Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC)

Start the process before your high school senior year. The NROTC application opens April 1st at the end of your junior year. Go to https://www.netc.navy.mil/NSTC/NROTC/ to start the application process. If you are also interested in applying to Holy Cross, WPI, WSU, or Brown, please reach out nrotc@holycross.edu or one of our staff directly as we can assist you and answer any questions you may have. The Navy Recruiting Command or Headquarters, Marine Corps will notify you of the results of the scholarship selection board.

If you are already at student at Holy Cross, WPI, WSU, or Brown you can apply for the NROTC College Program. By entering NROTC as a College Program student, you can be selected for a three year scholarship at the end of your freshman year or a two year scholarship at the end of your sophomore year. 

If you have any questions about the scholarship process, the program, or the Navy as a whole, please reach out to a staff member at the unit or email us at nrotc@holycross.edu and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.  

No. The scholarship selection process is TOTALLY INDEPENDENT of the admission processes at each school. You must seek admission to the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester State or Brown University. Remember that the NROTC scholarship cannot be awarded to you until you have been accepted for admission at an NROTC host school. It is a good idea for NROTC scholarship applicants to apply to more than one NROTC host school to provide options upon scholarship approval.

The scholarship selection process is completely independent of the medical examination. Scholarship selection is based on academic performance, extracurricular activities, and demonstrated leadership potential. You can be selected as a scholarship nominee even before you take the medical exam, but it cannot be awarded to you until you have passed the medical exam. It is up to you to do all you can to complete the medical exam in a timely fashion. If follow-on exams or inputs from your local doctor are required, then you must ensure you meet these requirements.  Again the Holy Cross NROTC staff can assist you with any questions you may have about the medical evaluation.

That depends on the nature of the problem, but there is a waiver process that the unit can assist you with processing. When in doubt, ask for a medical waiver. These issues should be addressed with Dept of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB) and the Naval Schools Training Command (NSTC) medical board. Again, the NROTC unit can assist you with this process, but DO NOT send medical documentation directly to the local unit.  Your medical privacy is our #1 concern and properly submitting required paperwork through the DoDMERB process is essential.

Marine Option students are required to pass a physical fitness exam to be eligible for scholarship selection. Navy Option students do not take this exam as a prerequisite to selection. Once in the NROTC program, all Midshipmen are required to pass a semi-annual physical fitness assessment, which, for Navy option students, consists of push-ups, a plank, and a 1.5 mile run. All Midshipmen are encouraged to seek excellence in their physical fitness, and to do more than the minimums in their fitness tests. Marine Option students take a slightly different test that consists of pull-ups, sit-ups, and a 3 mile run.  For further reading on Navy PFA standards and procedures, please see the following pdf.

Maybe, but not through the previously stated process. Students can become eligible for the award of a scholarship by joining their NROTC unit in the College Program (non-scholarship) status. After one academic term, the student may be recommended for scholarship status to the Naval Schools Training Command (NSTC), who is empowered to award scholarships to promising College Program students. In general, if you can earn better than a 3.0 GPA in your first academic term, achieve a “B” or better in Calculus, and demonstrate a high aptitude for Naval Service, you will have a good chance for a NROTC scholarship. The availability of these “side-load” scholarships is also dependent on the officer production needs of the Navy and NROTC budget.

Yes. The NROTC scholarship selection board holistically evaluates students using criteria including College Board scores (SAT, ACT, or ASVAB), grades, class standing, athletics, participation in extracurricular activities, recommendations, the NROTC interview, and perceived potential. We are looking for the future leaders of the Navy and Marine Corps. We want well-rounded students who are intelligent enough to excel in academics, athletic enough to meet the physical challenges of military service, and who are personable and dynamic enough to assume roles as military leaders. It is not enough to be only bright, or only athletic, or only personable; it takes a combination of the three qualities to be a successful Naval Officer. Officer candidates must also be of high moral character. Students with criminal records or who have gone beyond experimentation with illegal drugs are not likely officer candidates. The NROTC application interview is important. Look sharp and present yourself well. College Board scores can be a positive factor for the student, but only insofar as they are supported by actual academic achievement. A student with high SAT or ACT scores, but mediocre grades and class standing, is less desirable than a student with moderate scores and high grades and standing.