,·Private (Catholic, Sisters of Providence)·Est. 1932
“A small Catholic university in Montana built around healthcare and the Sisters of Providence service tradition.”
The University of Providence is a small Roman Catholic liberal arts university in Great Falls, Montana, founded in 1932 by the Sisters of Providence and the Ursuline Sisters as Great Falls Junior College for Women. The Sisters of Providence — a 19th-century religious order known for opening hospitals, schools, and orphanages across the Pacific Northwest under Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart — have been the sole sponsoring order since 1943, and that healthcare-and-service heritage still defines the university today. In 2017 the institution was renamed from the University of Great Falls to the University of Providence to reflect a deeper integration with the Providence health system, one of the largest Catholic health networks in the western United States. Academically, UP is built around two schools: the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Health Professions. The Health Professions side is the engine of the university — Bachelor of Science in Nursing (traditional, accelerated, and online RN-to-BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (Nurse Educator and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner), Bachelor of Social Work, behavioral health and addiction studies, exercise science, medical assistant certificate programs, and a clinical pipeline tied directly into Providence Health hospitals. The Liberal Arts side adds business administration, education, psychology, criminal justice, biology, and Catholic studies for students who want a small, faith-grounded undergraduate experience. Life on the 44-acre campus is intentionally small and residential. With about 630 total students and an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, classes are seminar-sized, professors know students by name, and the Argonauts compete in NAIA's Frontier Conference across roughly 15 sports. Great Falls itself is a working Montana city of about 60,000 on the Missouri River — quiet, affordable, with quick access to Glacier National Park, the Rockies, and Malmstrom Air Force Base. The combination of Catholic identity, healthcare focus, and small residential character makes UP a distinctive choice within a national landscape of much larger Catholic universities.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceFall — International Students
Earlier deadline than domestic to allow I-20 issuance and visa processing.
Fall — Canadian Students
Fall — Domestic (rolling)
Rolling admission; UP reviews complete files as they arrive.
Spring — International Students
Spring — Canadian Students
Spring — Domestic
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$32,000 – $33,000
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
The university's flagship school, with clinical partnerships embedded in Providence Health hospitals. Houses nursing at every level, social work, behavioral health, exercise science, and allied-health certificate tracks. Most students who choose UP are here.
The traditional undergraduate side of the university — small classes, a Catholic liberal-arts core, and majors that complement the health-sciences pathway. Pre-professional advising for students aiming at medical school, PA school, or law is run from here.
4 years
A four-year on-campus BSN with clinical rotations across the Providence Health system in Montana. CCNE-accredited, with strong NCLEX pass rates and a direct pipeline into staff RN roles in Providence hospitals after graduation.
2 years
A 24-month online MSN that lets working RNs train as primary-care NPs while continuing to practice. One of very few NP programs in Montana, and a clear advancement path for nurses already inside the Providence system.
4 years
A faith-grounded social-work program built around the Sisters of Providence service charism. Strong placements with Catholic Charities, behavioral health agencies, and rural Montana social services.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $30,448
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
