Bobcats at Montana State. In 1916 the Bobcat was selected as MSU's mascot for their cunning intelligence, athletic prowess and independent spirit.

Bird's-eye view of Bobcat Stadium filled with fans in yellow. Two men in MSU No. 1 jerseys and cowboy hats stand in the foreground.

MSU basketball players celebrate in front of Big Sky trophies at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. They're wearing 'champions' t-shirts and making the number one gesture.

Female coach and eight MSU basketball players cheer from the sideline during a game, one player jumping with excitement.

Three MSU football players in blue and gold uniforms hoist the Great Divide Trophy, adorned with an MSU helmet, at Bobcat Stadium.

MSU rodeo team member in cowboy attire confidently rides a bucking horse in a rodeo arena.

MSU fan in blue and gold with an oversized 'Go Cats Go' foam hat, exhaling steam while cheering.

Cheering female student in a “Gold Rush 2022” t-shirt shaking a blue and gold pompom at Bobcat Stadium.

Male student in a blue 'cats' sweatshirt cheers on a winter day, steam visible from his mouth.

Cheering MSU football fans and students in yellow shirts lean over a railing at Bobcat stadium.

MSU photography by Kelly Gorham, Colter Peterson, Doc Cravens and Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez

We can't wait to meet you!

Come see for yourself why MSU is an unforgettable experience. Take a virtual tour, schedule an in-person visit, or attend one of our MSU Friday events.

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