The Army ROTC Scholarship Process
Whether you are a college-bound high school student or already attending college, Army ROTC has scholarships available awarded based on academic, athletic, and leadership merit. All scholarships have the option of paying for tuition and mandatory fees or a flat rate scholarship for room and board. Scholarships also provide an allowance for books as well as a monthly personal living expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between the National ROTC Scholarship and a Campus-Based ROTC Scholarship?
A: The National ROTC Scholarship is a four-year scholarship meant for high school seniors without college credit. A campus-based ROTC scholarship can be one, two, or three years in length and meant for current college students (to include transfer students and Running Start participants after graduating from high school). An SAT/ACT score is not required for campus-based ROTC scholarships. The benefit amounts for the National ROTC Scholarship and campus-based scholarships are the same. Contact our Enrollment Officer (rotc@ewu.edu) for more details and determine which scholarship process is right for you.
Q. It is my understanding that the ROTC scholarship (National or campus-based) would pay for tuition or living expenses but not both. Is that correct or is there a way to fund both?
A. Correct, the scholarship would cover Tuition OR Room & Board. Some applicants receive a four-year scholarship, but most applicants receive a three-year scholarship that offer the following benefits:
- Full-tuition scholarship or $12,000 for Room & Board annually, $400 per term for books, and $420 stipend per month
- Students that opt for the R&B scholarship are eligible for Financial Aid towards tuition based on eligibility
Alternative: If you are concerned about paying for school and making ends meet while in school, then consider the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP). This is a highly effective way to pay for four or more years here at EWU and receive a monthly income of up to $1,350 per month (mostly tax-free). Inquire with our Enrollment Officer (rotc@ewu.edu) for more details about SMP to see if this is the right option for you.
Q: I am a Running Start student. How does this process work for me?
A: If you are participating in Running Start through EWU, you can participate in ROTC classes without obligation to the military. Talk to your EWU Running Start advisor about signing up for Military Science (MLSC) classes that fit your schedule. All Running Start students (EWU or anywhere else in Washington) can apply for a two- or three-year scholarship that begins the fall quarter after graduating from high school. Contact our Enrollment Officer (rotc@ewu.edu) and let them know you are a Running Start student and your current academic status (college freshman or sophomore). You will apply through our Enrollment Officer directly for a campus-based scholarship.
Q: I am a transfer student. How does this process work for me?
A: We have two-to-three-year campus-based scholarships for qualified students transferring from another university or a community college. You will work directly with our Enrollment Officer to apply for a campus-based scholarship.
Q. When are scholarships announced and when is the deadline?
A. There are many variables that influence this process. More often than not, the deadlines are Spring/Summer, and the student will be notified as soon as the scholarship is approved- usually that Summer.
Army ROTC scholarships are divided into two categories: 4-year National Scholarships (for high school seniors) and 4, 3, and 2-year Campus-Based Scholarships (for incoming or current college students).
Scholarship Benefits:
- Full tuition and mandatory fees OR $12,000 annually for room & board
- $1,200 annually for books and supplies
- A monthly stipend of $420
4-Year National Army ROTC Scholarships
National scholarships are designed for high school seniors. The application window is during the first half of a student’s senior year and lies in conjunction with applying to college. The National Army ROTC scholarship program is run by the U.S. Army Cadet Command. The annual deadline to initiate an application for a four-year national scholarship is February 4th, 2025.
- Click here to learn 10 Tips for a Successful ROTC National Scholarship Application
ROTC National Scholarship Requirements
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be between the ages of 17 and 26
- Have a high school GPA of at least 2.50
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Submit ACT or SAT test scores
- Meet physical standards
- Agree to accept a commission and serve in the Army on Active Duty or in a Reserve Component (Army Reserve or Army National Guard)
If you meet the basic requirements, below are the instructions on how to apply for a ROTC National Scholarship. You can get about 75% of the application completed in under an hour.
ROTC National Scholarship Process:
Step #1: Create an account on the My GoArmy webpage. You’ll use your login credentials you create on My GoArmy for the application website in the next step.
Step #2 You need to complete an online application on the scholarship portal through this link. Applicants must initiate the online application by 4 March 2025. Remember your login and password for your cadet portal. Your login is the email you use to establish your account.
Step #3: Submit high school transcripts (at least through junior year) and SAT or ACT scores. You can upload PDFs through your account in the Cadet portal.
Step #4: Take the ROTC Basic Fitness Test. A coach or PE teacher can administer this for you.
Step #5: Conduct an interview at one of the university ROTC programs (ideally where your first choice of college is). We can do this any time here at Eastern after you start the on-line application. We are more than willing to conduct a virtual interview if you live several hours away. Please reach us through our Contact page or call 509-359-6110 to setup an interview.
ROTC National Scholarship Timeline
The Army understands high school students could still be in the process of taking SATs and ACTs during their senior year. Because of this the Army has three different boards that meet throughout the year to select ROTC scholarship winners. Below is the board timeline.
