Homeschool benefits and savings in Bozeman
Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman lets homeschooling families in free on Homeschool Mondays, the second Monday of each month during the school year, for your students and one chaperone. Montana homeschool groups and families can also book a free field trip any weekday of the school year by requesting it at least two weeks ahead.
Benefits in Bozeman
- Museum of the Rockies homeschool days
- Montana State University Honors scholarships for homeschool students
- Gallatin College One-Two-Free dual enrollment
Museum of the Rockies homeschool days
Who qualifies
Homeschools your children
Homeschool Mondays are free for homeschooling families, covering the students and one chaperone.
Registers before visiting
Families who are not museum members must register for each Homeschool Monday through the links on the museum's calendar page.
Lives in Montana for field trips
Free field trip admission is offered to Montana homeschool groups and families, with one caregiver per family admitted free.
Brings 10 children for tours
Groups booking special programs or tours need at least 10 children old enough to take part, all arriving at the same scheduled time.
What admission costs
The prices are the museum's regular one-day general admission rates, which homeschool students and one chaperone skip on these visits.
- Homeschool students
- Free
- One chaperone per family
- Free
- Each additional adult, ages 18-64
- $20
- Each additional senior, 65 and older
- $17
- Children from birth to age 4
- Free
The homeschool page does not say whether a planetarium show is included. Public Taylor Planetarium shows cost $6 per person age 5 and older on top of admission, so ask when you register.
How to visit
- Before you go
Register on the calendar
Nonmembers sign up for the Homeschool Monday they plan to attend through the museum's online calendar.
- Second Monday of the month
Visit free
Bring your students and one chaperone. There is no Homeschool Monday when the date falls on a national holiday.
- Two weeks ahead
Request a group field trip
Use the field trip request form and list several backup dates. The museum replies within about a week.
- On the day
Arrive together
Homeschool groups follow the same field trip rules as K-12 schools. Call 406-994-2260 if you will be more than five minutes late.
What it includes
Included
- Admission for homeschool students
- One chaperone or caregiver per family
- A scavenger hunt on request for grades 2-12
Not included
- Additional adults
- Homeschool Mondays on national holidays
Who to contact about homeschool visits
The museum's visitor team answers questions about field trip requests and help with cost barriers through the Opening Doors fund.
visitmor@montana.edu 406-994-2251 Homeschool programs
Montana State University Honors scholarships for homeschool students
Who qualifies
Starts college in fall 2027
The scholarship is for incoming first-time, first-year freshmen, and awards cannot be deferred to a later year.
Has a 3.7 unweighted GPA
Applicants need a 3.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Recipients usually have a 3.9 or higher and rank in the top 3% of their class; students below 3.7 who think they are competitive can contact the Honors College.
Is admitted to MSU first
Your student must be accepted to Montana State before completing the scholarship application. Montana residents and nonresidents can both apply.
Applies as a homeschool student
Homeschool students are eligible. The Honors College asks homeschool applicants to call for guidance on presenting themselves through the standard application, which asks for a counselor and two recommenders.
What it is worth
The Honors College values the awards over four years at Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 tuition rates.
- Presidential stipend, per year
- $4,000
- Provost stipend, per year
- $1,000
- Presidential, four years, Montana resident
- Over $42,000
- Presidential, four years, nonresident
- Over $140,000
- Provost, four years, Montana resident
- Over $30,000
- Provost, four years, nonresident
- Over $128,000
The waiver covers tuition but not fees. MSU applies the stipend to fees, including room and board, first and pays your student any amount left.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Get admitted to MSU
Apply to Montana State, claim your student's NetID once admitted, and submit the General Scholarships Application in the Cat$cholarships portal.
- By Dec. 1, 2026
Submit the application
Complete the Presidential Scholarship application in Cat$cholarships. The counselor and two recommenders upload through emailed links, and the portal closes at the deadline.
- Early February
Learn about finalists
Students with complete applications hear their Honors College admission decision and whether they are finalists.
- Late February
Interview
Finalists are invited to a virtual interview in the last week of February, and award decisions go out by email soon after.
- Each year
Keep the award
Stay enrolled full time, active in the Honors College, and above the required GPA and credit totals, for up to eight fall and spring semesters.
