FAQs

Scholarships are awarded nationally. Local NROTC units do not accept scholarship applications or offer scholarships to individuals. The application for an NROTC scholarship can be completed online via the official NROTC website.

Similar to most colleges and universities, the NROTC program is looking for well rounded candidates. The three most important areas are high school grades, SAT/ACT scores, and participation in extra-curricular activities. Having leadership positions in extracurricular activities is an additional benefit. More information can be found at the Naval Education Training Command's NROTC website.

Use the Reading score.

No. You must pick five schools that you would like to take your NROTC scholarship to when you apply. You will be awarded your scholarship for a specific school. When you receive your scholarship nomination, you will receive instructions on how to change schools if you desire to do so.

Yes. If you are not awarded a scholarship, you can join the program as a College Program student. The scholarship selection board for College Program students is more concerned about performance in college than standardized test scores. If you join as a College Program student and perform well, you will be eligible to compete for a three-year scholarship, activated during your sophomore year of college, or a two-year scholarship, activated during your junior year.

Yes. The selection criteria for College Program students are more lenient and students with lower high school GPAs are still encouraged to apply.

If you have 30 college credits or fewer, then you are still eligible for the four-year national scholarship and can apply through the normal process. If you are a sophomore or below in standing with more than 30 college credits, you can still join as a college programmer and compete for a two or three-year national scholarship. Students with less than two years of coursework remaining for their degree are not eligible to apply.

Students are expected to perform well academically, stay in good physical shape, maintain high morals, and develop as a Naval officer. In addition, students have the opportunity to participate in many activities while they are in the NROTC program.

You will be a fully integrated member of the U of I Battalion. In addition to being a student at WSU, you must apply to be a non-degree seeking transfer student at U of I in order to take your Naval Science classes. As a WSU student you will have to travel to U of I for PT, class, and other Battalion events. Having a car is helpful, but not mandatory. The WSU Battalion members cooperate together to ensure that transportation is available. Upperclassmen often assist freshmen without cars.

College Program Selection Boards begin in early June, and the final round of selections will occur after submission deadline around the second week in July. All applicants will receive a Welcome Aboard package or rejection notice by early August at the latest.

While there are no specific requirements, the Navy ranks majors into three tiers of- "desirability"- and encourages STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degrees. More information about the tier system is available on the official NROTC website. When choosing a major please take into consideration that students will be more competitive for service assignment if they perform well in a non-STEM program than if they struggle in a STEM curriculum. The tier system does not apply to Marine option students. They may major in any discipline.

There are no ROTC requirements for NROTC students to live in any specific housing location. Although many of our students choose to live together, it is an independent decision not mandated by the NROTC. For more information about university housing, including special instructions for freshmen, visit the University of Idaho or Washington State University’s housing websites.

No. Those expenses must be borne by the individual. However, in December 2015, the University of Idaho established a $5,000 room and board scholarship for all new incoming NROTC students selected for a 4-year national NROTC scholarship. The scholarship can be renewed for up to 4 years per student, as long as the student is a full-time degree seeking undergraduate and living in a University of Idaho residence hall. The award can be combined with other scholarships but cannot exceed the cost of attendance established by the Financial Aid Office and may be adjusted each year if scholarships or grants exceed the established cost of attendance. Funds cannot be used for tuition or book expenses. Work closely with your Financial Aid adviser to fully understand what is covered and any adjustments that may be made to your scholarships. WSU students are not eligible for this scholarship. Students who find that room and board payments represent a financial hardship should investigate University of Idaho or Washington State University’s financial aid programs. Many of our NROTC students receive financial aid from the universities in the form of grants, loans, or work-study jobs on campus.  Students are allowed and encouraged to seek other scholarships to help with expenses not covered by the NROTC scholarship.

Scholarship midshipmen will participate in 4-6 weeks of training each summer. This training is designed to give each student exposure to the Navy and Marine Corps and to allow them to make a more informed decision about what they want to do in the Navy or Marine Corps. College Program students only attend summer cruise the summer after junior year if they are selected for Advanced Standing. For more information, visit the official NROTC website.

There are some limited opportunities to switch between options but a transition is not guaranteed. Students that wish to switch options will be evaluated based on their achievements in the program, physical fitness test scores, and academic grades.

Students can dis-enroll from the program anytime before the beginning of their sophomore year without any obligation to the Navy or Marine Corps. If a student voluntarily dis-enrolls after their sophomore year, they are obligated to either pay back the Navy for their tuition or serve on active duty in the Navy or Marine Corps for a minimum of two years.

Navy Option Students: After you graduate from college, you will serve in one of the Navy's warfare areas: Aviation, Surface Warfare, Submarines, or Special Warfare. For more information about these communities, visit the official NROTC website.

Marine Option Students: Shortly after commissioning, you will report to The Basic School (TBS). While at TBS you will select the field you will enter in the Marine Corps. There are many opportunities including Infantry, Armor, Human Intelligence, Artillery, and Logistics.