IMPORTANT: The registration process NOW begins in the Spring Semeseter!

ALL organizations will be LOCKED starting 3/20/2026 at 7am. Read below to understand what that entails. To unlock your organization, initiate the new registration process below. 

Locked organizations are not visible on the organization directory but can still be accessed by members who have a link to the page. Any non-member will not be able to access the public page of a locked organization. However, with a Locked organization, only site administrators can make adjustments to the page. Officers cannot change or create content, but can still submit content, such as the organization's re-registration form as long as the submission was started before the organization was locked. Once locked, the organization will not be able to access an active registration. Members cannot leave the organization roster while it is in the Locked phase.

Groups that want to be recognized as an official Registered Student Organization at MSU must complete the registration process once each academic year. Please read all the information on this page to understand the new registration process.

New/Prospective Clubs are able to register on a rolling basis beginning March 20th for the reamining of the 2025-2026 academic year and the following academic year. The same steps apply beside the initial step!

Please allow 1-2 business days after completing each step of the registration process to allow for processing!

Steps to Registering a Student Organization 

1. Complete the appropriate form to indicate the current officers and advisor(s): This enables us to enroll those who need to complete a mandatory training course alongside the advisor agreement form. For renewing an organization: this form opens March 20th at 8am and will remain open until May 8th at 5pm. It will reopen for late registration on August 18th at 8am and will remain open until October 1st at 5pm. For new organizations: the form will be open all year (March 20th, 2026-March 19th, 2027)! You will have 30 days to complete the remaining steps from the day this form is submitted.

-- RENEWING A PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED STUDENT ORG: Fill out this form
-- NEW REGISTERED STUDENT ORG: Fill out this form

2. Mandatory Officer and Advisor Trainings: Those listed in the form above, will receive a CatsConnect Path Invitation (within 24-48 hours) to the updated training. The advisor training includes the link the advisor agreement form as well. For renewing organizations, once all trainings are complete, your organization's CatsConnect page will reactivate. If a new organization submits a registration form before the completion of all trainings, it will be denied until the prior steps are completed.

3. Find your organization on CatsConnect and renew your status or Register as a new organization!

Please use the resources below for detailed instructions. Please keep in mind that you will not have access to RSO benefits until your registration has been completed and accepted.

REMINDER: Registration is a team effort. After you submit your registration on CatsConnect, within 1-2 business days, OSE will send an RSO confirmation email to the listed president that your group is registered and also attach an official RSO recognition letter that you can use as proof of registration. Your recognition letter is your group’s "identification" for free room use in the Strand Union (as long as your group is NOT charging an entry fee or taking up donations or dues on a regular basis), court and field reservations for athletic organizations, and advertising space. 

After the late window closes, clubs will have to book an appointment with the RSO Program Coordinator via the OSE Bookings Page: Linked here.

Ifyou need assistance with the registration process, please stop by SUB room 222 or reach out to Cassie at cassie.brazinsky@montana.edu 

Registration FAQs & How-To's

In order for the Office of Student Engagement (OSE) to recognize a student group, the following minimum standards must be met:

  1. Have a clearly defined purpose/mission. 
  2. All executive positions must be held by currently enrolled MSU-Bozeman students.  All organizations must at least have 2 officers who acts as a President, a Vice President, and/or Treasurer/Secretary.
  3. Minimum of 5 members is required. The clubs overall membership MUST be currently enrolled students of MSU-Bozeman. Individuals not enrolled at Montana State University cannot be members of a student organization.
  4. Your organization must have a designated staff or faculty advisor who is employed by MSU at least part-time.
  5. The group may not exist to make a profit of any kind and hold a non-profit status.
  6. Your group must comply with University policies and regulations pertaining to organizations, including contents of the Registered Student Organization Manual.
  7. AFTER ALL THESE CRITERIA HAVE BEEN MET:
    1. Submit a complete Officer and Advisor Contact form.
      1. RENEW an EXISTING ORG
      2. REGISTER A NEW ORG
    2. Complete Officer and Advisor Training Modules on Canvas (Advisor Agreement Form is included in the training).
    3. Renew or Register the organization on CatsConnect with accurate, up-to-date information.
  8. REMINDER: Completion of the application does not guarantee registration approval. 

If you do not meet these criteria, please do not begin the registration process until all above criteria are met.

  • Free use of University meeting rooms and facilities (certain areas and types of events may have rental fees).
  • Free use of SUB mailbox (based on availability).
  • Free use of club locker space (based on availability).
  • Inclusion on CatsConnect to allow others to view your club information.
  • Use of CatsConnect to manage your organization and publicize events. 
  • Inclusion on the RSO listserv hosted by OSE.
  • Ability to participate in the annual Fall Catapalooza and Spring Involvement Fair to recruit members.
  • Access to a graphic designer to help with club graphics.
  • Access to training and leadership development by OSE.
  • Eligibility to apply for student organization funding (available through the student activity fee) through OSE and the RSO Funding Board.
  • Use of SUB advertising space:  Includes banners, posters, table tents, and information tables. All of these items must be reserved through Conference Services.
  • Use of the OSE SUB Union Marketplace TV advertising space.
  • Support from OSE staff for event planning, club travel, organization management and more!

