Question on UM (Billings, Missoula: apartment, rental, credit) - Montana (MT) - City-Data Forum

Davies_UK · 02-08-2011, 08:17 AM

I'm hoping to do either 1 year or 1 semester exchange from my UK University to UM. (Well, UM or Washington State University but UM seems to be more appealing at the moment!)

I was curious about the price of student housing, general day to day life, the nightlife/party scene, cost of living (e.g. food, drink), weather and accessability to larger towns/cities in Montana or other states and any other information you guys feel would be beneficial to an international student!

bongo403 · 02-08-2011, 10:03 PM

I can't give a lot of specifics on housing costs and how they compare to Pullman, but in general housing doesn't come cheap here. I also haven't been involved in the nightlife or party scene for awhile, but what i've heard from people who've attended Wash State is that you'll find a lot more opportunity for that at the UM than WSU!

Weather - well, our winters are long and cold. You'll see several sub-zero temperature stretches (a few days to a week or so) each winter. We do have a fair amount of snow. But Missoula is a nice place to live, and if you like outdoor recreation, you'll find it here. Downhill and cross-country skiing is within minutes, there are rivers to float, tons of trails to hike, golf, folf, camping, you name it. Definitely one of the benefits to living here!

bongo403 · 02-09-2011, 09:11 AM

And I forgot to mention, regarding the accessibility to larger towns in Montana... um, what larger towns? Missoula is the second largest, the only Montana city any bigger is Billings, and it's a 5 hour drive. Spokane, WA, is about 3 1/2 hours away by car - Seattle and Salt Lake are both an 8 hour drive or so. Flights out of Missoula tend to be expensive, with the exception of Las Vegas and LA, which are served by a discount airline (Allegiant).

Davies_UK · 02-09-2011, 11:09 AM

Thanks for the info. UM is definitely my firm choice now, the place looks so marvelous. The problem is I can't get in contact with the student who went there last year which is a major pain!

Regarding towns I was just interested to see what my prospects of seeing a bit more of the US would be, but it doesn't matter really, students can't afford to travel even if it is 5 miles away!

strudel42 · 02-09-2011, 03:24 PM

Hello Davies. Missoula is a great town, I would just caution you that if you're doing a "one semester" exchange, try to experience at least some of the summer here.... winter is pretty terrible unless you're one of those people who like snow (I know they exist but it's hard for me to believe). Coming from the UK I would think the winter here would be quite a change from what you're used to.

That said, Missoula is a great town with a lot to offer. In terms of housing you could probably find a one-bedroom apartment in the $500-600/month range, or go with roommates and find something quite a bit cheaper. Check Craigslist.org's Missoula page for rental listings. It's a lively town, but not a big one; we have some funky bars and live music somewhere pretty much every night. Missoula is a relaxed and welcoming place and I think you'd have no trouble finding people to hang out with.

Davies_UK · 02-09-2011, 05:21 PM

I am a bit of a snow fan, but I've never spent more than 4 weeks in the snow so I can see how it could take it's toll!

I would love to do the full academic year, it all depends if the course compliments the one back in the UK.

The size of towns don't generally bother me, I feel I can adapt and enjoy in almost all styles and a place like Montana seems to be full of activity, you just need to know where to find it!

Do most students go skiing often, or is the price not affordable for the majority?

NDak15 · 02-09-2011, 06:50 PM

I can't speak for student housing since I never went there, but your nearest city is going to be Spokane. I don't remember how far that is but the mountain passes in that part of Montana and Idaho are deadly in the winter. The town itself is about 65,000 so that may or may not be a shocker to you. Also keep in mind winters can get pretty cold.

bongo403 · 02-09-2011, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davies_UK

Do most students go skiing often, or is the price not affordable for the majority?

It depends on your budget. You can get student discounts at most of the local ski areas, and if I recall, you could even take a skiing class for HPE credit.

Cross country-skiing is a good option, you can pick up some used gear for probably $150 or less and it's normally done on public land so once you've got your gear, it's free!

Clark Fork Fantast · 02-09-2011, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davies_UK

Thanks for the info. UM is definitely my firm choice now, the place looks so marvelous. The problem is I can't get in contact with the student who went there last year which is a major pain!

Regarding towns I was just interested to see what my prospects of seeing a bit more of the US would be, but it doesn't matter really, students can't afford to travel even if it is 5 miles away!

You should absolutely make plans to travel in the summer months. As nice as the Missoula area is, it would be a shame to come this far and not do some exploration. There are ways for students to travel for little money--usually on campus there will be people looking for others to share rides to nearby cities. Just don't plan on hitchhiking--too dangerous these days. On long weekend trips you should be able to get to Spokane (WA), Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint (ID), Salmon (ID), Glacier National Park, and even Yellowstone. You could also get a return flight out of another U.S. international airport than the one you arrive at, so you at least get to travel to a major city (bus travel can be fun) and see some different scenery. I was amazed to see how many cities in the U.S. are served by BA:
British*Airways - Our network
You could fly directly to Missoula, and get a return flight out of Seattle, San Francisco, or maybe Los Angeles.

NDak15 · 02-10-2011, 05:51 PM

I can't believe I forgot to mention Coeur d'Alene. That area is so pretty. If you can get here in the late summer you can go to Silverwood. It's not a huge theme park by any means but a lot of fun nonetheless. You also should definitely check out Glacier National Park. My favorite hikes there are Avalanche Lake and Trail of the Cedars. Both were gorgeous. If you don't have time to really go and look for wildlife the National Bison Range near Moise (sp?) is nice, although it does feel a bit like a zoo since it is fenced.