Military Science and ROTC Scholarships

The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is a college program offered at more than 1,700 colleges and universities across the United States. It prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military. The program is available in different branches of the military, such as Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. The goal of ROTC is to develop leaders for the military and better Americans

ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) Scholarship Programs offer a fantastic opportunity for students to receive financial support for their education while preparing for a career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. military.

ROTC Programs by Military Branch

According to military figures, ROTC programs are offered at more than 1,700 U.S. colleges.
These schools range from large, research-focused National Universities to smaller National Liberal Arts Colleges.
ROTC-affiliated schools can be found through a search on each military branch's website.

With the exception of the Coast Guard and Marines Corps, all U.S. military branches have ROTC and Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs serving thousands of students across the country.

The U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Space Force all have ROTC programs.

The military services' ROTC cadets participate in basic military education and officer training, which varies depending on their branch of service, while receiving higher education just like other students on campus.

The Navy's program includes a Navy Nurse Corps Option, as well as a Marine Corps program called the Marine Option NROTC.

Those choosing the Marine option have a similar experience as the main NROTC program, with slight differences in course requirements.

Air Force ROTC units at colleges and universities are called "detachments."

Students interested in the Space Force would join an Air Force ROTC program and then take steps toward becoming an officer in the U.S. military's newest branch.
In 2022, the first cadets to join the Space Force graduated and were commissioned.

Instead of an ROTC program, the Coast Guard offers a scholarship program called the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative.
Graduates are guaranteed commission as an officer in exchange for full funding for up to two years of college.

National Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Scholarships are awarded through a highly competitive national selection process. These scholarships provide tuition, books, stipend, educational fees, and other financial benefits.
ROTC National Scholarship programs: ROTC Colleges | My Future

What can I do with a military science degree? 

Military science students can pursue work as military analysts, information security specialists, law enforcement officers, and operations research analysts.

Application Process

• High School Students: Start the application process in your junior year.

• College Students: You can apply for two-year or three-year scholarships if you are already enrolled in college.

Army ROTC

Eligibility: High school students, current college students, and active-duty enlisted soldiers can apply.
Benefits: Scholarships cover full tuition and fees or room and board, plus a monthly stipend for living expenses and an annual allowance for books.
Commitment: Recipients must serve eight years in the Army, which can include active duty, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard.

Army ROTC Military Obligations

For the Army ROTC, you are obligated to serve only if you receive a college scholarship. You may enroll in the ROTC Basic Course during your first two years of college without receiving a scholarship and without incurring a service obligation.

If you receive a four-year ROTC scholarship in the Army program, you have different options. First, you could serve eight years as an Army officer after you graduate. Second, you could spend four years as an officer and another four years with the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), "where you'll return to civilian life but need to be ready to help in a national emergency," according to the Army.

Or, if you commission into the National Guard/Reserve, you will be obligated to complete six years of "one weekend a month, two weeks in the summer" training.

Is ROTC Like Boot Camp?

Students enrolled in the Army ROTC program receive training as part of their coursework, and they do not have to attend Basic Combat Training. But they must attend the Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC) after graduating.
BOLC typically includes a combination of classroom and field training.

Mission: Waterway protection and projection

Navy and Marine Corps ROTC

• Eligibility: High school graduates who are accepted into a participating college or university.
• Benefits: Full tuition, educational fees, a stipend for books, and other financial benefits.
• Upon graduation, midshipmen are commissioned as officers in the Navy or Marine Corps.
• Commitment: Service as a commissioned officer in the Navy or Marine Corps after graduation.

Navy ROTC (NROTC) Military Obligations

Midshipmen who receive a Naval ROTC scholarship of any duration have service obligations depending on which program they are enrolled in:

• Navy option: minimum of five years of active military service. Additional requirements may be added for specific job assignments.
• Marine Corps option: minimum of four years of active duty.
• Navy Nurse Corps option: minimum of four years of active duty.

Mission: Military operations in the air

Air Force ROTC

• Eligibility: High school seniors, current college students, and enlisted airmen.
• Benefits: Scholarships cover tuition and fees, provide a monthly stipend, and include an annual book allowance.
• Commitment: Recipients must serve as officers in the Air Force upon graduation.

Mission: Global space operations

The Space Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (SFROTC) is part of the broader Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program. 

This program is designed to recruit, educate, and commission officer candidates for both the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force while they complete their college degrees.

Here are some key points about the SFROTC:

• Educational Path: SFROTC allows college students to earn their undergraduate degrees while training to become officers in the Space Force.
• Program Structure: The program includes academic education, field training, and officer development programs tailored to meet the requirements of the Space Force.
• Commitment: Students typically do not have a military service commitment during their first two years in the program unless they receive a scholarship.
• Scholarships: High school seniors can apply for scholarships that cover up to four years of college tuition
• Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) and Space Force ROTC Military Obligations

Mission: Amphibious warfare specialists

The Marine Corps does not have its own ROTC program. Instead, aspiring Marines participate in the Navy ROTC Marine Option program, which is designed to educate and train young men and women for careers as commissioned officers in the U.S. Marine Corps. 

The Marine Corps Reserve Officers Training Program (MCROTC) is another option for leadership development and commissioning high-quality leaders for the Marine Corps.

Navy and Marine Corps ROTC

• Eligibility: High school graduates who are accepted into a participating college or university.
• Benefits: Full tuition, educational fees, a stipend for books, and other financial benefits.
• Upon graduation, midshipmen are commissioned as officers in the Navy or Marine Corps.
• Commitment: Service as a commissioned officer in the Navy or Marine Corps after graduation.

Mission: Law enforcement at sea

The Coast Guard does not have a traditional ROTC program, but they offer a similar program called the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI).

High school seniors, college, and vocational students between the ages of 17 and 31 can enroll in Coast Guard Split Training, which allows them to train for two summers and serve one weekend a month during the school year

Mission: Military's reserve components when activated for federal missions

The National Guard is a state-based military force that becomes part of the U.S. military's reserve components of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force when activated for federal missions. It is a military reserve force composed of National Guard military members or units of each state and the territories of Guam, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, for a total of 54 separate organizations. It is officially created under Congress's Article 1 Section 8 ability to "raise and support armies". All members of the National Guard are also members of the organized militia of the United States as defined by 10 U.S.C. § 246National Guard units are under the dual control of state governments and the federal government.

The majority of National Guard soldiers and airmen hold a civilian job full-time while serving part-time as a National Guard member. These part-time guardsmen are augmented by a full-time cadre of Active Guard & Reserve (AGR) personnel in both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard, plus Army Reserve Technicians in the Army National Guard and Air Reserve Technicians (ART) in the Air National Guard.

The National Guard is a joint activity of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) composed of reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force: the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, respectively.

For more information about the Tennessee National Guard, visit Tennessee Army National Guard