Students applying to college ROTC scholarship programs need to keep a close eye on the scholarship board dates. These dates are set by each service, meaning Army ROTC board dates are different than the board dates for Air Force ROTC.
Students often ask when they should submit their ROTC scholarship applications. They should submit a strong application early enough to be competitive when there are still many scholarships available.
For strong students, that means they should submit complete packages by the beginning of October senior year. For other students, it may be better to wait to improve standardized test or fitness test scores or to have a strong set of grades from fall of senior year, even if that means waiting until a later board.
Note the difference between the deadline for submitting the online application and the deadline for submitting any other paperwork, like transcripts and interviews. Be diligent to meet the deadlines, because late applications are not considered.
In the sections below, I’ve listed most of the ROTC high school scholarship board dates for 2025-26 (for students starting college in Fall 2026). These are the scholarships for high school seniors in the Class of 2026 (or students who have graduated from high school, but not enrolled in college). I update this page as the services release board dates.
Students in the Class of 2027 should expect ROTC scholarship applications to open in spring/summer before their senior year. College students interested in ROTC scholarships should contact the staff of the ROTC units at their college or nearby colleges that have a crosstown agreement with their school.
Related Article: ROTC Scholarships for College
Skip to ROTC Scholarship Board Dates
Army ROTC Scholarship
Air Force and Space Force ROTC Scholarship
Navy and Marine Corps ROTC Scholarship
How Do ROTC Scholarship Boards and Deadlines Work?
Some services score each package submitted by the document deadline. Others, like Navy ROTC, review a set number of packages at each board. Usually, students who are offered scholarships will hear results 2-3 weeks after the end of a board. Notifications can be made by email, through the scholarship portal, or by the student’s recruiter. However, final turn down notifications usually don’t happen until after the final board for the selection cycle.
Army ROTC 4-Year Scholarship Board Dates 2025-26
Army ROTC Scholarship Information
| Scholarship Application Opens | June 14, 2025 |
| Deadline to Submit Documents for First Board | October 13, 2025 |
| First Selection Board | October 20-24, 2025 |
| Deadline to Submit Documents for Second Board | January 19, 2025 |
| Second Selection Board | January 26-30, 2026 |
| Deadline to create an online application for a High School Scholarship | March 4, 2025 |
| Deadline to Submit Documents for Final Board (Missing Items) | March 16, 2026 |
| Final (Third) Selection Board | March 23-27, 2026 |
Students who are not selected for a scholarship on one board may be considered at subsequent boards, but aren’t completely reevaluated. The candidate score from their board review carries over to later boards. Students can update their SAT or ACT test scores, which may improve their overall chance of being selected for a scholarship.
Students who are not selected for an Army ROTC scholarship can still join the Army ROTC unit at their college, take military science courses, and be considered for shorter college ROTC scholarships and/or a commission. Students may also want to investigate scholarships available to students in the National Guard.
Air Force ROTC & Space Force ROTC High School Scholarship (HSSP) Program Board Dates
The application for the Air Force and Space Force FY26 scholarship for high school students opened in July 2025. There are now fewer Air Force and Space Force scholarships awarded to high school students than a few years ago, but last year the Air Force created the Charles McGee Leadership Award, so all upper level AFROTC cadets (those selected for the Professional Officer Course level for junior and senior year of college) receive scholarships.
There is one unified board schedule applicants interested in becoming an officer in either the US Air Force and US Space Force.
Air Force ROTC HSSP
There is a December 31 deadline to initiate the online application for the Air Force ROTC scholarship. Note that the deadlines for the second board is in December, several months before the scholarship selection board meets.
Applicants must complete the required interview with Air Force ROTC unit staff by the interview cutoff date for that board. Interviews will not be scheduled until the student completes their application (including test scores) and their eligibility is verified. It can take several weeks to schedule and complete an interview. ROTC unit staff might not be available over college break periods.
Air Force ROTC Scholarship Information
| High School Scholarship Application Opens | July 1, 2025 |
| Deadline to Submit Initial Application for First Board | September 16, 2025 |
| Deadline for Missing Documents for First Board | September 26, 2025 |
| Deadline to Submit Initial Application for Second Board | December 12, 2025 |
| Deadline for Missing Documents for Second Board | December 23, 2025 |
| First Selection Board | October 27-31, 2025 |
| Second Selection Board | March 16-27, 2026 |
The Air Force ROTC scholarship program is intended to provide financial assistance to undergraduate college students who will commission as Air Force or Space Force officers after earning their bachelors degree. College students interested in becoming healthcare professionals in the Air Force should investigate the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)
Related Article: Read more about Air Force ROTC Scholarships
Selection into the Air Force or Space Force occurs during their time in college ROTC, usually when they are a sophomore. Being on scholarship or not does not affect selections into Air Force or Space Force.
Navy ROTC
Navy Option and Navy Nursing Option
Navy ROTC holds frequent review boards for Navy Option and Navy Nursing applicants from September through April. My understanding is that they go through a set number of packages at each board, rather than every package submitted before that date. There will often be a surplus of packages in the spring that take many weeks to go through.
Note: Students interested in becoming Marine Corps officers should read the information below for Navy ROTC – Marine Option.
Navy and Marine Corps ROTC Scholarship Information
| Last Day to Submit Completed Application | January 31, 2026 |
Marine Option
Students interested in becoming Marine Corps officers participate in Navy ROTC as Marine Option midshipmen. Each Marine Corps Recruiting District runs the scholarship selection board for that district. Typically there is a board in in November and February. Students usually hear within a month of the board date if they were selected.
If you’re interested in Marine Option Navy ROTC, make sure you look at the specific test score and fitness test requirements for the Marines since they are different than for Navy Option.
Navy and Marine Corps ROTC Scholarship Information
| First Selection Board (specific dates vary by USMC recruiting region) | November 2025 |
| Deadline to Submit Completed Application | January 31, 2026 |
| Second Selection Board (specific dates vary by USMC recruiting region) | February 2026 |
Related: Use this summer college prep guide to get a headstart on your applications.
When to Submit ROTC Scholarship Applications
You should submit the earliest application that will be a strong application — for you.
If the application opens in July and the first board is in October, rushing to submit an application in August that is sloppy and has a weak fitness test score isn’t a strong move. The scholarship selection board won’t ignore a sub-standard run time just because you submitted your package early. On the other hand, don’t wait until the last minute. If the board receives strong applications on earlier boards, they may offer fewer scholarships on the later boards.
Often who apply near the deadlines reflect procrastination, not time spent working hard improving the application. My general suggestion is to work on your application over the summer, so you are ready to submit in the fall, but consider if another standardized test sitting or targeted fitness training would improve your package.
Don’t wait to do your fitness test right before the deadline. You don’t want injury or bad weather to derail your whole application.
ROTC scholarships can pay for some or all tuition, fees, books, and a monthly stipend at civilian colleges that have a ROTC unit on campus or a crosstown agreement with another college. It can also be possible to convert the scholarship to a fixed amount to pay for food and housing instead of tuition. Graduates become officers in the military and have a 4-10 year military service obligation as “payback” for the scholarship.
Related Article: Guide to Military Academy Nominations
Get Help
The staff of college ROTC units are an excellent resource and are eager to talk to prospective midshipmen and cadets.
This is one of my specialty areas at Admissions Decrypted, with decades of helping students with military college program applications.
The best time to connect with me is junior year or earlier, when it’s still possible to make changes to academic courses and activities. If you’d like help with your military college program applications contact me to set up an initial meeting.
Share