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Top 11 ROTC Scholarships in September 2022
The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) makes it possible for college students to earn their degree while training to become commissioned officers in the United States Military. If this is you, there are so many resources, including ROTC Scholarships, that can help you to get through college with relative financial ease!
If you are looking to serve in the United States military as a college-educated officer, keep on reading to learn about the top ROTC scholarships.
Jump ahead to…
- Top ROTC scholarships
- How to win ROTC scholarships
- Resources for ROTC students
- Frequently asked questions
- Additional scholarship categories to explore
Top 11 ROTC Scholarships in September 2022
The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:
- The scholarship requires a fee to apply
- The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
- The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
- Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
- The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
- The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
- The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
- There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
- The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
- There is no available contact information
If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!
* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system.
** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements.
***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.
Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Contest
Offered by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Open to high schoolers who are passionate about democracy and submit a patriotic-themed recorded essay.
Allied.com Military Scholarship Competition
Offered by Allied Van Lines
Open to current or former active duty military members (and their dependents) majoring in logistics or an equivalent field.
Air Force ROTC High School Scholarship
Offered by U.S. Air Force ROTC
Open to high school seniors who join Air Force ROTC for their college career and will join the Air Force for 4 years after graduating.
Legacy Scholarship Program
Offered by Army Women's Foundation
Open to women soldiers, past and present, as well as their descendants, who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree.
The HotelPlanner.com Graduate Technology Scholarship For Military Veterans
Offered by Hotelplanner
Open to veterans of the US military and their spouse/partner or children pursuing a degree related to technology.
$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to all high school, college, community and graduate students.
Niche $50,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
Sponsored
Open to high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year.
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How to win ROTC scholarships
Now that you’ve got a list of ROTC scholarships to apply for, it’s time to start working on your applications. Before you begin to write your essays, it’s a good idea to take some time to reflect on what approach you’ll take. Here are a few things you should make sure to emphasize in your application:
- Why you are passionate about serving in the military – Whether you have a family history of military service or an experience that first interested you in serving, make sure to include it
- Experiences that speak to your sense of discipline, teamwork, leadership, and responsibility – Serving in the military takes an extraordinary amount of each of these qualities. Try asking your family and friends for accomplishments or experiences that serve as testaments to your strengths and prepare anecdotes for your essays
- Ambitions for your future in the military – One great way to show your commitment to the military is to demonstrate that you have already thought out a future for yourself. Think about what part of the military you’d like to serve in and what you’d like to bring to the table, and include this information in your essays
Writing your application essays
Essays are a huge component of the scholarship process, and they require a unique style of writing in order to succeed. Check out our guide on how to write a winning scholarship essay to get started. We also have guides on how to start a scholarship essay, how to write about yourself, and how to tailor your writing to a 250 or 500 word limit. Good luck!
Also see: What are American Military Universities?
Resources for ROTC students
American Military Academies
Our guide to American Military Academies can help you decide whether a military academy is a good fit for your future career goals. We’ll also walk you through how easy it is to get into each one, and the different types of academies. We also have a guide to help you get into West Point, arguably the most competitive American Military Academy.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Students who go on to serve in the military are often eligible for PSLF, or Public Service Loan Forgiveness. If you are sure that you want a career in the military post-graduation, check out our guide to the program to find out how you can take advantage of it.
FAFSA guide
One of your first steps when it comes to paying for college should always be to fill out the FAFSA. Even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for any need-based aid, it’s worth a shot. You’ll at least be able to take out federal loans, which are more favorable than most private loans.
GoArmy Scholarships
The GoArmy website contains a highly detailed guide on the scholarships they offer and their requirements. This should be one of your first stops when looking for ROTC scholarships – if one of these works out, you may not have to apply for any others!
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to make a service commitment to earn an army scholarship?
Some of these scholarships, including the ones provided directly by the government, do require a service commitment. The length of these service commitments will vary based on the scholarship. If a student decides that they no longer see a career for themself in the army, they will not be forced to go, but will have to pay back the scholarship money, which can be financially devastating.
So, it’s a good idea to be 100% sure of your decision before you take ROTC scholarship money that comes with a service commitment.
Do I have to complete JROTC to get an ROTC scholarship?
JROTC is a great way to get a leg-up on ROTC scholarships, as it shows a history of commitment to the program. It also demonstrates that you have been completing similar coursework already and have found success in it. That being said, it is not a firm requirement. Many students who did not attend JROTC programs end up receiving ROTC scholarships.
If you are not in JROTC but hope to earn ROTC scholarships, it’s a good idea to try and enroll in some extracurriculars that could be applicable to a future career in the ROTC. This will help compensate for a relative lack of experience.
Do ROTC students have to pay for college?
Although many ROTC students receive generous scholarships from a combination of federal and private sources, most still have to pay for college. Students at the most competitive colleges such as West Point, however, do receive full scholarships.