 

  • Use this checklist to start your academic year sucessfully!
  • Please view the current registered student organizations as well as last year's to verify there isn't already an existing club that is either exactly what you want to start or very similar.
  • If you are wishing to start a club sport, you must meet with the Club Sport Recreation Coordinator before your registration is approved. 
  • If you want to start a club that is only slightly different than an existing club, keep in mind the recruitment barriers that may arise due to that factor.
  • Review the registered student organization criteria and application process (above) to decide if you want to move forward with starting a new club and the steps involved.

Use this checklist to start your academic year successfully! 

If you are wishing to start a club sport, you must meet with the Club Sport Coordinatorbefore your registration is approved. Please visit the Club Sports website for more information.

Select 1 category that fit your organization. Potential members will be able to view organizations by category when looking for clubs to join, so you’ll want to pick the category most relevant to your organization.

Organization descriptions:

  • Club Sport: An organization whose purpose is to encourage participation and engage its members in competitive, extramural sports. MUST be 100% student membership. (e.g. Hockey Club)
  • Cultural: An organization whose membership is to provide social and cultural awareness of various groups or to serve as a social support for international students (e.g. Chinese Culture Club)
  • Departmental: An organization representing a specific academic area or college (e.g. Engineering Club)
  • Fraternity: A social, fraternal organization composed of all male members. An organization in this classification must be a member of Interfraternity Council.
  • Honorary: An organization whose membership is based on academic achievements
  • Military: An organization whose membership is based on associations with the U.S. military (e.g. Veteran Student Association)
  • Professional/Career: An organization representing a specific profession or career (e.g. Business Club)
  • Recreational: An organization whose main purpose is to provide a space for recreational activities such as dance, hula-hooping, etc. (e.g.Salsa Club)
  • Religious/Spiritual: An organization whose purpose is religious instruction and fellowship
  • Self-Help: An organization who strives to provide support or a shared interest in the areas of mental or physical health, addictions or other issues that may impact an individual
  • Service: An organization whose chief function is to provide community service to the community
  • Social/Political: An organization associated with a political party, advancing a political candidate or addressing any social issue (e.g. College Republicans or Students for Progress)
  • Sorority: A social, fraternal organization composed of all female members. An organization in this classification must be a member of Panhellenic.
  • Special Interest: An organization whose purpose is to provide an opportunity for individuals to discuss and share information and/or participate in activities regarding a specific, non-academic related topic of interest (e.g. Book Club, Cribbage Club). You may also classify your group as this if you don’t fit into any of the other categories.
  • Student Government: An organization whose purpose is to represent group(s) of MSU students (e.g. ASMSU or Ag Student Council)

  • Log into CatsConnect, and select the grid icon in the top right corner and click "Manage".
  • Then, under "My Memberships", select your organization.
  • Click the hamburger menu (three stacked lines) on the left side, and then select "Roster" under Organization Tools.
  • This is where all you will be able to find all current members, pending members (meaning you have sent them an invite or they have requested to join), and prospective members (these are suggested users that may be a good fit for your organization).
  • By clicking the pen on the far right of each member's name, you'll be able to change positions.

Tip: You're also able to create unique positions for your club! To create a position, click "Manage Positions" towards the top right on the Roster page.

Advising & Club Support

  • Assistance with registering and starting new clubs
  • Guidance on constitutions and governance
  • Help with club management and officer transitions
  • Support for finding faculty or staff advisors
  • Conflict management and effective meeting strategies
  • Collaboration support between clubs
  • Policy guidance and compliance support

Training & Leadership Development

  • Annual Student Organization Leadership Conference
  • Officer and advisor required training
  • Leadership development resources

Marketing & Promotion

  • Flyer approval with free poster distribution service
  • Access to SUB digital signage (Union Marketplace TV)
  • Inclusion in Catapalooza and the Involvement Fair
  • Inclusion on the RSO listserv (Club Newsletter)

Space & Facilities Access

  • Free use of many university meeting rooms (rental exceptions may apply)
  • Reservation support for SUB, classrooms, and outdoor spaces
  • Access to SUB mailboxes (based on availability)
  • Access to RSO locker storage (based on availability)
  • Support navigating Strand Union and facility policies

Insurance & Risk Management

  • Assistance securing Certificates of Insurance for off-campus events
  • Policy guidance related to alcohol, drugs, hazing, and liability
  • Risk management advising for events and travel

Accessibility Support

  • Guidance on creating accessible events
  • Information about available accommodations and assistive resources
  • Ongoing Communication
  • Direct access to OSE staff for questions and troubleshooting

The RSO Handbook is intended to be a summary of certain matters of interest to registered student organizations (RSOs), it can be downloaded here!