Whether you're a college-bound high school student or already attending a college or university, Army ROTC has scholarships available. Scholarships are awarded based on a student's merit and overall grade point average. Army ROTC scholarships are merit-based and not awarded based on a student’s financial needs.
Army ROTC Scholarships Consist of:
- Two, three, and four-year scholarship options based on the time remaining to complete your degree
- Full-tuition scholarships
- The option for room and board in place of tuition (for those who qualify)
- Additional allowances for books and fees
Monthly Cost of Living Stipend
Army ROTC scholarships also include a monthly $420 stipend during each school year.
The monthly cash allowance is also available to all non-scholarship Cadets enrolled in the Army ROTC Advanced Course (3rd and 4th year students).
Who Can Apply?
High School Students
The application window for the Army ROTC scholarship opens in June of a student’s junior year. It is suggested that the student completes the application process before the first board convenes in October. This board is the selection method used to determine who will receive an Army ROTC scholarship offer. There are 3 boards scheduled for each academics school year (October, January, and March).
If you are applying for an Army ROTC scholarship, you first will need to create a MY GOARMY account. Once you create an account, you will be sent to the MY GOARMY Log In page. Once you can successfully login to MY GOARMY, you can use your newly created account information to login to the scholarship application site: http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/high-school-students/four-year-scholarship.html
Incoming College Students
Students that are enrolling as freshmen in a college or university that has an Army ROTC program can compete for a 3 year merit based campus scholarship. These scholarships are offered to students that have been vetted during their freshman year, and if the student has met basic requirements and have shown that they are deserving of a scholarship and contract. An offer could be made as early as the start of their sophomore semester.
Current College Students
Students that are currently attending college or university that has an Army ROTC program can enroll as a freshman, sophomore or rising junior. Merit based campus scholarship rang from 3-year, 2.5-year, and 2-year. These scholarships are also offered to students that have met basic requirements and that have shown they are deserving of a scholarship and contract.
Graduate Students
Two year Army ROTC scholarships are available for graduate students! Students can apply for these scholarships prior to attending Cadet Summer training by contacting the Scholarship and Enrollment officer. Since a graduate student will automatically start off in the junior year of Army ROTC, certain requirements must be met even before a student begins there graduate program in order to make up the prerequisite 100 and 200 level ROTC courses. Making up the prerequisite 100 and 200 level Army ROTC courses can be accomplished by attending Basic Camp. The Army ROTC Basic Camp is a 31 day long camp that takes place at Fort Knox, KY. It is similar to Army Basic Training but with a greater focus on leadership and preparation for succeeding in the advanced phase of Army ROTC. http://ciet.futurearmyofficers.com/
NOTE: Basic Camp is not required If the student is currently enlisted in the ARNG or USAR, prior military service or have 3 or 4 years of JROTC in High School
Current Soldiers Enlisted in the ARNG or USAR
Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) and Minuteman scholarships. The GRFD Scholarship is designed for enlisted Soldiers currently serving in the Guard or Reserves or for people who are prior military service and would like to commission into either the Army National Guard or Army Reserve. These scholarships allow MOS qualified veterans to draw GI Bill benefits while simultaneously receiving scholarship benefits. In keeping with high standards of excellence, candidates are selected for scholarships based on an evaluation of their scholastic achievement and extra-curricular accomplishments, not on the basis of financial need.
The U.S. Army Reserve Minuteman Scholarship was introduced in 2015 to enhance the Army Reserve’s ability to recruit highly qualified cadets every year. All qualified applicants for ROTC scholarships may apply for consideration for the 4-year Minuteman Scholarship. Each Army Reserve major subordinate command (MSC) has the ability to award four Minuteman scholarships per year.
The Minuteman Scholarship covers full tuition and fees (uncapped) at any college or university served by an Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) program, or can be used toward room and board, capped at $10,000 per year. Scholarship recipients also receive a yearly book allowance of $1,200 and a monthly stipend from $300 to $500 while attending school, depending on their year in the ROTC program. Minuteman Scholarship recipients must participate in the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP), in which they participate in an Army Reserve unit monthly drill and a 14-day annual training and are paid as a sergeant. After graduation and commissioning, Minuteman Scholarship recipients are guaranteed placement in the Army Reserve. For more information or to find an Army ROTC program near you, visit
http://www.usar.army.mil/Featured/Resources/EducationalBenefits/MinutemanScholarship.aspx
Language Majors
Language Scholarships the Army Cadet Command, in partnership with the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO), offers scholarships to Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students who enroll at one of the eligible Language Flagship centers focusing on Arabic, Chinese, Hindi-Urdu, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili, and Turkish with the goal of Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Level 3 proficiency upon completion of the program.
The Army will provide dedicated scholarships to ROTC students participating in The Language Flagship programs. These scholarships will provide support during the school year. DLNSEO will provide funding for the Flagship Overseas Capstone year, as well as cover attendance to Flagship approved summer intensive language programs to qualified ROTC students.
Army ROTC students who wish to participate in The Language Flagship must apply through Georgia Tech’s Army ROTC program. The Army Foreign Language Flagship Scholarship applications will be centrally processed by Army Cadet Command and interviewed and boarded by Professors of Military Science under the current guidelines. http://www.rotcprojectgo.org/
http://www.thelanguageflagship.org/content/rotc
Active Duty Enlisted Soldiers
The Army ROTC Green to Gold Division Commander's Hip Pocket Scholarship Program provides selected Soldiers the opportunity to complete their baccalaureate degree requirements and obtain a commission through participation in the Army ROTC scholarship program. Each year, division commanders may nominate deserving Soldiers for two, three, and four-year Green to Gold scholarships. Units are encouraged to nominate Soldiers that have exhibited the potential for further outstanding service to the United States and the Army as Commissioned Officer. Interested Soldiers are encouraged to follow-up with their chain of command. http://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/current-and-prior-service/advance-your-career/green-to-gold/green-to-gold-active-duty.html
Scholarships and Financial Aid for Military and Veterans
With more than a million veterans now attending colleges across the country, they make up a noticeable percentage of students on campus. However, 85% of these men and women are older when they start than the traditional college student is on graduation day. As a consequence veterans may not have access to the pool of scholarships a recent high school graduate does. To help in their search for scholarships we created a financial aid resource for veterans as well as active duty military service members. Another great up-to-date resource (as of January 22nd, 2020) is https://edubirdie.com/blog/scholarships-for-veterans.
This resource includes a wide range of financial aid including:
- Scholarships for every branch of the military
- Scholarships for families and spouses
- A guide to applying for GI benefits
3 Myths About Army ROTC Scholarships
A recruiting officer at the University of Massachusetts debunks the following three common myths about Army ROTC scholarships and gives more details into what ROTC will be like (https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2017-06-14/3-myths-about-army-rotc-scholarships-for-college, recent as of March 4th, 2020).
Myth 1: College Is Automatically Paid for.
Myth 2: Joining ROTC Means You’re Enlisting.
Myth 3: You Could Be Deployed.
Have Any Questions About the Army ROTC Scholarship?
Contact our Scholarship and Enrollment Officer at recruiting@rotc.gatech.edu .