1st Board
12 June 2024: The scholarship portal opens to begin to build a ROTC scholarship application.
14 October 2024: All four steps listed above must be completed on the scholarship portal before this date to be considered by the first board. The application will not be considered if any of the steps are not completed. A benefit of completing the ROTC packet in time for the first board is that even if your packet is not selected it will be looked at again by the second and third boards thus increasing your chances of receiving a scholarship.
21 October 2024: This is the tentative period that the first board convenes and reviews every packet that applicants submitted by the first deadline.
2nd Board
20 January 2025: All four steps listed above must be completed on the scholarship portal before this date to be considered by the second board. The application will not be considered if any of the steps are not completed. A benefit of completing the ROTC packet in time for the second board is that even if your packet is not selected it will be looked at again by the third board thus increasing your chances of receiving a scholarship.
27 January 2025: This is the date that the second board convenes and reviews every packet that applicants submitted by the second deadline.
4 March 2025: This is the deadline to start a new ROTC scholarship application. If an application is not started by 1159pm EST, the application will not be considered by the final board. Those who already have an application open can continue to modify it passed this deadline.
3rd Board
17 March 2025: All four steps listed above must be completed on the scholarship portal before this date to be considered by the third board. The application will not be considered if any of the steps are not completed.
24 March 2025: Anticipated board date window to convene and review every application that was board ready by the start of the board.
Please view the below video for more information about submitting an ROTC scholarship application.
ROTC Scholarship Selection
Selection for ROTC scholarships are highly competitive and at EWU ROTC we recommend getting your application complete and seen in time for at least the second board. The majority of scholarships are issued from the second and third boards and getting the application complete by the second board will increase your chances of receiving a scholarship. Decisions on the scholarships awarded are usually released two to four weeks after each board. Periodically check the Selection Status tab on your GoArmy application to see if you were selected.
2019 ROTC National Scholarship recipient to Eastern Washington University received scholarship benefits worth $77,000 at the time.
If you were not selected after the third board do not give up hope of receiving a scholarship. There is a secondary process for applicants to earn a scholarship. Any ROTC program can make an alternate offer to applicants that were not offered a national award. We get many of our new, incoming freshman on scholarships using this alternate process. Applying for the national scholarship is simply the first step. It is very simple and easy for us to make an alternate offer, but you first have to put together the ROTC application.
Please contact the EWU ROTC office for any additional details about how the national scholarship selection process works.
2, 3, and 4-Year Campus Based ROTC Scholarships
Campus-based ROTC scholarships are designed for high school students (who missed the National application period) OR for undergraduate and graduate level college students. Applying or even accepting a scholarship does not obligate anyone to the Army until that individual officially commits (signs a contract). Most of the criteria is still the same, but the process is different and more stream-lined than the national process. Most of our Cadets on scholarship in ROTC received their scholarship through the campus-based process. There is scholarship money available and we will work hard to make your packet as competitive as possible to receive one.
If interested in applying for a campus based scholarship, contact the EWU ROTC Enrollment Officer at 509.359.6110 or rotc@ewu.edu.
Josh Browning earned a scholarship, completed his degree, and commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Field Artillery career field in 2023. You could be like him: Degree in hand, no student debt, and a well-paid leadership position immediately after graduation in one of many U.S. Army career fields.
Master’s Degree Scholarships
For those who graduate EWU and are thinking of pursuing a Masters degree, ROTC can help. We offer two-year scholarships to qualified applicants that will cover the complete cost of their Master’s degree. Not only does ROTC pay the full cost of tuition, but we will provide you $1,200 annually for books, and a $420 a month stipend as well. ROTC is way to pursue your advanced degree without accumulating more college debt. Contact us at 509-359-6110 or rotc@ewu.edu to learn more about our Master’s degree scholarships.
Minuteman Scholarships for Part-Time Service after Graduation
Something that many people do not realize is that joining ROTC does not mean that you are locked into active duty (full-time) service after graduating from college. Prospective cadets that know they only want to serve in the Army part-time after college in the National Guard or U.S. Army Reserves can take advantage of this scholarship option. Anyone qualified to receive an ROTC scholarship can apply for a Minuteman Scholarship. There are 2, 3, and 4 year Minuteman Scholarships available for qualified Cadets. Contact our Enrollment Officer to learn more about this option and which reserve service is best for you!
Alumni Supported EWU ROTC Scholarships
If you do not qualify for a national or campus based ROTC scholarship there are still even more scholarship options available to EWU ROTC Cadets. Our EWU ROTC alumni have also established scholarships to support our Cadets. We currently have two separate scholarship funds supported by our Fighting Eagles alumni. Click the below links to learn more about the criteria and how to apply for each scholarship.
Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship
EWU ROTC Foundation Scholarship
Cadet Kylie Crooks was a 2019 Recipient of the Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship.
Follow EWU ROTC
Keep up-to-date on all the latest news and notes from the EWU ROTC program and Cadet Command in general by subscribing to our website using the sign up widget in the right sidebar. You can also follow EWU ROTC at the below social media channels:
Remember if you have any questions about the ROTC National Scholarship process, please leave a comment, contact our office, or reach out to us through our social media sites. We are here to help and want you to be as successful as possible to receive an Army ROTC scholarship.
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