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.
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
Army ROTC Scholarship Information
| Scholarship Application Opens | June 12, 2023 |
| Deadline to Submit Documents for First Board | October 9, 2023 |
| First Selection Board | October 16-20, 2023 |
| Deadline to Submit Documents for Second Board | January 15, 2024 |
| Second Selection Board | January 22-26, 2024 |
| Deadline to create an online application for a High School Scholarship | March 4, 2024 |
| Deadline to Submit Documents for Final Board (Missing Items) | March 11, 2024 |
| Final (Third) Selection Board | March 18-22, 2024 |
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.
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 Opens | July 1, 2022 |
| Deadline for Complete Package for First Board | October 20, 2023 |
| First Selection Board (24HS01) | October 23-27, 2023 |
| Last Day to Submit Initial Online Application | December 31, 2023 |
| Deadline to Submit Missing Documents | January 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 Scholarship | May 31, 2024 |
Read more about changes to 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 Application | November 30, 2023 |
| Deadline to Submit Missing Documents | December 31, 2023 |
| Deadline for Complete Package for Board (Interviews) | January 10, 2024 |
| Selection Board End Date (24SF01) | February 9, 2024 |
| Selection Board Release Date | February 23, 2023 |
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.
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 Opens | April 1, 2023 |
| FY24-A Board | 16-20 October 2023 |
| FY24-B Board | 13-17 November 2023 |
| FY24-C Board | 11-15 December 2023 |
| FY24-D Board | 8-12 January 2024 |
| FY24-E Board | 22-26 January 2024 |
| Last Day to Submit Completed Application | January 31, 2024 |
| FY24-F Board | 5-9 February, 2024 |
| FY24-G Board | 20-23 February, 2024 |
| FY24-H Board | 4-8 March, 2024 |
| FY24-I Board | 18-22 March, 2024 |
| FY24-J Board (MSISR, BOOST) | 8-12 April, 2024 |
| FY24-K Board (Backup) | 22-26 April, 2024 |
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 | November 2023 |
| Deadline to Submit Completed Application | January 31, 2024 |
| Second Selection Board | February 2024 |
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.
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.
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