Scholarships
In order to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology on an NROTC scholarship, you must successfully complete two separate and unrelated application processes; one for scholarship consideration and one for the school itself. Again, applying for the scholarship itself does not apply for any colleges, and acceptance to the NROTC program does not guarantee acceptance to its host colleges.
CNET oversees a variety of scholarship programs designed to train and commission officers in the Navy and Marine Corps. In order to apply for any of the NROTC scholarship programs, you must fill out an application, which can be obtained from your local recruitment office or via the internet by visiting http://www.navy.com/careers/nrotc/. An application for Georgia Tech can be found online at http://www.admiss.gatech.edu/apply/.
Eligibility
In order to be considered eligible for NROTC scholarship programs, the applicant must meet all of the following general criteria:
- Must be United States Citizen.
- Be 17 years old by September 1 of the first year of college and younger than 23 on June 30 of the year in which you are eligible for graduation and commissioned status. An age waiver may be granted for prior active military service.
- Be a high school graduate or possess an equivalency certificate by Aug. 1 of the same year that entrance into the four-year NROTC Program is anticipated.
- Be physically qualified by Navy or Marine Corps standards.
- Have no moral obligations or personal convictions that will prevent conscientious bearing of arms and supporting and defending of the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic.
- Apply for and gain admission to NROTC colleges. Admission to an NROTC institution is not required during the selection process. However, notification of admission must be received before the scholarship can be activated.
- Achieve qualifying scores on the SAT or the ACT
Navy option minimums: SAT Verbal 530, Math 520; ACT English 22, Math 22
Marine option minimums: SAT Verbal and Math combined score 1000; ACT English and Math combined score 45
Besides these official criteria, the student must be willing to commit themselves to a very difficult and challenging academic environment. Scholarship students must maintain high standards of moral behavior, academic performance, and physical fitness to keep their scholarships. Students must strive to become beneficial members of the NROTC Battalion of Midshipmen.
Benefits
A NROTC scholarship covers the cost of all tuition, books, fees, and uniforms. Scholarship midshipmen are also paid a subsistence allowance that increase each year. Freshmen receive $250 a month in two bi-weekly payments. Each successive year the allowance increases by $50, with sophomores receiving $300, juniors $350, and seniors $400. These allowances cover the costs of items such as uniform maintenance and incidental school expenses. Scholarship midshipmen also receive $375 a semester for book expenses.
The financial aid programs at some schools supplement NROTC scholarships with money for room and board and other necessities as incentives to enroll NROTC students. Unfortunately, Georgia Tech and its cross-town schools do not offer any financial aid exclusive to NROTC program students. However, Georgia Tech scholarship midshipmen who are legal residents of the state of Georgia are still eligible for funds from the Georgia Lottery HOPE Scholarship program. If you are a Georgia resident, talk to your high school counselor for more information on the HOPE program.
Types of Scholarships
The limits of an NROTC scholarship depend on the type of scholarship awarded. Here is a quick overview of the various scholarships. The minimum payback is 4 years of active duty, 4 years of inactive duty
- 4-Year Scholarship
The basic scholarship, where the Navy pays full tuition, costs of textbooks, college fees, and $250 a month, with an unconstrained choice of Naval ROTC school and choice of study. - 3-Year Scholarship
Similar to the 4-year scholarship, with the navy paying full tuition, costs of textbooks, college fees, and $250 a month; an unconstrained choice of Naval ROTC schools, and choice of study, but the annual costs to the Navy are limited to the greater of $8,000 or 80% of tuition and fees. The nominee must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum of "C" in calculus by the end of the spring semester of their freshman year to activate the scholarship at the beginning of their sophomore year. - 2-Year Scholarship
Open to students in their final two years of college, the Navy will pay tuition, costs of textbooks, college fees, and $250 a month for up to 20 months. Students attend the NSI the summer before their junior year. - College Program
These are four and two year non-subsidized programs, with the Navy paying for uniforms, books and instructional fees required for naval science courses. Between their junior and senior year, college program students can apply for advanced standing; if selected they will receive $250 a month for a maximum of 20 months for the two-year program. The minimum payback is 3 years of active duty, and 5 years inactive duty.
Scholarship benefits can be extended, on a limited basis, beyond the standard four-year term for major programs that take longer to complete. Extension of benefits beyond the original four-year allotment requires an extension of the active duty commitment following graduation and commissioning. Application for extended benefits is made during the first quarter of the senior year.
The most important benefit of NROTC is the experience gained through the program that allows you to become a commissioned officer in the active duty Navy or Marine Corps, a job with competitive pay, health and other benefits, and a chance for adventure and rapid advancement.