EducationWednesday, October 28
The University of Providence will close after the 2026-27 school year
The Good Day Great Falls team
If you have a student, a job or a diploma tied to the University of Providence, this one is yours. The Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to end educational operations, NBC Montana reports. KRTV says board chair Terry Cosgrove put it plainly: "We just needed to attract more students to make it viable."
Providence's closure runs through Aug. 2027
- Dec. 2025The Board of Trustees declared financial exigency.
- Oct. 27The board voted to cease educational operations after 2026-27.
- Oct. 28Individual meetings with all employees begin.
- Aug. 2027The university's final day of instruction, Aug. 20, 2027.
- Dec. 2027Providence Health's deadline for the university to be financially independent.
Sources: NBC Montana, KRTV NEWS Great Falls
Students, registration continues and campus housing stays available, KRTV reports. Some will graduate before instruction ends. Others will finish through a teach-out agreement with a partner school or transfer. The Montana University System is helping, and NonStop Local Montana also covers the announcement. KRTV reports individual employee meetings begin Wednesday.
- Transfer help: mus.edu/providence
- Montana University System contact: Angela DeWolf King, 406-449-9143
- Questions: questions@uprovidence.edu
- Argo teams will finish their current year of competition
Montana Free Press reports Providence health system was giving the school around $8 million a year and announced it would end that support by the end of 2027. The Electric notes the university's release did not say what happens to its buildings and property.
Providence reported 630 students on campus and online
- 630
- total students, on campus and online
- 397
- students taking classes on campus
- 312
- student athletes
- 15
- athletic teams
Source: The Electric