University of Montana plans to invest in students as enrollment grows

MISSOULA — The University of Montana saw its largest enrollment jump in 15 years this fall semester.

UM has added more than 1,300 students since 2021, making it the largest increase in the student body of any college in the state. A 47% increase in the number of freshmen who have enrolled compared to 2020 was also reported on Tuesday.

University officials are looking forward to an increase in funding since more students bring in more tuition dollars. UM also plans to invest in its students with resources that will continue to allow students to take on the challenges they care about most.

"What we have here is really unique, that students can come here and really get their hands dirty in trying to address the problems of today. Whether it be public education, climate change, business, an affordability crisis we have here in Montana,” UM spokesman Dave Kuntz told MTN. “And so, that's where we've seen some of the growth. We have students who really want to come to UM and gain the education skills needed to go off and really make a difference in the world."

The University of Montana recently broke ground on a new residence hall, opened a new dining facility and finished work on a new indoor practice facility.