Prospective Students
Scholarships
National Scholarship
The national 4-year NROTC scholarship provides full tuition and fees for the University of Washington, along with a monthly stipend. Recipients of the scholarship participate in the unit and commission as Navy or Marine Corps officers upon graduation. Following graduation, the newly commissioned officers serve a minimum of between 4 and 8 years in their chosen branch, depending on their selected warfare community. For more information, including eligibility and how to apply, click here.
Sideload Scholarship
If you weren’t selected for the national scholarship, it’s still possible to participate in NROTC, get a scholarship, and commission. After participating in the college program for a year, midshipmen may apply for a sideload scholarship. It pays the same as the national scholarship but only for 1, 2, or 3 years, depending on how much time in college the student has left. For more information, click here.
College Program
The college program provides a way to participate in the unit without a scholarship. Programmers participate in all unit activities except summer cruise, and their tuition is not paid for. However, they can apply for a sideload scholarship after participating in the unit for a year. Applications for the college program are submitted directly to the unit. For more information, including eligibility and how to apply, click here.
STA-21 and MECEP
STA-21 Overview
STA-21 officer candidates retain their current rank and pay and get up to $10,000 per year paid towards their tuition. They take classes year-round, graduating and commissioning after three years with the unit. STA-21 officer candidates at the University of Washington participate in all activities with the battalion. For more information, please refer to the STA-21 website.
MECEP Overview
The Marine equivalent to Officer Candidates, MECEPs are outstanding enlisted Marines selected by the United States Marine Corps for an opportunity to complete a degree and apply for a commission as a Second Lieutenant. MECEP Marines are fully integrated into the NROTC Unit while they pursue college degrees. These students wear their Marine uniforms and are referred to by their current enlisted rank. Marines receive full Active Duty pay, allowances, and benefits, and are eligible to use their veterans’ education benefits to pay for college.
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Life in the Unit
Day-to-Day
There are various unit activities that happen every week that all battalion members participate in. They take place in the morning to avoid conflict with classes. On Mondays, battalion members participate in physical training (PT) in their companies. On Tuesdays, the battalion has lab, where we listen to lectures from guest speakers and complete required military trainings. After lab on Tuesday, the members of the battalion wear their uniforms to class. On Wednesday, the battalion participates in PT together, under the leadership of the physical training instructor (PTI). On Thursday, the freshmen Midshipmen practice regulation drill in preparation for Northwest Navy. There are additional weekly activities for Bulldog Company. Students in the battalion are also full-time college students, who are expected to take between 15 and 18 credits per quarter, including required Naval Science courses.
Summer Cruise
Over the summer, Midshipmen on scholarship are expected to participate in summer cruise. College programmers are not able to participate, except in NSI. The length and content of summer cruise varies widely, depending on the year and type of cruise. Students are on active duty for the duration of cruise and are paid at the level of an E-5 service member while they are on cruise. Travel costs including plane fare and hotels are paid for by the Navy. Opportunities include time with surface ships, aviation squadrons, and submarines, among other things.
Extracurriculars
There are a variety of extracurricular activities that are run by the battalion, but are not part of the mandated curriculum. These do not take place in the mornings with the rest of the NROTC events, and are not required for commissioning. They include the unit sailing team, unit color guard, and various annual events.