ROTC Scholarships

Starting with the National Defense Act of 1916, the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) continues to offer quality leadership training – in addition to helping finance college educations – in return for serving a commitment of time in a branch of the United States Armed Forces. ROTC can pave the way for students to earn a college degree who otherwise would be unable to afford one. In this guide, we cover the various types of ROTC programs available, merit-based scholarships associated with each type of program, and the resulting service obligation that starts upon college graduation.

Do you know that ROTC cadets can get full scholarships plus a monthly living stipend? Two-, three- and four-year scholarships are available in many of the programs. The monthly living stipend varies by type of ROTC and according to the number of years in the program. For example, the yearly living stipend from the Air Force ROTC begins at $300/month during the first year, and increases yearly to $500/month at year four.

ROTC is a college-based program that trains students to become commissioned officers in the various branches of the United States Armed Forces. While ROTC “officially” started in 1916, it traces its roots back even further. Before ROTC was officially brought under one federally-controlled entity in 1916, other colleges began to add military training to their curriculum as a result of the Morrill Act of 1862, when land-grant colleges were first established. Colleges established under the act were required to include military tactics in their curriculum. The mission of the ROTC today remains the same as it was upon the program’s inception: training students to become commissioned officers.

In 1819, Captain Alden Partridge, a former West Point Academy instructor, introduced the idea of training “citizen soldiers” at his American Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy, later renamed Norwich University. At that time, it was the only civilian educational institution teaching military tactics.

Beyond training qualified commissioned officers for all U.S. Armed Forces branches, there exist other goals beneath that singular umbrella. Goals for:

While the financial aid from an ROTC program is one of the main reasons people join, students will gain other benefits as well.

As there are over 1,100 schools offering ROTC, figuring out which branch and program to join can be difficult. Additionally, within each branch itself exist three different classifications that a cadet will fall into:

Students graduating from a ROTC program, or taking $3,500 or more in ROTC scholarship money during their last year in a ROTC program, will not earn Post 9/11 GI Bill eligibility for up to four years while on active duty. This can affect the service member’s plans if s/he was considering transferring GI Bill benefits to a spouse or dependent child, or planning to attend graduate school on the GI Bill after serving their obligation.

Once the four years are served, however, Post 9/11 GI Bill eligibility starts with full eligibility attained after serving another three years. However, while serving, ROTC graduates can still use Tuition Assistance. Prospective students should contact the Military Science branch at a school offering the type of ROTC you are interested in for more information about their program, service obligations and the scholarships available.

Each branch of the ROTC has its own set of scholarships, aid offered and service required in return for the money. As the level of financial aid increases, so too does the time a student must commit to spend in the military in order to effectively “pay back” this help. Additional, branch-specific scholarships are available to students upon enrollment. Below, discover scholarships and aid offered through each branch’s ROTC program, and what level of service obligation is required to receive it.

A great option for ROTC students looking to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), midshipmen (as they are referred to) are required to complete the following courses:

They must also participate in weekly drill instruction periods and attend two summer training periods, each four weeks in length.

Most of the requirements for the Navy Nurse Option are similar to other Navy ROTC applicants, including:

The Navy Nurse Option application is extensive and can take several hours to complete. At the beginning of the application process a checklist of all required information is provided. In addition to the initial online application, certain supplemental forms are also required, such as:

As part of the application process, the student will be asked to choose five colleges or universities. Each school listed must have a NAVY ROTC program or affiliation and offer a state or NLN approved bachelor’s degree in nursing. School choices do not necessarily have to be in the student’s home state. If offered a scholarship, the applicant must major in a nursing degree program leading to a BSN degree.

As a nurse midshipman, the Navy will pay all tuition costs, lab fees and provide a textbook voucher worth $250 per semester or $167 per quarter. In addition, a monthly subsistence pays at the following rates:

Upon commissioning, midshipmen incur an eight-year service commitment, as do all members entering the military today. However, the number of years that must be served on active duty vary according to the number of months of stipend received while going through nursing school. If you received one to 12 months of stipend, then you must serve four years on active duty; if you received 13 months or more of stipend, then your active duty service obligation is for five years. The remainder of your eight-year service commitment may be spent in a reserve status.

Once ROTC programs – and any active duty requirements – have been completed, members should find themselves prepared to excel in a variety of career paths, dependent on the courses they took while enrolled. Regardless of the path they end up taking, the common denominator for all graduates is the foundation of leadership and confidence that ROTC programs work to instill in all their cadets. These qualities, along with any specialized training received during their time in ROTC and the military, make those transitioning from a military to civilian career particularly well suited to a number of professional roles.

The Gopher Battalion commissions adaptive and agile officers into the United States Army, Army Reserve and National Guard through a holistic training and education program, focused on retention and a quality recruiting process. We strive to meet that mission by offering a classroom curriculum that focuses on developing college students into leaders who are adaptive, agile and problem solvers.

Leadership labs give our cadets the opportunity to apply the skills learned in a tactical setting. While earning a degree in the major of their choice, cadets receive leadership training in judgment, decision-making, values, ethics, communications, critical thinking, management and analysis. We strive to impart all cadets with a sense of self-motivation, discipline, initiative, service, patriotism and integrity.

Army ROTC selects, educates, trains and commissions college students to be officers and leaders of character in the Total Army; the ROTC program instills the values of citizenship, national and community service, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment. In regard to our program, as a host school centrally located in Minneapolis, we are surrounded by 12 affiliate schools, making it is an easy commute to our ROTC program. Our program has always placed within the top 10 percent of all the Army ROTC programs.

Army ROTC plays a great role in the shaping of tomorrows officers and leaders.

Besides meeting the admission requirements, there are other considerations to think about as far as if ROTC is the correct choice, in line with your future educational and career goals. Six things every prospective recruit should consider before joining are:

Many non-ROTC students walk across the stage at graduation with a diploma in one hand and a student loan debt of $20,000 or more in the other. If your family can’t afford to pay your way through college and you don’t want to start your working career deep in debt, ROTC can be a viable financial option.

Depending on the ROTC program chosen, you’ll be required to serve anywhere from three to 12 years (or more in the case of doctors), some of which will be spent in active duty. However, many ROTC graduates decide to stay in for the long haul, and pursue a military career. Others get out after completing their ROTC obligation and get into the Reserves or National Guard to finish out their eight-year military obligation.

If you already plan on enlisting, consider doing so as a commissioned officer, where you can receive higher pay, benefits, training and prestige.

Many physical training sessions start between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. The Army recruiting ad that stated “we do more before 9 in the morning than most people do all day” is as true in the ROTC as it is in the ad.

While leadership is a learned skill, it is easier to master if you have a natural inclination toward leading people instead of following. Examples would be class president, quarterback of the football team, head of the debate team, etc.

While having inherent leadership skills are important, everyone reports to someone, so you must be able to follow as well. Once commissioned and serving, failing to follow instructions down to the last detail can get a fellow service member or subordinate under your command hurt or killed.

Is ROTC right for you? Only you can make that decision. The information in this guide should help you come to the right answer. However, if you are looking for a way to get an education without incurring a mountain of student load debt, then ROTC could be a viable option. Not only will you get your education paid for, but you will receive the best leadership training offered anywhere – bar none. Once commissioned as an officer, you’ll have numerous opportunities to get practical experience by putting your leadership training to use leading troops. Post-service, you can exit the military armed with the credentials necessary to get high-level leadership or management jobs in many of the top companies in America today.