Scholarship Selection Criteria

You may start the process of applying during the second semester of your junior year of high school. Students may apply for only one of the two scholarship program options—Navy or Marine Corps. Before the application can be finalized and forwarded for selection consideration, you must ensure that a copy of your complete transcript, including your entire junior year, is forwarded to your recruiter.

NAVY

ACADEMIC MAJOR – TIER
The Navy is preparing our officer corps of the future to meet the dynamic challenges in the next generation of technology and leadership. In structuring our academic programs to meet these challenges, undergraduate academic majors for NROTC Navy option midshipmen are divided into three categories or tiers: Tier 1—engineering programs of Navy interest, Tier 2—other engineering, math and science programs, Tier 3—Foreign language and remaining academic programs. In order to keep pace in this high tech and diverse environment, approximately 85% of Navy Option NROTC scholarships offers will be awarded to students interested in completing a Tier 1 or Tier 2 academic major.

Tier 1 Academic Majors

Chemical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

Tier 2 Academic Majors

Biology (B.S.)
Chemistry (B.S.)
Civil Engineering
Computer Sciences (B.S.)
Forensic Chemistry
General Engineering
Geological Engineering
Geology
Mathematics (B.S.)
Physics (B.S.)

Tier 3 Academic Majors
Students interested in pursuing Tier 3 academic majors (all other academic majors not listed in Tier 1 or Tier 2) should examine the opportunities available in the Navy’s Language Skills, Regional Expertise, and Cultural Awareness (LREC) Program. Annually, the Navy will offer this program to 20—30 students. Attainment of a specific level of language proficiency is not required by the NROTC LREC program.

LREC – TIER 3
Regions/cultural areas and languages available for study are listed below. Selected languages and regional/cultural areas must be related.

Regional/Cultural Areas

Africa

1. Sub—Sahara
2. North Africa

Central Asia
East Asia/China
Middle/Central/Latin America
Middle East
South Asia
Southeast Asia
Southwest Asia
Russia/Eastern Europe

Foreign Languages

Chinese
French
German
Spanish

For the LREC program you are required to either:

1) Major in a foreign language required by the Navy and complete four (4) associated classes (12 semester credit hours) in a region/cultural area associated with the selected language; or
2) Major in a region/cultural area required by the navy and complete four (4) associated classes (12 semester credit hours) in a foreign language associated with the region/cultural area.

The Navy will activate scholarships upon the satisfactory development of a degree plan with the NROTC unit and university and upon enrollment in the assigned academic major. NROTC midshipmen may lose their scholarship if they request a change from Tier 1 or Tier 2 major to a Tier 3 major. Similarly, Tier 3 LREC majors may lose their scholarship if they depart their course of study prior to graduation.

Academic majors listed in each Tier may vary year to year dependent on the Navy’s requirements, however once accepted into an academic major and Tier, a student’s Tier status will not change.

A student may request a modification from their original academic major. Changing from a Tier 1, Tier 2, or LREC major requires approval from a formal panel and will be based on the needs of the Navy.

SAT/ACT TESTS
Qualifying scores on Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT)
SAT/ACT Math and English/Critical Reading scores can be from two different tests; applicants can combine best Math w/best English/Critical Reading scores to achieve qualifying scores. (Navy Option Only)

SAT:

540 Math; 550 Verbal Evidence Based Reading and Writing; Combined 1200 (Math + Verbal Evidence Based Reading and Writing)

ACT: 21 Math; 22 English; Combined 47 (Math + English)

If these academic criteria cannot be met, other opportunities exist for an NROTC scholarship—please contact your local Navy Recruiter or the NROTC Recruiting Officer.

MARINE CORPS

General eligibility requirements for the program are as follows:

Be physically qualified by Marine Corps standards. Applicants will be required to complete a physical fitness test (PFT) consisting of a three-mile run for time, sit-ups, and dead-hang pull-ups for males/flexed armed-hang for females.
Have no criminal record of military or civilian offenses.
Achieve a qualifying score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), or the American College Test (ACT). The SAT math and critical reading scores must be from the same and most recent test. Applicants cannot combine their best math and critical reading scores from the SAT to achieve the qualifying score for application. (Marine Corps Option only).

SAT: 1000 Combined (Math + Evidence Based Reading and Writing)
ACT minimum composite score of 22
Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT): 74

If these academic criteria cannot be met, other opportunities exist for an NROTC scholarship—please contact your local Marine Recruiter or the NROTC Recruiting Officer.