Military

ROTC Scholarship Board Dates

September 8, 2023

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 2023-24 year (for high school students starting college in fall 2024). These are the scholarships for high school seniors in the Class of 2024 (or students who have graduated from high school, but not enrolled in college).

Current juniors in the Class of 2025 should expect ROTC scholarship applications to open in spring/summer before their senior year. (I update this post each year when information for the new application cycle is available.) 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

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.

Red and white Military Science sign at Ohio State University.

Army ROTC 4-Year Scholarship Board Dates

Army ROTC Scholarship Information

Scholarship Application OpensJune 12, 2023
Deadline to Submit Documents for First BoardOctober 9, 2023
First Selection BoardOctober 16-20, 2023
Deadline to Submit Documents for Second BoardJanuary 15, 2024
Second Selection BoardJanuary 22-26, 2024
Deadline to create an online application for a High School ScholarshipMarch 4, 2024
Deadline to Submit Documents for Final Board (Missing Items)March 11, 2024
Final (Third) Selection BoardMarch 18-22, 2024
FY24 Army ROTC Scholarship Board Dates

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.

Red and white Air Science sign at Ohio State University.

Air Force ROTC & Space Force ROTC High School Scholarship (HSSP) Program Board Dates

The application for the Air Force and Space Force FY24 scholarship for high school students opened July 1, 2023. There are now fewer Air Force and Space Force scholarships awarded to high school students, 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 are separate board schedules for Air Force and Space Force.

Air Force ROTC HSSP

There is a December 31 deadline to submit the online application for the Air Force ROTC scholarship.
There is also a January 11 deadline to submit all of the documents the student is responsible for (including school documents). If you miss these deadlines, you will not be able to continue your application.
Please note that there are now only TWO boards for Air Force ROTC scholarships.

Air Force ROTC Scholarship Information

High School Scholarship Application OpensJuly 1, 2022
Deadline for Complete Package for First BoardOctober 20, 2023
First Selection Board (24HS01)October 23-27, 2023
Last Day to Submit Initial Online ApplicationDecember 31, 2023
Deadline to Submit Missing DocumentsJanuary 11, 2024
Deadline for Complete Package for Second Board (Interviews)February 23, 2024
Second Selection Board (24HS02)February 26 –March 1, 2024
Last Day to Accept ScholarshipMay 31, 2024
FY24 Air Force ROTC HSSP Board Dates

Related: Read more about Air Force ROTC Scholarships

Space Force ROTC HSSP

The application for Space Force FY24 scholarship for high school students opened July 1, 2023.
There is a November 30 deadline to submit the online application.
There is also a December 31 deadline to submit all of the documents the student is responsible for (including school documents). If you miss these deadlines, you will not be able to continue your application.

Last Day to Submit Initial Online ApplicationNovember 30, 2023
Deadline to Submit Missing DocumentsDecember 31, 2023
Deadline for Complete Package for Board (Interviews)January 10, 2024
Selection Board End Date (24SF01)February 9, 2024
Selection Board Release DateFebruary 23, 2023
FY24 Space Force ROTC HSSP Board Dates

Space Force only has one selection board. But my conversations with Air Force ROTC staff members indicate that students who participate in Air Force ROTC will still have the opportunity to indicate interest in Space Force as cadets and can apply for Space Force commissions, even if they are not on Space Force designated scholarships.

Red and white Naval Science sign at Ohio State University

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

Four Year Scholarship Application OpensApril 1, 2023
FY24-A Board16-20 October 2023
FY24-B Board13-17 November 2023
FY24-C Board11-15 December 2023
FY24-D Board8-12 January 2024
FY24-E Board22-26 January 2024
Last Day to Submit Completed ApplicationJanuary 31, 2024
FY24-F Board5-9 February, 2024
FY24-G Board20-23 February, 2024
FY24-H Board4-8 March, 2024
FY24-I Board18-22 March, 2024
FY24-J Board (MSISR, BOOST)8-12 April, 2024
FY24-K Board (Backup)22-26 April, 2024
FY24 Navy ROTC Scholarship Board Dates

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 BoardNovember 2023
Deadline to Submit Completed ApplicationJanuary 31, 2024
Second Selection BoardFebruary 2024
FY24 NROTC-Marine Option Scholarship Board Dates

When to Submit ROTC Scholarship Applications

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 doesn’t present a strong case. The board isn’t going to give a pass on a slow run time just because the student submitted their package early. On the other hand, students shouldn’t wait until the last minute. If the board receives strong applications on earlier boards, they may select fewer scholarships on the later boards or cancel them altogether.

Too often later applications 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 test sitting or targeted fitness training would improve your package.

ROTC scholarships can pay for tuition, fees, books, and a monthly stipend at civilian colleges that have a ROTC unit on campus or a crosstown agreement with another college. Some services allow scholarship selectees to use the scholarship 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.

Larger than life size Ohio State University "Bucky" mascot statue dressed in green military flight suit outside The Ohio State University ROTC building.
Bucky says, “Go ROTC!”

Share