The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) readies college students to become commissioned officers in the U.S. Armed Forces. Participants combine military science courses with their regular college classes. In addition to their academics, they receive officer training, participate in drills during the school year, and attend summer training sessions.
These students may receive ROTC scholarships covering all or part of tuition, required fees and textbooks, plus a monthly living expense stipend, for one, two, three or four years of college (five years for students majoring in engineering), in exchange for a military service commitment. The service commitment depends on whether the ROTC scholarship recipient will receive a regular appointment or a reserve appointment, and can include four years of service on active duty. Students may try ROTC for a year without incurring a military service commitment.
Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship, age restrictions, having a high school diploma, achieving and maintaining an acceptable level of academic performance (including a specified grade point average (GPA) and particular SAT/ACT test scores) and passing physical fitness standards.
More information may be obtained from each service’s recruiting program:
