How U of Montana’s Grizzly Promise Makes College More Affordable

An aggressive initiative has been launched, intended to benefit in-state Montana students. Only time will tell if it goes far enough.

UM News Service informed us today (Tuesday) that the University of Montana has introduced the Grizzly Promise. It is a program whose mission is to ensure that Montana students will not turn away from a college education because of financial barriers.

The high cost of living is not lost on any of us. That includes students who are seeking a top-notch education, but fear the financial burdens it can place on their families who try to support their ambitions.

That's where the Grizzly Promise comes in, an effort to alleviate that economic hardship. That is according to Mary Kreta, UM Vice President for Enrollment Management and Strategic Initiatives. She was quoted by UM News Service as saying, "The Grizzly Promise initiative is aimed specifically at ensuring not a single Montanan doesn’t choose to go to college because of financial reasons. We encourage every Montana student and family who meets our simple qualifications to apply for admission.”

And true to her word, there aren't a lot of complexities in the qualifying process. Students who are eligible for support through the Grizzly Promise can renew their financial support each year for up to four years (8 semesters) as long as they maintain a minimum 12-credit course load each semester.

Funding for the program has been accrued through the generous financial support of the UM Foundation, from alumni and friends of the University of Montana. That scholarship support has made the Grizzly Promise a go for launch.

So, who qualifies?

The Grizzly Promise initiative is only available to in-state Montana students whose families have incomes of less than $50,000 annually. UM already boasts being among the lowest in-state tuition rates in the American West, using our neighbor North Dakota as one example, where tuition rates are 28% higher.

Naturally, there are a number of other requirements, but nothing you would likely consider  too restrictive. We hope you will check out the application page of the UM website. You will get all the information you need on qualifications and eligibility.

And that's a Grizzly Promise.