How to Homeschool High School in Montana (2026): Diplomas, Six Free College Credits, and College

How Homeschool High School Works in Montana

Montana homeschooling runs on a yearly notice to your county superintendent stating your intent to homeschool. You keep attendance and instructional records and teach the required subjects, but the state asks for no testing, no portfolio review, and no evaluator. That light touch carries straight through high school, where the state stays out of the way entirely.

Montana sets no graduation requirements, so through high school you decide what your diploma requires, you keep the transcript, and you issue the diploma. A parent-issued Montana homeschool diploma is valid for college, work, and the military, with no GED required. Colleges read homeschool transcripts routinely, and a strong test score or dual credit settles any question about rigor, which the sections below cover. We explain the notice in the Montana homeschooling guide.

Set Graduation Requirements and Build the Transcript

Because Montana sets no requirements for homeschoolers, you set your own, often modeled on a standard college-prep pattern: four years of English, three or four of math, three of science and social studies, plus electives, the arts, and physical education. Write the plan at the start of ninth grade and build the transcript as you go, listing each course, its credits, and the grade, with a cumulative grade average. Keep it clean and signed, and build it year by year rather than reconstructing four years of coursework the spring before graduation.

Because Montana requires no outside testing, your transcript plus a voluntary ACT or SAT score carries the weight for admissions, so plan that test even though the state does not ask for one, and note any dual credit your student earns. A free reading assessment shows you where your student stands before you map the four-year plan, so the courses you schedule for ninth and tenth grade match real skill level rather than a guess.

Six Free College Credits Through One-Two-Free

This is Montana's standout offer for homeschooled teenagers. The Montana University System runs One-Two-Free, which gives eligible students two dual enrollment courses, up to six credits, at no cost, and the eligibility rules name Montana high school and homeschool students directly, so your student qualifies without enrolling in a public school. Those six free credits stretch across the high school years, so you can spread them out or use them in a single strong semester.

After the six free credits, your student pays a reduced dual enrollment rate rather than full tuition, and families who participate in a qualifying assistance program can apply for a hardship scholarship to cover additional courses. Contact a Montana University System campus dual enrollment office to confirm how homeschoolers register and which courses qualify, since the process can vary a little by campus. Used well, One-Two-Free plus a few paid courses can put a semester of transferable credit on your student's record before graduation, which is a real financial head start into college. We link the details in our Montana homeschooling guide.

The Diploma and College Admission

Montana colleges admit homeschool graduates on a parent transcript, and the University of Montana, Montana State, and Montana Tech all take homeschool applicants. A well-built transcript is the foundation, and a voluntary ACT or SAT score plus any dual credit give admissions outside measures, so plan the test for junior year with room to retake if the first score does not reflect your student's ability.

Keep your One-Two-Free college transcript with your records, since that credit transfers within the state system and strengthens an application on its own. When your student meets the requirements you set, you issue the diploma, dated and signed, and it stands for college, employment, and the military. The full high school planning guide is a resource for planning the high school years, from sequencing courses to organizing the records colleges expect to see.

Students With Learning Differences

If your student had an Individualized Education Program in public school, those services end when you begin homeschooling, and that includes high school. You can build accommodations into your own program, and college disability services open once your student enrolls, including through dual enrollment. Plan documentation early, since colleges and ACT or SAT testing accommodations can ask for recent records.

A Note from Homeschool Teacher Guide: What This Really Means for You

Montana asks little of you, a yearly notice to the county superintendent, and gives back something real: six free college credits your student can claim by name through One-Two-Free. Do not leave those on the table. Plan a couple of dual enrollment courses across the high school years, add a few paid ones if the reduced rate fits your budget, and your student walks into college with transferable credit already earned.

Build a clean transcript to hold it, and schedule the ACT or SAT yourself, since the state will never prompt you. That combination opens admission and shortens the degree ahead. Our Montana homeschooling guide covers the notice.