What it pays for
Covered
- Full tuition
- Yearly stipend of $4,000 or $1,000
- Priority registration
Not covered
- Fees, until the stipend is applied
- Summer semesters
- Deferral to a later year
The tuition waiver pays tuition, and the stipend goes to fees first, including room and board, with any balance paid to your student.
Who to contact
The Honors College, in Norm Asbjornson Hall, Room 347, runs the Presidential Scholarship and advises homeschool applicants on how to complete it.
Gallatin College One-Two-Free dual enrollment
Who qualifies
Lives in Montana
Dual enrollment and early college courses are for Montana resident high school and home school students.
Is 16 or older
Early college courses online or in person are offered to students ages 16 and older.
Meets course prerequisites
Some courses need placement scores or approval from the Dual Enrollment Coordinator, and campus courses open only if seats remain after degree-seeking students register.
Meets immunization rules
Students taking courses on the Gallatin College or MSU campuses must meet Montana State University's immunization requirements before class starts.
What it is worth
Gallatin College says One-Two-Free covers tuition for two courses up to 6 credits, and later credits cost half-price tuition of around $60 per credit.
- First course (3 credits)
- $0
- Second course (3 credits)
- $0
- Third course (3 credits)
- About $180
- Each credit after the first 6
- About $60
- University fees
- $0
Some college-credit-only courses add course fees or require textbooks and materials, and the BIOM 251 lab lists an extra $100 fee.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Pick a course
Review Gallatin College's online and campus offerings and email Enrollment Coordinator Jessi Cannaday to book an advising appointment if you have questions.
- June 22 for fall
Apply through the gateway
Fall 2026 applications opened June 22 through the Dual Enrollment Gateway, and registration opened July 1.
- About 10 days later
Watch for a bill
After registration is processed, you get an email listing any tuition not covered by One-Two-Free.
- First 15 class days
Withdraw cleanly if needed
Withdraw within the first 15 days of classes to leave no record. Later withdrawals show a W, and a student who just stops attending gets an F.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition for two courses, up to 6 credits
- Half-price tuition after that
- University fees
Not covered
- Some course fees
- Textbooks and course materials
Who to contact
Gallatin College answers questions about dual enrollment, early college courses, and One-Two-Free.
gallatincollege@montana.edu 406-994-5536 Early College courses
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Montana
You must notify the county superintendent each school fiscal year. State law does not set a specific calendar deadline.
Montana sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide an organized course covering the public-school basic instructional program and meet grade-level aggregate hours: 720 for grades 1–3 and 1,080 for grades 4–12. Kindergarten is 360 hours half-time or 720 full-time. For graduating seniors, 1,050 hours may suffice; statutory proficiency exceptions may apply.
- Testing: Montana does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Montana requires you to keep attendance records and make them available to the county superintendent on request. Current homeschool law does not require immunization records.
- Teachers: No state teaching-license or degree requirement for a homeschool parent.
Montana also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- Montana's special-needs Education Savings Account reimburses approved tuition, curriculum, tutoring, and therapy costs for students with a qualifying disability. Check the program's current notices: a court stay has affected when it operates.
Read the Montana homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Montana
Questions parents ask
- Do museum members need to register for Homeschool Mondays?
- No. The registration requirement applies to nonmembers, and members already have unlimited access to the museum.
- Can we come on a different weekday than Homeschool Monday?
- Yes, as a field trip. Homeschool group field trips run Monday through Friday during the school year, but you must book them at least two weeks ahead.
- Can a homeschool student win the Presidential Scholarship?
- Yes. The Honors College says homeschool students are eligible and have historically succeeded at about the same rate as public and private school applicants.
- How competitive is the Presidential Scholarship?
- In 2026, MSU reviewed 1,216 completed applications and gave 22 Presidential Scholarships and 1 Provost Scholarship.
- Can a homeschooled student use One-Two-Free at Gallatin College?
- Yes. Gallatin College's early college option is for Montana high school and home school students age 16 and older, and One-Two-Free covers their first two courses.
- Will a One-Two-Free course count toward our homeschool graduation requirements?
- Not by design. Gallatin College says its on-campus early college courses are not intended to substitute for high school credit in homeschool curricula; they build toward a college degree, so you decide how to record them.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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