ROTC stands for Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. It is a program run by each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on thousands of college campuses across the United States.

Students in ROTC, called cadets in the Army and Air Force programs and midshipmen in the Navy and Marine Corps program, complete a normal college degree while also taking military science classes, attending leadership labs, and training with their unit. On graduation day they commission as officers.

The Three ROTC Programs

Each military department runs its own program, and each has its own scholarship, selection board, and requirements.

  • Army ROTC (AROTC) is the largest, with host and crosstown options at over 1,000 schools.
  • Navy ROTC (NROTC) covers both Navy and Marine Corps options, and includes a nursing pathway.
  • Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) commissions officers for the Air Force and Space Force.

You can see exactly which programs are available at any school, and whether the unit is on campus or a crosstown arrangement, in our ROTC school directory.

What Is the Main Goal of ROTC?

The main goal of ROTC is to train future officers who will lead enlisted members of the United States military across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force. That is the difference between ROTC and enlisting directly: an ROTC graduate enters the military as a commissioned officer with leadership responsibility from day one.

Does ROTC Mean a Scholarship?

Not automatically. Many students participate in ROTC without a scholarship, especially in the first two years. The ROTC scholarship is a separate, national-level competition that can cover tuition, fees, a monthly stipend, and a book allowance for four years. At many universities, that is worth over $100,000.

If your student is weighing the scholarship path, start with our guide to the ROTC scholarship and the selection criteria the boards actually use.