NROTC offers several scholarship and program pathways for students interested in becoming commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps. The pathway available to you depends primarily on your academic status, college credits, and eligibility.
Four-Year National Scholarship
The Four-Year National Scholarship is the primary scholarship pathway for high school students and eligible college freshmen. Students may compete for a Navy Option, Navy Nurse Option, Navy Pre-Med Option, or Marine Corps Option scholarship.
Four-Year scholarships provide tuition and educational benefits, along with a semester book stipend, uniforms, Naval Science textbooks, a monthly subsistence allowance, and summer training. Through the generosity of Tulane University, students awarded an NROTC scholarship and attend Tulane also receive a matching scholarship to cover room and board.
The NROTC scholarship application opens April 1st of a student's junior year of high school and closes January 31st of their senior year. Applicants interested in the Navy Option Pre-Med scholarship must submit their application by the earlier December 31st deadline. This scholarship window is also open to eligible college students who have completed fewer than 30 college credits and are enrolled in a university that does not have an NROTC program.
The NROTC scholarship application evaluates applicants on several factors, including ACT/SAT scores, high school GPA and class rank, extracurricular activities, and short answer responses to leadership focused questions. Applicants must also complete an Applicant Fitness Assessment (AFA), which may be administered by an appropriate school official, such as a high school physical education teacher. Finally, applicants are required to complete an officer interview. If you would like to complete your interview with the Tulane NROTC staff, please email navy@tulane.edu.
Navy option NROTC scholarship applicants must identify their intended major, which is categorized as Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3. Tier 1 includes traditional engineering disciplines, while Tier 2 includes other engineering fields and STEM majors. Tier 3 encompasses non-STEM academic disciplines. If you have any questions about any particular tier or program please email navy@tulane.edu.
Cooperative Room and Board Scholarship
Navy and Marine Option NROTC scholarship recipients who live on campus at Tulane receive the Cooperative Room and Board Scholarship, which covers standard on-campus room and board costs for up to eight semesters. The scholarship is awarded automatically each semester to students in good standing with the unit; no separate application is required. For additional information, visit the Tulane Financial Aid Office and view the current award value.
Frederick C. Branch
The Frederick C. Branch Leadership Scholarship is for students interested in pursuing a Marine option NROTC Scholarship to one of 17 HBCUs, including Dillard University and Xavier University of Louisiana. If interested, please reach out to your local Marine Corps Officer Selection Officer (OSO).
E.V. Richards and William Waller Young Endowments
Tulane NROTC College Program midshipmen may be selected for merit-based in-house scholarships recognizing overall performance. Awards are determined each semester based on recommendations from unit staff and approval by the Commanding Officer. Eligible students must be in good standing, maintain at least a 2.5 GPA, and meet physical readiness standards.
Two-Year and Three-Year Sideload Scholarships
Sideload NROTC scholarships are available to eligible college students, including current College Program midshipmen and students not currently affiliated with NROTC. Selection is competitive and considers academic and physical performance, including progress in Calculus and calculus-based Physics.
Selection timelines differ by service: Navy Option sideload scholarship boards convene annually in July, while Marine Option scholarship boards generally convene each semester, with fall and spring selection cycles.
Interested in applying? Contact Tulane NROTC at navy@tulane.edu for eligibility requirements and application guidance. The unit must submit your sideload scholarship application on your behalf.