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Montana HiSET® Requirements

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About the Montana HiSET® Exam

The following policies apply to anyone taking the HiSET® exam in Montana.

When you schedule an appointment, you will need to confirm that you have read and understand these policies. See the Montana high school equivalency testing program website for more information.

**Montana has partnered with Diploma Sender to manage High School Equivalency (HSE) credentials and transcripts. Diploma Sender is the sole entity entrusted to provide an official high school equivalency attainment record for Montana HSE earners. Please visit DiplomaSender.com or contact them directly at 855-313-5799 for further assistance.**

 

Note: HiSET Test at Home (live online proctored exam) will be discontinued in Montana on September 1, 2025.

Montana Eligibility Requirements

To take the HiSET exam in Montana, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

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Age

You must be at least 16 years of age to take the HiSET exam, and you cannot be enrolled in high school. Note: If you are 16, 17 or 18 years of age, there are additional requirements and policies that apply.

  • If you are 16 years of age and currently enrolled in high school you cannot take the HiSET test.
  • If you are 16 years of age and not enrolled in high school because of special circumstances, you must submit all of the following documentation for an age requirement waiver to the Montana State HiSET Administrator for review and approval prior to being able to schedule an appointment for testing:
    • Completed, signed and notarized 16-year-old Age Waiver Application Form with required school documentation attached (1C) demonstrating consensus of applicant; school officials; and applicant’s parent/legal guardian that the HiSET testing program is considered in the best educational interest of the applicant.
    • Original letter from an Adult Basic Education (ABE) Director or Literacy Program Director certifying that the applicant has enrolled in and attended HiSET preparation classes and is academically prepared to attempt the HiSET exam; and/or documentation from same source certifying the applicant obtained pre-test scores substantiating preparedness for the official HiSET exam.
    • Letter of documentation, on official letterhead, establishing applicant’s need to obtain a high school equivalency credential through the HiSET test at age 16, originally signed and coming from one of the following:
      • post-secondary admissions officer
      • employer requiring high school equivalency for employment purposes
  • If you are 17-18 years of age, you must provide the test center or the Montana High School Equivalency Administrator appropriate documentation before you will be allowed to register to test:
    • For in-person testing at a test center, see the High School Equivalency 17 & 18 Year Old Information document and submit the school withdrawal letter to Chief Examiner at your testing center.
    • For online proctored testing, complete the High School Equivalency 17 & 18 Year Old Application for Online Proctored Tests and submit the application and withdrawal documentation to the Montana High School Equivalency Administrator.
    • Test Takers with previous high school enrollment:
      • An original, official school document that clearly identifies you by name and date of birth, provides your last school enrollment date, and is signed by the chief education officer verifying that you have been advised of in-school and alternative educational options.
      • Letter of approval on school letterhead, originally signed by the chief education officer of the last school attended, documenting your last school enrollment.
    • Test Takers with no previous high school enrollment:
      • Letter of documentation on school letterhead, originally signed by the chief education officer in the public school district in which you currently reside, certifying you have not enrolled in the public school and have been advised of local in-school options.
      • You can only provide this documentation if you last attended school out-of-state and are able to demonstrate the inability to obtain an official withdrawal document for the last school you attended.
  • If you are 19 or older, you do not have any additional age-related policies or requirements.

Residency

You must be a resident of Montana to take the HiSET exam at a test center in Montana. You will need to provide proof that you live in Montana with a valid driver’s license or other proof of residency. Contact your state office for information about proof of residency. If testing on a military installation or in a federal correctional institution, you must claim Montana as your state of residency.

Test Preparation or Instruction

Montana does not require you to prepare for the HiSET exam in an adult education classroom, but it is recommended.

Identification

You must present identification on test day at the HiSET test center. Outdated or expired identification will not be accepted. Acceptable forms of identification include:

  • Valid driver’s license
  • Passport
  • Military ID
  • Other form of government-issued (national or foreign) identification that shows name, address, date of birth, signature and photograph

HiSET Montana Testing Options and Fees

Total fees per paper subtest
Up to$20

Total expected fees to complete the HiSET assuming no retake attempts and completion in a single calendar year:

Up to $100
Subtest fee breakdown:
Test Fee:
$15
Test Center Fee:
Up to $5 (see details)
State Admin Fee:
$0
Test Location:
Test Center
Total fees per computer subtest
Up to $20

Total expected fees to complete the HiSET assuming no retake attempts and completion in a single calendar year:

Up to $100
Subtest fee breakdown:
Test Fee:
$15
Test Center Fee:
Up to $5 (see details)
State Admin Fee:
$0
Test Location:
Test Center

Note: HiSET Test at Home (live online proctored exam) will be discontinued in Montana on September 1, 2025.

Total fees per @Home subtest
$32.50

Total expected fees to complete the HiSET assuming no retake attempts and completion in a single calendar year:

$162.50
Subtest fee breakdown:
Test Fee:
$15
Remote Proctor Fee:
$17.50
State Admin Fee:
$0

Test Location: Offsite, remote proctored. System requirements and test environment guidelines must be met.

Test center fees in Montana vary by location.

Test Center Location

Fee

Billings, Hardin, Lewistown

$0

Browning, Glendive, Havre, Livingston, Miles City

$3

Bozeman, Butte, Hamilton, Helena, Kalispell, Libby, Missoula, Poplar, Pablo

$5

Great Falls

    All five subtests together
   Single subtests and retests

 

$5
$2

Retesting

What to know

HiSET test takers may take each subtest a maximum of three (3) times in a calendar year.

How it works

If you take your first official HiSET subtest in the month of January and then take two retakes at a test center in the months of February and March, you would not be permitted to take that subtest again until the next calendar year starting in January, and you would then need to pay the full test price.

What it costs

You may retake each subtest two times over the 12 months following your first attempt by paying only the test center fee (noted above for each in-person subtest) or the at-home online proctor fee ($17.50 for each at-home subtest).

 

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