University of Providence to Close After Nearly a Century
Board voted Oct. 27, 2026, to end academic operations; final classes Aug. 20, 2027. Montana will help students transfer or complete degrees.
The University of Providence in Great Falls, Montana, will cease educational operations after the 2026–2027 academic year. On October 27, 2026, the Board of Trustees voted to end the institution’s teaching mission after concluding that every viable path forward had been exhausted.
University President Dr. Caroline Goulet informed the campus community of the decision. “Today, I am sharing difficult news with our University community. After careful consideration, the University of Providence Board of Trustees has made the decision to cease educational operations. The last day of classes will be August 20, 2027,” she said. Goulet added that the priority is to support students, faculty, staff, and the wider community through the transition while honoring the institution’s Providence heritage.
Certain academic and administrative activities will continue after the final day of classes to assist students with grades, records, and transitions to other schools.
A Mission Rooted in Sisters and the Local Church
Founded in 1932 by the Sisters of Providence, the Ursuline Sisters, and the Catholic Bishop of Great Falls, the University of Providence has served as a Catholic liberal arts institution in Montana for more than nine decades. Its closure removes a longstanding center of faith-based higher education from the state and ends a mission begun by religious women and the local Church.
Years of Financial Pressure
The decision follows years of declining enrollment and mounting financial pressures. The university had previously declared financial exigency and pursued program restructuring, expense reductions, new enrollment strategies, and potential partnerships. None of those efforts secured a sustainable future.
Accreditation probation related to financial sustainability compounded the strain, as did the loss of authorization to serve online students in many states. For years, the school received about $8 million annually from the Providence health system. That aid was scheduled to end by 2027 amid the health system’s own challenges, removing a critical pillar of the university’s budget.
The Montana University System has offered assistance to help students transfer or complete their degrees with minimal disruption. As the campus moves through its final academic year, leadership has pledged to accompany those affected and to honor a legacy built by the Sisters of Providence, the Ursuline Sisters, and the Church in Montana.