GI Bill and Military Education

ROTC SCHOLARSHIPS
For Tomorrow's Armed Forces Leaders

ROTC is how military kids earn money for college, while they're in college. They are a great deal to support your children's higher education - but there is also a great deal of misconception about what they actually are. Here are the most common ROTC Scholarship questions answered, at Military Hub.

WHAT IS YOUR OBLIGATION TO MILITARY SERVICE IF YOU RECEIVE AN ROTC SCHOLARSHIP?

You are obligated to join that service, but not your obligation doesn't begin until the first semester of your sophomore year if you have a 4 year scholarship. This is commonly referred to as the freshman trial period. For two and three year scholarships, your obligation starts upon completion of your service's summer training. College Program students have an obligation that normally begins after their junior year.

CAN ROTC STUDENTS BE CALLED TO WAR WHILE IN COLLEGE?

Absolutely not. Only trained personnel are sent to combat. ROTC and your college education is a prolonged training period, not preparedness for combat.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I FLUNK OUT OF COLLEGE ON AN ROTC SCHOLARSHIP?

Hopefully, you won't. But if so, your military branch will determine your obligation to the government. If you leave college before your freshman trial period, you owe the government nothing. If you leave after your obligation period begins, your payback is decided by your military branch. Of the three possible outcomes, you can be asked to enlist in the service; to pay back the scholarship money; or you'll get a second chance to stay in school.

The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs were designed to support the military in creating tomorrow's leaders for each of the armed forces. In exchange for a service commitment, the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program provides your child with money for college while he or she is attending college.

ROTC programs are designed to train today's college students to become tomorrow's armed forces leaders while they're still completing their college education. Upon graduation, ROTC members are commissioned (certified) by the President of the United States to serve as a leader in active, reserve or guard components of each branch.

The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program provides both full ROTC scholarships that pay for almost all tuition, fees and books charges for four years of college, and ROTC scholarships also come in one, two and three-year lengths. Each branch of military service has a specific set of courses and training that officers must complete prior to joining. Each branch then offers appropriate ROTC scholarships to eligible students.

For ROTC eligibility, you must take one military science course along with your other college courses and, upon graduation, enter the service as a commissioned officer. (There is no military commitment for the first year in ROTC, allowing you to pursue ROTC on a trial basis to see if ROTC is for you.)